Monotropism Questionnaire: Do You Have a Deep Focus Thinking Style?

Disclaimer: This questionnaire isn’t a diagnostic tool—it’s just a way to explore how your brain works! If you strongly relate to the results and find that your focus style is affecting your daily life, a psychologist, psychiatrist, or other mental health professional can provide more insight.

What Is Monotropism?

Ever get so lost in something that you completely forget the world around you? Maybe you hyperfocus on a hobby for hours, lose track of time while researching a topic you love, or feel totally thrown off when someone interrupts you mid-task.

That deep, intense focus is what’s known as monotropism—a way of thinking where your brain prefers to lock onto a few things at a time rather than juggling multiple tasks or ideas. It’s often talked about in relation to autism, but it’s not exclusive to autistic people. Many people with ADHD, anxiety, or just a strong sense of curiosity experience it too.

This questionnaire is designed to help you reflect on your attention style and see if monotropism resonates with you. There’s no “right” or “wrong” way to think—this is just about understanding how your brain works so you can work with it, not against it.

How to Take This Questionnaire

Read each statement and think about how it applies to you in everyday life—especially in moments of stress, excitement, or deep concentration.

Rate each statement on a scale from 1 to 5:

• 1 = Strongly Disagree

• 2 = Disagree

• 3 = Neutral / Sometimes

• 4 = Agree

• 5 = Strongly Agree

Section 1: Deep Focus and Attention

1. I get so absorbed in activities I enjoy that I lose track of time.

2. When I’m really into something, I don’t notice what’s happening around me.

3. I struggle to switch focus from one task to another, especially if I’m deeply engaged.

4. If someone interrupts me while I’m concentrating, it throws me off completely.

5. I find it easier to work alone rather than in a busy, social environment.

6. I often hyperfocus on specific topics, hobbies, or tasks for weeks or months at a time.

7. I forget to eat, drink, or take breaks when I’m really into something.

8. I have a hard time paying attention to things that don’t interest me, even if they’re important.

9. When I finish a project or interest, I feel lost and unsure of what to do next.

10. I struggle to focus when there are multiple conversations or distractions around me.

Section 2: Transitions and Task Switching

1. It takes me a while to mentally adjust when I have to switch from one task to another.

2. If I don’t finish a task, it stays on my mind until I can get back to it.

3. I feel unsettled when my routine or plans change unexpectedly.

4. When I’m interrupted, it’s hard to pick up where I left off.

5. I prefer structured, predictable environments over chaotic or spontaneous ones.

6. Multitasking feels overwhelming, and I prefer to do one thing at a time.

7. I have certain habits or routines that help me stay grounded.

8. I need time to mentally prepare before switching from one activity to another.

9. When I’m in the middle of something, I get annoyed if someone tries to rush me.

10. If I don’t get closure on something, it stays in my head for a long time.

Section 3: Special Interests and Passionate Thinking

1. I tend to get deeply obsessed with specific topics or hobbies for long periods.

2. I feel happiest when I’m learning about or engaging in something I love.

3. I’d rather have one or two deep interests than dabble in lots of different things.

4. If I find a topic interesting, I want to know everything about it.

5. I often get frustrated when people don’t share my enthusiasm for my interests.

6. I feel more confident talking about topics I love than making small talk.

7. I sometimes struggle to stop talking about something I’m passionate about.

8. My favorite interests tend to stick with me for years, sometimes since childhood.

9. When I finish something I’ve been focused on for a long time, I feel a little lost.

10. I sometimes prefer researching and thinking about something more than actually doing it.

Section 4: Sensory and Emotional Processing

1. I feel drained or overwhelmed in noisy, unpredictable environments.

2. I need quiet spaces to concentrate effectively.

3. If I’m forced to stop an activity before I’m ready, I feel unsettled.

4. Too many options or too much information at once makes decision-making difficult.

5. I rely on routines and familiar activities to feel calm and centered.

6. I find it hard to shift my focus away from thoughts that are bothering me.

7. I sometimes struggle to focus in group settings but thrive when working alone.

8. I have physical or sensory habits (like fidgeting, tapping, or pacing) that help me concentrate.

9. I feel anxious when I don’t have control over a situation or can’t predict what’s coming next.

10. When I get deeply into something, I can tune out everything else, including hunger, thirst, or exhaustion.

Section 5: Social Interaction and Communication

1. I feel more comfortable one-on-one than in big group settings.

2. I often hesitate to speak in conversations because I don’t know how people will react.

3. I sometimes accidentally talk too much about my interests without realizing it.

4. I struggle to keep up with conversations where multiple people are talking at once.

5. I tend to miss social cues unless they’re clearly stated.

6. I feel mentally exhausted after socializing, even if I had fun.

7. I sometimes avoid conversations because I worry I’ll say the wrong thing.

8. I prefer deep, meaningful conversations over small talk.

9. People have told me I can be very direct or blunt without meaning to be.

10. I sometimes replay past conversations in my head, overanalyzing what I said.

Scoring and What It Means

• 50 - 100: You probably have a more flexible attention style and may not experience monotropism strongly.

• 101 - 150: You might relate to some monotropic traits, especially in areas like focus, transitions, and deep interests.

• 151 - 200: You likely have a strong monotropic thinking style, meaning you hyperfocus deeply, struggle with multitasking, and may find transitions or social interactions challenging.

What to Do with Your Results

If you scored high on this questionnaire, you might have a monotropic attention style, meaning your brain works best when fully engaged in one thing at a time.

Here’s how to work with your focus style instead of against it:

Create structured transitions – Give yourself time between activities to mentally shift gears.
Use hyperfocus to your advantage – Find careers, hobbies, and routines that align with your deep-focus style.

Give yourself permission to take breaks – If you tend to get absorbed in tasks, set reminders to eat, hydrate, or step away for a moment.
Communicate your needs – If social situations or interruptions overwhelm you, let people know what helps you stay engaged.

Monotropism isn’t a flaw—it’s just a different way of thinking. If this questionnaire resonated with you, take time to explore what helps you thrive rather than forcing yourself into a multitasking world that wasn’t built for your brain.