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About the RAADS-R

The RAADS-R (Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale, Revised) is a validated screening questionnaire designed to assist in the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in adults. It consists of 80 questions that assess traits and behaviors associated with autism across four distinct domains.
The RAADS-R is a screening tool, not a diagnostic instrument. Results should always be discussed with a qualified healthcare professional who can provide a comprehensive assessment.

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The Four Domains

The RAADS-R evaluates autism-related characteristics across four clinically validated subscales:

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Social Relatedness

  • Number of items: 39
  • Clinical threshold: >30
  • Maximum score: 117
This domain assesses difficulties with social interaction, understanding social cues, maintaining relationships, and interpreting nonverbal communication. It is the largest subscale and reflects core social communication challenges associated with autism.

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Circumscribed Interests

  • Number of items: 14
  • Clinical threshold: >14
  • Maximum score: 42
This subscale measures the presence and intensity of restricted, repetitive patterns of interests or activities. It evaluates whether individuals have specialized interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus.

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Language

  • Number of items: 7
  • Clinical threshold: >3
  • Maximum score: 21
The language domain assesses pragmatic language difficulties, including literal interpretation, difficulty with conversational flow, and challenges with understanding figurative language or humor.

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Sensory Motor

  • Number of items: 20
  • Clinical threshold: >15
  • Maximum score: 60
This domain evaluates sensory sensitivities (hyper- or hypo-sensitivity to sensory input) and motor coordination difficulties, including stereotyped or repetitive motor movements.

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Total Score

  • Clinical threshold: >65
  • Maximum possible score: 240
  • Number of items: 80
The total RAADS-R score is the sum of all four domain scores. A total score above 65 suggests clinically significant autism-related traits and warrants further clinical evaluation.
Clinical thresholds represent cutoff points where scores suggest the presence of clinically significant autism-related characteristics. However, individual scores should be interpreted in the context of a comprehensive clinical assessment.

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Scoring Methodology

The RAADS-R uses a 4-point Likert scale with response options:
  • True now and when I was young (3 points)
  • True only now (2 points)
  • True only when I was younger than 16 (1 point)
  • Never true (0 points)

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Normative Items

17 of the 80 items are “normative” items that describe neurotypical behaviors. These items are reverse-scored, meaning responses indicating neurotypical behavior receive 0 points, while responses indicating absence of neurotypical behavior receive higher scores.
Proper reverse scoring of normative items is essential for accurate results. This implementation handles reverse scoring automatically according to the published methodology.

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Clinical Validation

The RAADS-R was validated through international studies and demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for identifying autism spectrum disorder in adults. The tool was specifically designed to:
  • Capture both current and historical (childhood) presentations
  • Distinguish between autism spectrum disorder and other conditions
  • Account for age-related changes in symptom presentation
  • Provide domain-level insights for clinical assessment

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Academic Citation

The RAADS-R questionnaire items and scoring methodology are based on:
Ritvo, R.A., Ritvo, E.R., Guthrie, D. et al. (2011). The Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised (RAADS-R): A Scale to Assist the Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Adults: An International Validation Study. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 41(8), 1076–1085. PMC3134766
The original paper is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial licence.

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Intended Use

The RAADS-R is designed for:
  • Adults (18+ years) seeking autism assessment
  • Clinical screening in diagnostic evaluation settings
  • Research on autism spectrum characteristics in adults
  • Self-reflection and understanding of autism-related traits
It is not intended as:
  • A standalone diagnostic tool
  • A replacement for comprehensive clinical evaluation
  • A screening tool for children or adolescents
  • A measure of autism severity or functioning level

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