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Wri!en by:

Dr. Engelbrecht ND RP & Eva

Silvertant

April 4, 2020

Category: Autism tests

RAADS–R
Last updated on May 15, 2023

Contents
1 – Who the test is designed for
2 – Versions & translations
3 – Taking the test
4 – Scoring
5 – Subscales
6 – Average scores
7 – Mean scores
8 – Validity
9 – Discussion
10 – The RAADS–R
11 – What do my scores mean?
12 – Statements per subscales
13 – Recommended next steps

14 – References
15 – Tags
16 – Disclaimer

13 min read

The Ritvo Autism Asperger

Diagnostic Scale–Revised
(RAADS–R) is a self-report
questionnaire designed to identify
adult autistics who “escape
diagnosis” due to a subclinical
level presentation.

Basic information
Statements: 80

Duration: 10–30
minutes

Type: screening
tool

Authors: Riva Ariella

Ritvo et al.

Publishing year: 2011

Seminal paper: 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 (Ritvo
et al., 2011)

Original RAADS
Statements: 78

Publishing year: 2008

Seminal paper: A Scale to

Assist the
Diagnosis of
Autism and
Asperger’s
Disorder in
Adults
(RAADS): A
Pilot Study
(Ritvo et al.,
2008)

Take the test here:

RAADS–R

Who the test is

designed for
Adults (age 16+) with ASD level
1 or subclinical autism.
Adults with IQ in the normal
range (IQ >=80).[1]

Versions &
translations
The RAADS–R has been translated
into Swedish, and was
also available in most languages
through Google Translate. But as
of 13 January 2022, it seems the
online RAADS–R tests have been
taken down. As far as we know,
we are currently the only ones
who host the RAADS–R online,
albeit in English only.

Taking the test

The RAADS–R is a self-report
instrument. However, the authors
mention that a clinician might
help a participant interpret items
if they have difficulty
understanding the question.

The test assesses developmental

symptoms correlating with the
three DSM-5 diagnostic categories
(Language, Social relatedness,
and Sensory–motor), as well as a
fourth subscale, Circumscribed
interests. It consists of 80
statements, giving you 4 choices
for each statement:

True now and when I was

young
True now only
True only when I was younger
than 16
Never true

If you decide to take the test,

please consider the
Discussion section below.

Scoring
Thresholds
The scoring range of the RAADS–R
is 0–240. A score of 65+ indicates
you are likely autistic, as no
neurotypical scored above 64 in
the research. A score of <65
means you are likely not autistic
(97% chance of not being
autistic). However, note that no
single test is conclusive. For more
certainty, we suggest taking a few
other autism tests as well.

In the table below, you can see

the threshold scores and
maximum possible scores for the
subscales of the RAADS–R.

RAADS–R scores
Construct Threshold Maximum
score score

Total score 65 240

Language 4 21

Social 31 117
relatedness

Sensory– 16 60
motor

Circumscribed 15 42
interests

To see how your score compares

to other people’s, have a look at
the Average scores section. For
more information on the RAADS–
R subscales, have a look at the
Subscales section below.

Scoring methods
You can take the test using two
methods:

Automated-scoring
Paper-based if you want
documentation of your
answers (you can find the
scoring key at the bottom of
the PDF)

Scoring
The scoring of most of the
statements (63) is as follows:

True now and when I was

young (3 points)
True now only (2 points)
True only when I was younger
than 16 (1 point)
Never true (0 points)

However, the point value is

reversed for the 17 so-called
normative questions:[2]

True now and when I was

young (0 points)
True now only (1 point)
True only when I was younger
than 16 (2 points)
Never true (3 points)

Below you can see an example of

the first 3 questions, the first of
which (denoted by an asterisk) is
normative and thus has reversed
scoring.

Subscales
Language
The language subscale is made up
of 7 statements. The focus of
these statements is on:

Movie talk: Friends notice

you’ve heard something new
because you start using the
word or phrase regularly.
Small talk: A light
conversation about
unimportant things that
people make during social
interactions—instead of topics
that are actually interesting
and fun to talk about.
Being literal: Having
challenges when ‘what is said’
language does not match
‘what is meant’ language.

Social relatedness
The social relatedness subscale is
made up of 39 statements. The
focus of these statements is on:

Mentalization: Challenges with

understanding what others are
thinking or feeling.
Mutual interests: Preferring to
be with people with whom
you share interests.
Outsider: Being considered
‘different’.
Bluntness: Being called rude;
or that you have asked
embarrassing questions; or
pointed out when others have
made an error.
Dialectical reciprocity:
Challenges knowing when it is
your turn to talk, in a
conversation or on the phone.
Emotional reciprocity:
Difficulty knowing when a
person is flirting with you.
Auditory processing issues:
Challenges talking with several
people at the same time.
Object permanence: Not
missing people when they’re
absent.
Maintaining relationships:
Challenges making or keeping
friends.
Nonverbal communication:
Challenges understanding
body language.
Mimicry/imitation: Copying
others’ behaviour to fit in.
Camouflaging: Hiding your
automatic behaviours to fit in
with others.

Sensory–motor
The sensory–motor subscale is
made up of 20 statements. The
focus of these statements is on:

Voice volume challenges:

Talking very loud, not loud
enough, or significant
fluctuations between the two.
Voice differences: Speaking
monotone, like a child, or in
silly voices.
Motor control issues:
Clumsiness and being
uncoordinated.
Sensory: Sensory stimulation
that doesn’t bother others can
be painful and overwhelming.
The experience can differ
significantly at various times
or be context-dependent. You
may get anxious when
overstimulated.

Circumscribed
interests
The circumscribed interests
subscale is made up of 14
statements. The focus of these
statements is on:

Details preference: focuses on

details before the big picture,
but can do both.
Upset when the unexpected
occurs: A dislike of someone
changing your routine—this
does not mean that you stick
to your own routine, just that
you dislike someone else
changing YOUR routine.
Special interests: Speaking
about them, having them…

Average scores
The table below shows the
average total scores and
subscores for people taking the
RAADS-R online, divided by
autistic people, suspected autistic
people, and non-autistic people
(neurotypicals).

Average RAADS-R
scores
Total Language
! ! !
score

Autism 65.0 4.0

threshold
values

Autistic 148.6 11.9

males

Autistic 160.4 12.8

females

Suspected 141.6 11.2

autistic
males

Suspected 145.2 11.3

autistic
females

Neurotypical 84.2 6.6

males

Neurotypical 91.6 6.8

females

You might ask, “If the threshold

score is 65, and no neurotypicals
scored higher than 64 in the
research, then why are the
average neurotypical scores above
80?” Excellent question!

The answer is in how the data is

being collected. The table above
is based on people taking the
RAADS–R online, which for
research purposes starts with the
question as to whether you are
diagnosed with autism, suspect
you’re autistic, or are not autistic.
But some people that answered
the latter will—contrary to their
own expectations—end up scoring
in the autistic range. Due to this
misattribution, their scores get
counted as neurotypical scores
despite scoring in the autistic
range, thus skewing the results.

In other words, the average

neurotypical scores as reported
by the online RAADS–R (on
[Link]) are almost
certainly too high. The average
scores you can find in the
research literature are more
reliable, given that they use
genuine neurotypicals as a control
group. In the article below, you
can find a table with average
scores that I have taken from the
research literature.

A summary of the autism

tests & scores

Mean scores
Because the table with average
scores is based on skewed data,
let me also present the mean
scores from Ritvo’s seminal paper:
[3]

Mean RAADS–R
scores
Mean Range Langu
! ! !
total

Autistic 133.83 44–227 11.08

spectrum
(n = 66)

Asperger — — 10.06
(n = 135)

Controls 25.95 0–65 1.86

(n = 276)

Validity
The RAADS–R is a reliable
instrument to assist the diagnosis
of autistic adults.[4]

No neurotypical who took the

test scored above the autism
threshold.
Only 3% of the autistic group
did not score over 65.
Test–retest reliability was
high, particularly for the
autistic group.[5]

Here is how the RAADS–R

measures up:

RAADS-R validity
Measure Result Meaning

Sensitivity 97% Test’s ability

to identify
positive
results

Specificity 100% Test’s ability

to identify
negative
results

Concurrent 96% Test’s validity

validity compared
with ADOS
Module 4, SRS

Test–retest .987 Test’s

reliability agreement
between
results of
 successive
measurements

❝
A total RAADS–R score of
65 or higher is consistent
with the diagnosis of
autism and supports a
clinician’s diagnosis.
However, if there is a
difference between the
clinician’s diagnosis and
the RAADS–R diagnostic
assignment, the clinician’s
diagnosis should take
precedent. This is
because symptoms may
be revealed only during
an interview.

Also, the RAADS–R

standardization study
reported that many
autism subjects,
particularly those in their
late teens and early
twenties, failed to
acknowledge the
presence of symptoms
that their families said
were present and which
were readily observed by
the diagnostician.[6]
❞

Discussion
Dr. Natalie Engelbrecht:
The test has been validated and
cited in the medical literature
numerous times. However, as
both an autistic and a
psychotherapist, I have some
concerns with the RAADS–R:

Quite a few of the statements

are not actually characteristic
of autism and are likely going
to be experienced as
demeaning (e.g. I am NEVER a
compassionate type of
person).
A few questions are
characteristic of alexithymia
rather than autism (e.g. the
ones on lack of compassion
and empathy). While
alexithymia correlates strongly
with autism, it should not be
confused with autism itself.
Two-thirds of autistic adults
were incorrectly identified by
clinicians when they used this
test, despite the fact that the
test has strong validity.[7] I
suspect the reason for this is
that the normative questions
that indicate what we ought to
be like are outdated. I
contacted Dr. Ritvo regarding
this, but she has declined to
respond.

My test results are above. And it

did identify me as autistic, which I
am. The test is based on the
DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for
autism[8] which views us as having
deficits, deficits, deficits!

I find many of the questions

insensitive and lacking in
understanding about what is
normative in regards to autistics.
The test claims that a clinician
‘ought’ to see the following
characteristics if a person is
autistic:

A lack of compassion
A dislike of close friendships
Monotonous speech
An inability to manage small
talk.

Of the 80 statements in the

RAADS–R, the following 17 are
normative. And remember,
according to the RAADS–R, ‘never
true’ gives the highest score (3)
for these statements. Statements
that are unlikely to be ‘never true’
for most autistic people, are in
bold.

1. I am a sympathetic person
6. I can “put myself in other
people’s shoes”
11. I miss my best friends or
family when we are apart for a
long time.
18. I understand when friends
need to be comforted.
23. Meeting new people is
usually easy for me.
26. I like having a conversation
with several people, for
instance around a dinner
table, at school, or at work.
33. I speak with a normal
rhythm.
37. I am an understanding type
of person.
43. I like to talk things over
with my friends.
47. I feel very comfortable
dating or being in social
situations with others.
48. I try to be as helpful as I
can when other people tell me
their personal problems.
53. I am considered a
compassionate type of person.
58. I can chat and make small
talk with people.
62. I usually speak in a normal
tone.
68. I can tell when someone
says one thing but means
something else.
72. I enjoy spending time
eating and talking with my
family and friends.
77. I like to have close friends.

These descriptions are so lacking

in nuance and are not at all
representative of who I am. This is
probably my least favourite
autism test for that reason alone.

Kendall:
A significant percentage of the
statements are nearly impossible
for me to answer or, have no
appropriate answer. It feels like
throwing a dart at times; no
choice is accurate, just slightly
more or less accurate.

That said, the test has a close to

100% success rate in
differentiating autism from non-
autism, despite these limitations.

The RAADS–R
Please read each statement below
and choose the answer that best
fits your experiences during social
interactions.

1. I am a sympathetic
person.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

2. I o$en use words and

phrases from movies and
television in conversations.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

3. I am o$en surprised
when others tell me I have
been rude.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

4. Sometimes I talk too

loudly or too so$ly, and I
am not aware of it.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

5. I o$en don't know how

to act in social situations.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

6. I can 'put myself in other

people's shoes.'
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

7. I have a hard time

figuring out what some
phrases mean, like 'you are
the apple of my eye.'
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

8. I only like to talk to

people who share my
special interests.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

9. I focus on details rather

than the overall idea.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

10. I always notice how

food feels in my mouth.
This is more important to
me than how it tastes.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

11. I miss my best friends or

family when we are apart
for a long time.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

12. Sometimes I offend

others by saying what I am
thinking, even if I don't
mean to.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

13. I only like to think and

talk about a few things that
interest me.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

14. I'd rather go out to eat

in a restaurant by myself
than with someone I know.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

15. I cannot imagine what it

would be like to be
someone else.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

16. I have been told that I

am clumsy or
uncoordinated.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

17. Others consider me odd

or different.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

18. I understand when

friends need to be
comforted.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

19. I am very sensitive to

the way my clothes feel
when I touch them. How
they feel is more important
to me than how they look.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

20. I like to copy the way

certain people speak and
act. It helps me appear
more normal.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

21. It can be very

intimidating for me to talk
to more than one person at
the same time.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

22. I have to 'act normal' to

please other people and
make them like me.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

23. Meeting new people is

usually easy for me.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

24. I get highly confused

when someone interrupts
me when I am talking
about something I am very
interested in.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

25. It is difficult for me to

understand how other
people are feeling when we
are talking.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

26. I like having a

conversation with several
people, for instance around
a dinner table, at school or
at work.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

27. I take things too

literally, so I o$en miss
what people are trying to
say.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

28. It is very difficult for me

to understand when
someone is embarrassed or
jealous.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

29. Some ordinary textures

that do not bother others
feel very offensive when
they touch my skin.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

30. I get extremely upset

when the way I like to do
things is suddenly changed.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

31. I have never wanted or

needed to have what other
people call an 'intimate
relationship.'
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

32. It is difficult for me to

start and stop a
conversation. I need to
keep going until I am
finished.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

33. I speak with a normal

rhythm.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

34. The same sound, color

or texture can suddenly
change from very sensitive
to very dull.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

35. The phrase 'I've got you

under my skin' makes me
uncomfortable.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

36. Sometimes the sound

of a word or a high-pitched
noise can be painful to my
ears.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

37. I am an understanding
type of person.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

38. I do not connect with

characters in movies and
cannot feel what they feel.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

39. I cannot tell when

someone is flirting with
me.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

40. I can see in my mind in

exact detail things that I
am interested in.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

41. I keep lists of things

that interest me, even
when they have no
practical use (for example
sports statistics, train
schedules, calendar dates,
historical facts and dates).
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

42. When I feel

overwhelmed by my
senses, I have to isolate
myself to shut them down.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

43. I like to talk things over

with my friends.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

44. I cannot tell if someone

is interested or bored with
what I am saying.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

45. It can be very hard to

read someone's face, hand
and body movements when
they are talking.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

46. The same thing (like

clothes or temperatures)
can feel very different to
me at different times.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

47. I feel very comfortable

with dating or being in
social situations with
others.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

48. I try to be as helpful as

I can when other people
tell me their personal
problems.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

49. I have been told that I

have an unusual voice (for
example flat, monotone,
childish, or high-pitched).
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

50. Sometimes a thought or

a subject gets stuck in my
mind and I have to talk
about it even if no one is
interested.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

51. I do certain things with

my hands over and over
again (like flapping, twirling
sticks or strings, waving
things by my eyes).
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

52. I have never been

interested in what most of
the people I know consider
interesting.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

53. I am considered a
compassionate type of
person.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

54. I get along with other

people by following a set of
specific rules that help me
look normal.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

55. It is very difficult for me

to work and function in
groups.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

56. When I am talking to

someone, it is hard to
change the subject. If the
other person does so, I can
get very upset and
confused.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

57. Sometimes I have to

cover my ears to block out
painful noises (like vacuum
cleaners or people talking
too much or too loudly).
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

58. I can chat and make

small talk with people.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

59. Sometimes things that

should feel painful are not
(for instance when I hurt
myself or burn my hand on
the stove).
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

60. When talking to

someone, I have a hard
time telling when it is my
turn to talk or to listen.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

61. I am considered a loner

by those who know me
best.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

62. I usually speak in a

normal tone.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

63. I like things to be

exactly the same day a$er
day and even small changes
in my routines upset me.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

64. How to make friends

and socialize is a mystery
to me.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

65. It calms me to spin

around or to rock in a chair
when I'm feeling stressed.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

66. The phrase, 'He wears

his heart on his sleeve,'
does not make sense to
me.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

67. If I am in a place where

there are many smells,
textures to feel, noises or
bright lights, I feel anxious
or frightened.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

68. I can tell when

someone says one thing
but means something else.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

69. I like to be by myself as

much as I can.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

70. I keep my thoughts

stacked in my memory like
they are on filing cards, and
I pick out the ones I need
by looking through the
stack and finding the right
one (or another unique
way).
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

71. The same sound

sometimes seems very loud
or very so$, even though I
know it has not changed.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

72. I enjoy spending time

eating and talking with my
family and friends.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

73. I can't tolerate things I

dislike (like smells,
textures, sounds or colors).
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

74. I don't like to be hugged

or held.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

75. When I go somewhere, I

have to follow a familiar
route or I can get very
confused and upset.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

76. It is difficult to figure

out what other people
expect of me.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

77. I like to have close

friends.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

78. People tell me that I

give too much detail.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

79. I am o$en told that I

ask embarrassing
questions.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

80. I tend to point out

other people's mistakes.
a. True now and when I was
young
b. True only now
c. True only when I was
younger than 16
d. Never true

Score

Total:

185
Language subtotal:

19
Social relatedness subtotal

73
Sensory/motor subtotal:

59
Circumscribed interests subto

34

Download PDF
What do my
scores mean?
All scores of 65 or higher are
indicative of autistic traits. The
higher the score, the more
autistic traits you have. In the
table below are general
interpretations of various total
scores on the RAADS–R.

Meaning of RAADS–R
scores
Score Interpretation

25 You are not autistic.

50 Some autistic traits, but likely

not autistic (yet some autistic
people score as low as 44).

65 The minimum score at which

autism is considered.

90 Stronger indications of
autism, although non-
autistics may score as high.

130 The mean score of autistic

people; strong evidence for
autism.

160 Very strong evidence for

autism.

227 The maximum score autistic

people acquired in Ritvo’s
seminal paper on the RAADS–
R.[9]

240 The maximum possible

RAADS–R score.

Do note that no single test is

conclusive, and not every autistic
person necessarily scores above
the defined threshold on each
test. If you score low on the
RAADS–R but still think you could
be autistic, try taking a few other
autism tests.

Statements per
subscales
Below you can see which
statements of the RAADS–R
belong to which of the subscales.
Double-click or tap on a subscale
to see all statements for that
subscale grouped together.

Statements per
subscales
Statement Social Langu
! !
relatedness

1 ✘

2 ✘

3 ✘

5 ✘

6 ✘

7 ✘

8 ✘

10

11 ✘

12 ✘

13

14 ✘

15 ✘

16

17 ✘

18 ✘

19

20 ✘

21 ✘

22 ✘

23 ✘

24

25 ✘

26 ✘

27 ✘

28 ✘

29

30

31 ✘

32

33

34

35 ✘

36

37 ✘

38 ✘

39 ✘

40

41

42

43 ✘

44 ✘

45 ✘

46

47 ✘

48 ✘

49

50

51

52

53 ✘

54 ✘

55 ✘

56

57

58 ✘

59

60 ✘

61 ✘

62

63

64 ✘

65

66 ✘

67

68 ✘

69 ✘

70

71

72 ✘

73

74

75

76 ✘

77 ✘

78

79 ✘

80 ✘

Recommended
next steps
After the RAADS–R, consider
taking one of the tests
below.

Autism Spectrum
Quotient
A simple screening test that
is used as a basis
for pursuing a formal autism
evaluation

CAT-Q
Measures camouflaging, and
can account
for lower scores on other
autism tests

Aspie Quiz
Identifies neurodivergence
and
potential co-occurring
conditions

Online autism tests can play an

essential role in the process of self-
discovery, and may inform your
decision to pursue a formal
diagnosis. For a formal assessment,
please see a knowledgeable medical
professional trained in assessing
autism.

If you are looking for an autism

assessment,
have a look at the following post:

Online autism
assessments

References
References
1↑ A Scale to Assist the
Diagnosis of Autism and
Asperger’s Disorder in
Adults (RAADS): A Pilot
Study (Ritvo et al., 2008)

2↑, The Ritvo Autism Asperger

3↑, Diagnostic Scale-Revised
4↑ (RAADS–R): A scale to
assist the diagnosis of
autism spectrum disorder
in adults: An international
validation study (Ritvo et
al., 2011)

5↑ Table 7 – Test-retest data

statistical analysis | 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 (Ritvo et
al., 2011)

6↑ The Ritvo Autism Asperger

Diagnostic Scale-Revised
(RAADS–R)

7↑ Examining the Diagnostic

Validity of Autism
Measures Among Adults in
an Outpatient Clinic
Sample (Conner, Cramer, &
McGonigle, 2019)

8↑ Diagnostic Criteria for

Autism Spectrum Disorder
| CDC

9↑ 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 (Ritvo et
al., 2011)

Tags

Autism test (11)

Body language (3)

Camouflaging (31)

DSM-5 (15) Imitation (1)

Mentalization (1)

Motor control (3)

Nonverbal communication (5)

Psychometric test (26)

Ritvo Autism Asperger

Diagnostic Scale–
Revised (RAADS–R) (2)

Riva Ariella Ritvo (1)

Test–retest reliability
(statistics) (7)

Tony A!wood (6)

Validity (statistics) (18)

Click on one of the tags above to

find related content

Related posts

A summary of the autism tests &

scores

The upsides of an autism

diagnosis

The CAT-Q

Previous Next

This article
was wri!en by:

Dr. Engelbrecht ND
RP & Eva Silvertant
Dr. Natalie Engelbrecht ND RP is
a dually licensed registered
psychotherapist and
naturopathic doctor, and a
Canadian leader in trauma and
PTSD, and she happens to be
autistic; she was diagnosed at
46.

Eva Silvertant is living up to her

surname as a silver award-
winning graphic designer. She
also loves researching autism,
astronomy, and typography. She
was diagnosed with autism at
25.

Note: Eva is trans, and used to

be Martin Silvertant.

Disclaimer
Although our content is generally
well-researched and
substantiated, or based on
personal experience, note that it
does not constitute medical
advice.

Comments
Let us know what you
think!

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Join the discussion

3k comments

Jane " 1 day ago

"

I got 217. Is that high??

Atleast I passed a test

1 Reply #

Editor

Kerry S " 22 hours ago

"

# Reply to Jane

That is a very high

score, which indicates
you have a lot of
autistic traits and
there’s a very strong
chance that you could
be autistic. Taking
additional
psychometric tests
could be a good next
step – while tests
can’t confirm autism,
they can give you a
good sense of how
likely the possibility is.

0 Reply

Hİnzki " 1 day ago

"

Hello, i have gotten an

RAADS-R score of 169, AQ
10 score of 9, AQ score of
28. ASPIE score of 123 and
a CAT-Q score of 106. How
likely am i to be autistic,
from the numbers i saw it
seems to be above 99%?

0 Reply #

Editor

Kerry S " 22 hours ago

"

# Reply to Hİnzki

I can’t give you a

percentage from your
scores – test results
don’t give you that
much precision, only a
rough sense of how
likely it is. You’re well
over the thresholds on
the RAADS-R and AQ
10, and just over the
thresholds on the AQ
and CAT-Q (the current
version of the Aspie
quiz has not been
validated by research,
but it should have give
you a percentage to
indicate the probability
of being atypical). So
I’d say it’s pretty likely
that you could be
autistic, but I’m not a
medical professional
and this isn’t medical
advice.
 0 Reply

Luna " 2 days ago

"

i got Total:

53

Language subtotal:

Social relatedness
subtotal:

21

Sensory/motor subtotal:

15

Circumscribed interests
subtotal:

12

what does it mean?

0 Reply #

Editor

Kerry S " 22 hours ago

"

# Reply to luna

The threshold score for

this test is 65, so while
you have a few autistic
traits, you most likely
are not autistic.
Combined with the
other scores you’ve
shared in comments
that are also below the
threshold for each
test, this makes it very
likely that you aren’t
autistic.

1 Reply

Briana Green
" 3 days ago "

I scored 123 and my

sibling scored 121, I
wonder if siblings
normally score similarlly.
But we both have
diagnosed PTSD, so that
probably is the reason
why there so close, right?

0 Reply #

Editor

Kerry S " 22 hours ago

"

# Reply to Briana Green

Conditions like PTSD

can indeed lead to
scoring over the
threshold on autism
tests, as autism and
PTSD can have some of
the same/similar traits.
However, it’s also very
common for autistic
people to have autistic
family members since
there is a genetic
component to autism.
So it could be either!

0 Reply

Simon " 8 days ago

"

I took all the tests and

scored low – like 36 on
this one (and when in
doubt i tapped into my
inner nervous 16 year old
to answer so its probably
nearer to 25). I hear a lot
about autism and neuro-
divergence and because i
tend to be a little bit
‘alternative’ and
somewhat reserved it
could be easy for me…and
everyone like me to now
think they are on the
autism scale thanks to
the internet.

These tests have helped

me understand autism a
bit more and how I really
do NOT identify with a lot
the the stuff about
textures and struggling
with any kind of change.
In fact these kind of
difficulties actually seem
quite strange to me and
nothing to do with my
naturally more reserved
temperament.

Which i guess is the point

– that we need to have
more understanding that
there are people who ARE
affected by these kinds of
things and to do what we
can to make a bit more
allowance for it in culture.

3 Reply #

Editor

Kerry S " 7 days ago

"

# Reply to Simon

Exactly – that’s part of

why we make these
tests publicly available.
Many people have
autistic traits, but that
isn’t the same as being
autistic. It can be very
difficult to tell the
difference, especially if
someone doesn’t know
that much about
autism, and having
tests and scientifically
backed information
can make a big
difference.

2 Reply

Bri&any " 9 days ago

"

I scored a 224. I want to

download this but it
comes up blank when I
try. I’ve been wanting to
get evaluated but there
isn’t a place that
evaluates adults in my
area. This is the best I can
get.

3 Reply #

Editor

Kerry S " 7 days ago

"

# Reply to Bri-any

If there aren’t any local

options available to
you, we do offer online
assessments with Dr.
Natalie Engelbrecht ND
RP – our Assessments
page has more
information about this.

For downloading your

answers – are you
using Chrome? Try
using Chrome, if you
aren’t. If you’re already
using Chrome, try
temporarily disabling
any browser extensions
(adblockers, etc) and
let me know if that
helps!

0 Reply

Table " 9 days ago

"

i got a 207 so.. did i

pass??

1 Reply #

Editor

Kerry S " 7 days ago

"

# Reply to table

The threshold score for

this test is 65, and the
average autistic score
is 130, so your score is
very high! While this
doesn’t confirm
autism, it does indicate
that you have a lot of
autistic traits and it’s
very likely that you
could be autistic. Try
taking additional
psychometric tests –
tests alone can’t
confirm autism, but
they can give you a
good sense of how
likely the possibility is.

0 Reply

Hamlin " 10 days ago

"

got 206 and I got a gut

feeling that it would be
higher if I wasn’t as
confused by how vague
the questions were, which
probably says lot about
me doesn’t it.

8 Reply

Fran " 10 days ago

"

187. Now, I don’t know

what to do with this
information.

1 Reply #

Editor

Kerry S " 7 days ago

"

# Reply to Fran

That’s really up to you!

Taking additional
psychometric tests
could be a good next
step – while tests
can’t confirm autism,
they can give you a
good sense of how
likely the possibility is.
Learning more about
autism can be a great
way to see if it
resonates with your
own experiences.

From there, you could

look into getting a
formal assessment, or
choose to learn about
autism and
accommodate yourself
on your own. A
diagnosis has benefits
and drawbacks, and I’d
encourage you to
research those yourself
– how they balance
out really depends on
your individual needs
and situation. If you do
decide you’d like to get
assessed, typically the
first step is to ask your
doctor for a referral.
Alternatively, we do
offer online
assessments with Dr.
Natalie Engelbrecht ND
RP – our Assessments
page has more
information about this.

0 Reply

Isabel " 10 days ago

"

Nothing is always true or

never true. Everything
depends. The choices
here are very confusing
and it’s uncomfortable to
select answers that you
don’t entirely agree with
just because that’s the
best option available. Also
is it me or this question
doesn’t make much sense
(English is not my first
language) : “The same
sound, color or texture
can suddenly change from
very sensitive to very
dull.” How a sound or
colour can be sensitive?!
I’m not entirely sure why
am I so upset after filling
out this form lol

7 Reply #

Editor

Kerry S " 7 days ago

"

# Reply to Isabel

Yes, a lot of people

have the same
problem with this test!
The choice of answer
scale is very odd, and
it’s not clear why the
researchers who
developed this test
used it. We suggest
choosing “true” when
you would prefer to
choose “sometimes.
The question phrasing
confuses a lot of
people as well! For the
question you copied,
my interpretation is
that it’s asking if your
sensitivity to a
sound/colour/texture
can change abruptly,
even when the
sound/colour/texture
itself does not change.
Does that make sense?

Try taking additional

psychometric tests:
many of them have
less confusing
questions and a better
answer scale. While
tests can’t confirm
autism, they can give
you a good sense of
how likely the
possibility is, and
results across several
tests are more reliable
than results from a
single test.

1 Reply

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