RAADS–R

The Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale–Revised (RAADS-R) is an 80-item self-report autism screening questionnaire for adults. Developed by Riva Ariella Ritvo and colleagues, it measures autistic traits across four areas: Social Relatedness, Circumscribed Interests, Language, and Sensory-Motor experiences. The RAADS-R can help identify elevated autistic traits that may be worth exploring further.

The questionnaire asks about both your current experiences and whether those experiences were present when you were younger.

Taking the RAAD-S and receiving your score are free, as always.
Once you receive your score, you’ll have the option to purchase a PDF with a personalized interpretation of your overall score and subscales for $3.50.

Take the RAADS–R

Please read each statement and choose the answer
that best fits your typical experience.

80 statements · 10–30 minutes · Free score · Anonymous

If you have purchased an Embrace Autism screening, please contact us before completing this test.

About the RAADS–R

Many adults come across the RAADS-R when they’re trying to understand patterns in themselves that have always felt hard to explain.

You don’t need to already suspect you’re autistic to find the RAADS-R helpful. Many people arrive here simply because they’ve always felt different and are wondering whether autism might explain some of those lifelong patterns.

They might be wondering:

• Why do social situations seem to require so much more effort for me than for other people?
• Why have I always experienced certain sounds, textures, movements, or sensations so intensely?
• Why do I become so deeply absorbed in particular interests or topics?
• Could this be autism?

The RAADS-R is unusual among autism questionnaires because it asks you to think about both your current experiences and whether those experiences were present when you were younger.

This is useful because autism is developmental: autistic traits begin in childhood, even when they aren’t recognized as autistic until adulthood.

Some questions may also describe experiences you have learned to hide, compensate for, or manage differently over time. When answering, try to think about your underlying experience rather than only what other people can see.

Notes on answering the questions

The RAADS-R was not designed by autistic people, and some questions may not fit neatly with how you understand or experience autism.
When answering:

• Think about your typical experience, rather than trying to remember every situation perfectly.
• Answer based on your internal experience, not only what other people can see.
• If a question feels broad or vague, choose the response that best fits your understanding of it.
• You may find yourself interpreting some questions very literally. Answer based on how you understand the question.
• Some questions reflect older ideas about autism and may not fit every autistic person’s experience.

There isn’t a “right” way to experience autistic traits. The goal is simply to choose the response that most closely reflects your own experience.

Understanding your RAADS–R score

Your RAADS-R total score can range from 0 to 240, with higher scores reflecting more autistic traits on the questionnaire.

The original RAADS-R study proposed 65 as the threshold for further investigation. However, later research in clinical populations found that this cutoff identified many non-autistic people as potentially autistic.

More recent studies have found that higher scores of approximately 120–129 may provide better specificity in clinical settings. This means that higher scores may provide stronger evidence of an autistic pattern, but there is no single score that can diagnose or rule out autism.

Your RAADS-R result is best understood alongside your lifelong experiences, developmental history, other questionnaires, and, when appropriate, clinical assessment.

Want to explore your autistic traits in more detail?

Our Autistic Trait Profile Questionnaire (ATPQ) looks across 7 core autistic trait areas, helping you see your individual pattern of strengths and differences rather than relying on a single overall score.

What are the RAADS–R subscores?

Your total score tells you about the overall pattern of autistic traits reflected in your responses.

But that total is actually made up of responses across four different areas.

These are called your RAADS-R subscores.

Social Relatedness

This subscore reflects experiences involving social connection and interaction, including understanding other people, navigating relationships, feeling socially comfortable, and experiencing yourself in relation to others.

Sensory-Motor

This subscore reflects sensory and movement-related experiences, including sensitivity to sounds, textures, touch, and other sensory input, as well as aspects of movement and coordination.

Circumscribed Interests

This subscore reflects patterns involving highly focused interests, routines, repetition, and the intensity with which particular subjects or activities capture your attention.

Language

This subscore reflects patterns in how you use and understand language, including conversational language, literal interpretation, and differences in how language may be experienced or processed.

Do I need my RAADS–R subscores?

Your free overall RAADS-R score is enough to see how your responses compare with the commonly used threshold.
Some people want to understand what is behind their total score. Two people with similar overall scores can have very different patterns across Social Relatedness, Sensory-Motor, Language, and Circumscribed Interests. You might have a particularly high score in one area and a much lower score in another, while another autistic person may show almost the opposite pattern.
Your optional Complete Results & PDF shows your four subscores and a personalized breakdown you can save. These subscores show the shape of your RAADS-R profile and how different areas contributed to your total.

Using the RAADS-R with clients

Are you a clinician using the RAADS-R with a client?

Clients can complete the RAADS-R here for free and receive their overall score. If they choose, they can also purchase their Complete Results & PDF for $3.50 USD, which includes their four subscores and personalized results that they can save or share with you.
The RAADS-R is a screening questionnaire and should be interpreted alongside the person’s developmental history, clinical presentation, and other relevant information.

How to think about your subscores

Your four subscores are not four separate autism tests, and there isn’t one “correct” autistic profile.
You might have a particularly high score in one area and a much lower score in another. Another autistic person may show almost the opposite pattern.
That’s part of why the subscores can be interesting: rather than reducing your responses to a single number, they can show how different kinds of autistic traits contributed to your overall result.
A higher or lower score in one area does not, by itself, determine whether you are autistic.
Think of the subscores as a way of understanding the shape of your RAADS-R profile, rather than four additional pass/fail scores.

What does my score mean for autism?

The RAADS-R is a screening questionnaire, not a diagnostic assessment.
Some autistic people score below the suggested threshold, and some non-autistic people score above it.
Scores may also be influenced by other experiences and conditions that overlap with autistic traits.
Your result becomes more meaningful when you consider it alongside things such as:

• your experiences throughout childhood and adulthood
• social and communication patterns
• sensory experiences
• repetitive behaviours and focused interests
• masking and compensating
• other questionnaires
• other possible explanations for your experiences

Some people finish the RAADS-R and feel that their result fits exactly what they expected. Others are surprised that their score is higher—or lower—than anticipated.
Either way, the RAADS-R is best understood as a starting point for exploration rather than an answer.
If you’d like to explore your autistic traits from a different perspective, our Autistic Trait Profile Questionnaire (ATPQ) looks across seven core autistic trait areas and focuses on your individual pattern of strengths and differences.

RAADS–R Frequently Asked Questions

Can the RAADS–R diagnose autism?

No. The RAADS-R is a screening questionnaire, not a diagnostic assessment. It identifies patterns of autistic traits that may warrant further exploration but cannot determine whether someone meets diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Can I be autistic if my RAADS–R score is below 65?

Yes. While the original research suggested a score of 65 as a threshold, some autistic people score below this level.
Masking, differences in interpreting questions, individual variation, and co-occurring conditions can all affect responses. A score below 65 does not automatically rule out autism.

Can someone score above 65 and not be autistic?

Yes. Elevated RAADS-R scores are not specific to autism. People with other experiences or conditions that overlap with autistic traits may also receive elevated scores.
That’s why you should consider your RAADS-R score alongside your developmental history and broader experiences, rather than interpreting it in isolation.

Does masking affect RAADS–R scores?

It can. Many autistic adults have spent years consciously or unconsciously masking autistic traits. Some people answer based on how they behave outwardly rather than how they experience things internally, which may affect their scores.
If you regularly mask or camouflage, try to answer based on your internal experience, rather than only what other people see.
For example, if you have learned to make eye contact, socialize, or suppress stimming because it was expected of you, consider whether those behaviours feel natural or require conscious effort.

Should I take more than one autism questionnaire?

You may find it useful. No single questionnaire captures every aspect of autism. The AQ measures a somewhat different range of autistic traits, while the CAT-Q focuses specifically on camouflaging.
Looking at patterns across several questionnaires can sometimes provide more information than relying on one score alone.

Why are there different RAADS–R cut-off scores?

The original validation study suggested a threshold score of 65.

Subsequent research has found that higher cut-offs may improve specificity in some clinical populations. There is no universally accepted score that can reliably separate autistic from non-autistic people in every population.
That’s another reason the RAADS-R shouldn’t be used as a stand-alone diagnostic test.

Is the RAADS–R accurate?

The RAADS-R has been widely used in research and clinical settings, but it also has important limitations.

• It can identify autistic traits, but elevated scores do not necessarily mean someone is autistic. Its usefulness depends partly on the population in which it is being used and how the results are interpreted.
• It is best viewed as one source of information rather than a definitive answer.

What should I do if my score suggests autism?

You don’t necessarily need to do anything. For some people, taking the RAADS-R is simply part of understanding themselves.

If your score, lifelong experiences, and personal reflections suggest that autism may explain important parts of your life, you might choose to explore further through other questionnaires, reading and self-reflection, or a professional assessment.

If you want clinical interpretation, a structured autism screening assessment can examine your questionnaire results alongside your developmental history, strengths, challenges, and other possible explanations for your experiences.

More about the RAADS–R

Want to know more about the research and scoring behind this test? Read our more comprehensive post below.

RAADS–R full guide

RAADS-R Foundational Review

References

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, 1076–1089. PubMed

• Why we included it: This is the original international validation study of the RAADS-R. It established the 80-item questionnaire, its four subscales, the 0–240 scoring range, and the original suggested cutoff of 65. It provides the foundation for understanding how the RAADS-R was developed and originally intended to be used.

Andersen, L. M. J., Näswall, K., Manouilenko, I., et al. (2011).
The Swedish version of the Ritvo Autism and Asperger Diagnostic Scale: Revised (RAADS-R). A validation study of a rating scale for adults.
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 41, 1635–1645. PubMed

• Why we included it: This independent validation study provides additional support for the RAADS-R beyond the original research team. It also examined differences across the four RAADS-R subscales, making it particularly relevant when interpreting your subscore profile rather than looking only at your total score.

Conner, C. M., Cramer, R. D., & McGonigle, J. J. (2019).
Examining the diagnostic validity of autism measures among adults in an outpatient clinic sample.
Autism in Adulthood, 1(1), 60–68. PubMed

• Why we included it: This study looked at how the RAADS-R performs in a real-world outpatient clinical setting. Its results were less impressive than those of the original validation study, illustrating why a RAADS-R score should not be treated as a diagnosis or interpreted without considering a person’s broader history and experiences.

Brugha, T., Tyrer, F., Leaver, A., et al. (2020).
Testing adults by questionnaire for social and communication disorders, including autism spectrum disorders, in an adult mental health service population.
International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research, 29, e1814. PubMed

• Why we included it: This study helps explain why we don’t treat the original score of 65 as a simple autistic/non-autistic dividing line. In this adult mental-health population, a substantially higher RAADS-R cutoff of around 120 performed better. It demonstrates how the most useful cutoff can vary depending on the population being assessed.

Jones, S. L., Johnson, M., Alty, B., & Adamou, M. (2021).
The effectiveness of RAADS-R as a screening tool for adult ASD populations.
Autism Research and Treatment, 2021, 9974791. PubMed

• Why we included it: This study examined people referred to a specialist adult autism service and found that RAADS-R scores did not reliably predict who ultimately received an autism diagnosis. This is an important reminder that even a high score is only one piece of information and needs to be considered alongside developmental history and other evidence.

Baghdadli, A., Russet, F., & Mottron, L. (2017).
Measurement properties of screening and diagnostic tools for autism spectrum adults of mean normal intelligence: A systematic review.
European Psychiatry, 44, 104–124. PubMed

• Why we included it: Rather than examining just one study, this systematic review synthesizes research on multiple adult autism screening and diagnostic tools, including the RAADS-R. It helps put the questionnaire’s strengths and limitations into a broader evidence-based context and supports using questionnaires as part of a larger assessment process rather than on their own.

Sturm, A., Huang, S., Bal, V., & Schwartzman, B. (2024).
Psychometric exploration of the RAADS-R with autistic adults: Implications for research and clinical practice.
Autism, 28(9), 2334–2345. PubMed

• Why we included it: This newer study gives us a contemporary look at the RAADS-R in a large sample of 839 adults, including diagnosed autistic adults, self-identified autistic adults, people exploring whether they may be autistic, and non-autistic adults. It is particularly valuable because it examines how the RAADS-R performs among the kinds of adults who use autism questionnaires today.