Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale – Revised (RAADS-R)

Background / Development

The Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale – Revised (RAADS-R) was developed by Ritvo et al. in 2011 to identify autism spectrum conditions in adults of average or above-average intelligence.

It was designed to address underdiagnosis in adults who may have compensated for or masked autistic traits during childhood.

The RAADS-R is grounded in DSM-IV-TR and ICD-10 criteria and evolved from the earlier RAADS instrument (2008).

Purpose / Intended Use

The RAADS-R is a diagnostic-support tool that helps clinicians assess whether an adult’s developmental history and behavioural traits align with autism spectrum conditions.

It is especially useful in adult psychiatric settings, where differential diagnosis between autism, ADHD, and mood disorders can be complex.

The scale is intended for clinician-supervised administration to supplement structured diagnostic interviews such as the ADOS-2 or ADI-R.

Psychometric Properties

Validation studies across clinical and community samples demonstrate strong psychometric performance:

• Internal consistency: α ≈ 0.90 (total scale)
• Sensitivity: ~97%
• Specificity: ~100% (at optimal cutoffs in validation samples)
• Test–retest reliability: r ≈ 0.78
• Construct validity: high correlations with AQ and ADOS classifications

The RAADS-R effectively differentiates autistic from non-autistic adults and shows cross-cultural reliability in translated versions.

Structure and Content

The RAADS-R consists of 80 self-report items scored on a 4-point Likert scale (True now and when I was young to Never true).

Items are grouped into four core domains reflecting both developmental history and current functioning:

• Language – unusual language use, literal interpretation
• Social relatedness – challenges with empathy, reciprocity, or social intuition
• Sensory–motor – sensory sensitivities and motor coordination issues
• Circumscribed interests – focused or restricted patterns of interest

Completion typically requires 15–20 minutes and may be administered digitally or via clinician interview.

Scoring and Interpretation

Total score ranges from 0–240, with higher scores indicating stronger autistic characteristics.

Common interpretive guidance:

• ≥65: Suggests presence of clinically significant autistic traits
• Below 65: Unlikely to meet autism diagnostic thresholds

Interpretation must be clinical and contextual, as elevated scores may also appear in individuals with other neurodevelopmental or personality profiles.

Clinical Application

The RAADS-R is used primarily in adult autism diagnostic assessments, especially in tertiary psychiatric and neurodevelopmental clinics.

It supports clinicians in:

• Identifying autism in adults previously undiagnosed
• Structuring developmental history interviews
• Differentiating autism from mood, anxiety, and personality disorders
• Enhancing self-understanding among adults seeking evaluation

Because self-awareness can affect responses, the RAADS-R is best interpreted collaboratively with clinician input and corroborative developmental history.

References / Sources

Ritvo, R. A., Ritvo, E. R., Guthrie, D., Yuwiler, A., Ritvo, M. J., & Weisbender, L. (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), 1076–1089. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-010-1133-5