In brief. The RAADS-R is an 80-question self-report scale designed for adults, including those who were missed in childhood. It asks whether each statement was true only when you were young, only now, both, or never, which lets it capture lifelong traits that masking hides. Scores of 65 or more are considered consistent with autism. Like every screen, it informs an assessment rather than replacing one.
What the RAADS-R covers
Published by Ritvo and colleagues in 2011, the RAADS-R groups items into four areas: social relatedness, circumscribed interests, language, and sensory-motor experience. Statements include things like preferring to be alone, taking things literally, being told your voice is unusual, being fascinated by patterns or details, and sensory experiences such as textures or sounds being unbearable.
The "true now and when I was young" response format is its key strength: it distinguishes traits present across the lifespan (which point to autism) from ones that appeared later (which may point elsewhere).
Two questions to start
Take the full self-testWHO adult ADHD screener. Scored on your device. A screen is not a diagnosis.
Scoring
Total scores range from 0 to 240. The threshold of 65 was set in the original study, where it identified nearly all autistic participants and few non-autistic ones. Many autistic adults score well above 100. The subscale scores can be informative too: a high sensory-motor score with lower social scores, for example, tells a clinician where to look.
Strengths and limits
- Strengths: designed for adults, captures lifetime history, less dependent on observable behaviour than the AQ-10, and reasonably good at picking up women and masked presentations.
- Limits: long; some items are dated or culturally specific; later studies found more false positives in people with other conditions than the original suggested; and it was designed to be completed with a clinician rather than alone online.
How clinicians use it
In Australian adult autism assessment the RAADS-R is commonly one of several measures, alongside a developmental interview, the AQ, the CAT-Q for camouflaging, and often a structured observation. The Autism CRC national guideline describes assessment as a clinical judgement drawing on multiple sources rather than any single score. A high RAADS-R is a good reason to seek that assessment; it is not a substitute.
Take it here
Our free autism self-test includes the full RAADS-R, scored on your device with subscale results. It takes 15 to 20 minutes.
Get matched to a therapist.
A short questionnaire, then a practitioner who understands neurodivergence. Per session with your rebate lodged, or a weekly plan.
Frequently asked questions
Is a RAADS-R score of 65 a diagnosis?
No. It indicates that assessment is warranted. Only a clinician can diagnose autism.
I scored over 100. What does that mean?
Scores well above threshold are common among autistic adults. It strengthens the case for assessment; it does not settle it.
Can ADHD or trauma inflate the score?
Yes, particularly on the sensory-motor and social items. Assessment considers other explanations.
Which is better, the AQ-10 or the RAADS-R?
They do different jobs. The AQ-10 is a two-minute filter; the RAADS-R is a fuller picture including lifetime traits. Many people do both.
Sources and review
Last updated 2026-09-14.