Test for assessing symptoms of ‘mild’ or high-functioning autism or level 1 support (formerly ‘Asperger syndrome’)

On this page you will find a test for assessing symptoms of ‘mild’ or high-functioning autism or level 1 support (formerly ‘Asperger syndrome’), using 80 questions from the RAADS-R scale (Ritvo, 2011). It was designed to screen adults with suspected autism spectrum disorder (ASD) without learning disabilities. It does not replace consultation with a psychologist or psychiatrist.

Source: 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)

 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.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

2. I often use words and phrases from movies and television in conversations.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

3. I am often surprised when others tell me I have been rude.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

4. Sometimes I talk too loudly or too softly, and I am not aware of it.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

5. I often don't know how to act in social situations.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

6.* I can 'put myself in other people's shoes.'

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

7. I have a hard time figuring out what some phrases mean, like 'you are the apple of my eye.'

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

8. I only like to talk to people who share my special interests.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

9. I focus on details rather than the overall idea.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

10. I always notice how food feels in my mouth. This is more important to me than how it tastes.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

11.* I miss my best friends or family when we are apart for a long time.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

12. Sometimes I offend others by saying what I am thinking, even if I don't mean to.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

13. I only like to think and talk about a few things that interest me.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

14. I'd rather go out to eat in a restaurant by myself than with someone I know.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

15. I cannot imagine what it would be like to be someone else.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

16. I have been told that I am clumsy or uncoordinated.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

17. Others consider me odd or different.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

18.* I understand when friends need to be comforted.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 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.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

20. I like to copy the way certain people speak and act. It helps me appear more normal.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

21. It can be very intimidating for me to talk to more than one person at the same time.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

22. I have to 'act normal' to please other people and make them like me.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

23.* Meeting new people is usually easy for me.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

24. I get highly confused when someone interrupts me when I am talking about something I am very interested in.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

25. It is difficult for me to understand how other people are feeling when we are talking.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

26.* I like having a conversation with several people, for instance around a dinner table, at school or at work.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

27. I take things too literally, so I often miss what people are trying to say.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

28. It is very difficult for me to understand when someone is embarrassed or jealous.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

29. Some ordinary textures that do not bother others feel very offensive when they touch my skin.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

30. I get extremely upset when the way I like to do things is suddenly changed.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

31. I have never wanted or needed to have what other people call an 'intimate relationship.'

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

32. It is difficult for me to start and stop a conversation. I need to keep going until I am finished.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

33.* I speak with a normal rhythm.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

34. The same sound, color or texture can suddenly change from very sensitive to very dull.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

35. The phrase 'I've got you under my skin' makes me uncomfortable.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

36. Sometimes the sound of a word or a high-pitched noise can be painful to my ears.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

37.* I am an understanding type of person.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

38. I do not connect with characters in movies and cannot feel what they feel.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

39. I cannot tell when someone is flirting with me.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

40. I can see in my mind in exact detail things that I am interested in.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 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).

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

42. When I feel overwhelmed by my senses, I have to isolate myself to shut them down.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

43.* I like to talk things over with my friends.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

44. I cannot tell if someone is interested or bored with what I am saying.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

45. It can be very hard to read someone's face, hand and body movements when they are talking.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

46. The same thing (like clothes or temperatures) can feel very different to me at different times.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

47.* I feel very comfortable with dating or being in social situations with others.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

48.* I try to be as helpful as I can when other people tell me their personal problems.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

49. I have been told that I have an unusual voice (for example flat, monotone, childish, or high-pitched).

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 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.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 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).

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

52. I have never been interested in what most of the people I know consider interesting.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

53.* I am considered a compassionate type of person.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

54. I get along with other people by following a set of specific rules that help me look normal.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

55. It is very difficult for me to work and function in groups.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 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.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 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).

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

58. *I can chat and make small talk with people.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

59. Sometimes things that should feel painful are not (for instance when I hurt myself or burn my hand on the stove).

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

60. When talking to someone, I have a hard time telling when it is my turn to talk or to listen.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

61. I am considered a loner by those who know me best.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

62.* I usually speak in a normal tone.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

63. I like things to be exactly the same day after day and even small changes in my routines upset me.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

64. How to make friends and socialize is a mystery to me.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

65. It calms me to spin around or to rock in a chair when I'm feeling stressed.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

66. The phrase, 'He wears his heart on his sleeve,' does not make sense to me.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 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.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

68.* I can tell when someone says one thing but means something else.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

69. I like to be by myself as much as I can.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 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).

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

71. The same sound sometimes seems very loud or very soft, even though I know it has not changed.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

72.* I enjoy spending time eating and talking with my family and friends.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

73. I can't tolerate things I dislike (like smells, textures, sounds or colors).

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

74. I don't like to be hugged or held.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

75. When I go somewhere, I have to follow a familiar route or I can get very confused and upset.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

76. It is difficult to figure out what other people expect of me.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

77.* I like to have close friends.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

78. People tell me that I give too much detail.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

79. I am often told that I ask embarrassing questions.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

80. I tend to point out other people's mistakes.

 True now and when I was young

 True only now

 True only when I was younger than 16

 Never true

 

Scores for the four possible responses

Symptom-based questions

N = 63

Example: ‘‘I take things too literally so I often miss what people are trying to say.’’

(No asterisk after question number)

True now and when I was younger 3

Only true now 2

True only when I was younger 1

Never true 0

 

Normative questions

N = 17

Example: ‘‘I’’ * ‘‘I am a nice person.’’

(Asterisk after question number)

True now and when I was younger 0

Only true now 1

True only when I was younger 2

Never true 3

 

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*.

240        The maximum possible RAADS–R score.

  *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)

 

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.

To find out more:https://go.hotmart.com/C88334888R


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