Putting your own experiences into words.
Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale (RAADS)
Many adults wonder whether autism may explain why social situations, changes in routine, or busy places have felt harder for them than for others. The RAADS is a questionnaire in which you rate statements about your own experiences. It gives your psychologist a structured way to understand how you communicate, relate to other people, and experience the world, and it is used along with a conversation with you.
What the questionnaire looks at.
Social connection
How you make and keep friendships and relationships, how you read other people, and how comfortable you feel in social situations.
Language and communication
How you use and understand language, including humor, hints, and things people mean without saying them directly.
Interests
Strong, focused interests, and how much time and energy they take.
Sensory and movement experiences
How sounds, lights, textures, tastes, or touch affect you, and any repeated movements or habits that help you feel settled.
Now and in childhood
Whether an experience is true for you today, was true when you were young, or both. This helps your psychologist see how things have developed over time.
Your own view
The questionnaire is built on your own description of your experiences. This can bring out things other people may not see, including the effort it takes to fit in.
Note: Are you unsure whether this is the right assessment? A short conversation with our team is a good place to start. We will recommend the right option for your situation.
Why this assessment may be recommended
You have often felt different from other people and want to understand why.
Social situations, small talk, or group settings take a great deal of effort for you.
Changes in plans or routines feel very hard to manage.
Sounds, lights, or crowds can feel overwhelming.
A child or family member has been diagnosed with autism, and you recognize some of the same patterns in yourself.
You would like a structured starting point before talking through your history with a psychologist.
How the assessment works.
- 1Step 1
A conversation first
You meet a psychologist to talk about your concerns and your history and to decide together whether this assessment suits you.
- 2Step 2
The questionnaire
You rate statements about how you relate to other people, how you communicate, your interests, and how you respond to sounds, lights, and touch.
- 3Step 3
Going through your answers
Your psychologist talks through your answers with you and may ask for examples to understand what each one means for your life.
- 4Step 4
The rest of the assessment and feedback
The questionnaire is followed by an interview with a psychologist. When every part is complete, you have a complimentary feedback session of about 1 hour where your report is explained in plain language and next steps are discussed.
Confidential and clinically guided
Your assessment is carried out with professionalism, dignity, and confidentiality. Your psychologist explains what they find in plain language, and you can ask questions at any point.
Please note: The RAADS is a questionnaire that supports an autism assessment. It cannot diagnose on its own. A higher score does not mean you are autistic. A lower score does not rule autism out. Many adults have learned ways of coping that can affect how they answer. A diagnosis is a clinical decision made after looking at the full picture, including your history and your day-to-day life.
Things people ask
No. The most helpful thing you can do is answer as honestly as you can.
No preparation is needed. It may help to think about what school and friendships were like for you and about what everyday life is like now.
Many adults develop ways of coping that can make differences less visible. Your psychologist knows this and goes through your answers with you so that the effort behind how you manage can be understood.
No. The score is one piece of information. Your psychologist considers it together with your history and the interview before reaching any conclusion.
Yes. The questionnaire is one step in the Adult Autism Assessment, and it is followed by an interview with a psychologist.
Support depends on your needs. It may include understanding your strengths, practical strategies for communication, sensory experiences, and daily routines, and therapy where it may help. Your psychologist talks through the options with you at your feedback session.
Your results are kept confidential with the standard exceptions required by law, such as a risk of serious harm to yourself or someone else. We talk with you about who will receive them before anything is shared.
The RAADS is designed for adults aged 18 and over. We offer a separate autism assessment for adolescents. Our care coordinator can advise on the right option.
Want to arrange an assessment, or just ask a question?
Our care coordinator will talk you through what to expect confidentially.
If you need urgent help: Are you in immediate distress? Please call iCall 9152987821 for immediate support.