RAADS-R Test Explained: Scoring, Accuracy and Limits
The Nurtured Coach Faculty· 2 November 2026 · 5 min readAccredited training · The Spectrum Council
The Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised, usually called the RAADS-R, is an 80-question scale used to help assess autism in adults. Many people find it online when they begin wondering whether they are autistic.
The RAADS-R can be a useful conversation starter, but it was designed to support a clinician's assessment. A high or low score does not settle the question.
What does it measure?
The questions explore experiences in areas such as language, social relatedness, sensory and motor experiences, and circumscribed interests. Each answer considers whether something has been true now and when you were younger.
How is it scored?
Scores can range from 0 to 240. A score of 65 or more is the threshold used in the original research and suggests that further assessment may be useful.
How accurate is it?
The 2011 validation study tested the scale with 779 people and reported 97% sensitivity and 100% specificity. It concluded that the RAADS-R is a useful additional tool for diagnosing autistic adults.
Those figures need context. In that study, it was completed in a research setting with people whose diagnostic status had been carefully established. Results can look different when anyone takes an unsupervised version online. High scores can also reflect other conditions and life experiences, and some autistic people score below the threshold.
Is an online version reliable?
Versions online vary, and some may change the wording or scoring. Check who runs the site, whether it explains its source and how it handles your answers.
If you take it, treat your result as information to reflect on and be cautious about sites that use your score to sell you something straight away.
What should I do with my result?
- Write down examples from childhood and adulthood.
- Speak to your GP if these experiences affect your daily life. The NHS explains how autism diagnosis works.
- Read our guide to what to do after a self-test.
- Try our free, private adult autism self-reflection test, which uses different questions and is not a clinical tool.
Frequently asked questions
Can I diagnose myself with the RAADS-R?
No. The RAADS-R was designed to help clinicians assess adults. A score alone cannot confirm or rule out autism.
What does a RAADS-R score of 65 mean?
A score of 65 or more is the threshold used in the original research. It suggests further assessment may be useful. It is not a diagnosis.
Does Nurtured Coach offer the RAADS-R?
No. We explain it here but do not reproduce it. Our free adult autism self-reflection test uses different, original questions, so the scores cannot be compared.
Try a free tool
Quick, private tools to help you reflect. They are not a diagnosis.
The Nurtured Coach Faculty
The Nurtured Coach Faculty design and teach our ADHD, autism, neuroscience and neurodiversity coaching certifications — every one independently accredited by The Spectrum Council. We write these guides from the same material we use to train working coaches.