About the test
Adult autism screener (RAADS-14)
The RAADS-14 Screen is a short, research-based questionnaire for autistic traits in adults. Fourteen statements about social situations, social anxiety and sensory reactions are answered for now and for before age 16, giving a score from 0 to 42. It can suggest whether an assessment may be worthwhile, but it is a screening tool, not a diagnosis.
Questionnaire / instrument: RAADS-14 Screen
The test at a glance
- Price
- Free, including your results
- Registration
- No account required
- Length
- 14 statements
- Time
- About 3 minutes
- Format
- Self-report · four response options about now and before 16
- Your report
- Total 0–42 · three areas
The three areas
The RAADS-14 study grouped the statements into three areas. Your report shows a score for each, under these names:
Mentalizing
Understanding what others think, feel and expect: reading faces and body language, knowing when to talk, taking things literally, focusing on details and reacting to sudden changes. Seven statements, 0–21 points.
Social anxiety
Discomfort and uncertainty in social situations: working in groups, knowing how to act, making friends and small talk. Four statements, 0–12 points; the small-talk statement counts in reverse.
Sensory reactivity
Strong reactions to sound, touch and other input, such as needing to cover your ears or withdraw when overwhelmed. Three statements, 0–9 points.
What your results show
Your result is calculated as soon as you answer the last statement. You can preview an example report before taking the test.
- Whether your total is above the screening threshold of 14, with an explanation of what that does and does not mean.
- Your total from 0 to 42 on a scale next to the median scores in the original study: 11 for other psychiatric diagnoses, 15 for ADHD and 32 for autism.
- Your score in each of the three areas, and each statement with your answer and its points.
- A reminder of the test’s limits and what you can do next.
What does it measure?
Self-reported experiences related to autistic traits in adulthood, grouped around understanding social situations, social anxiety and sensory reactions. Answers distinguish experiences now from those before age sixteen.
Where does it come from?
RAADS-14 Screen was developed by Jonna Eriksson, Lisa Andersen and Susanne Bejerot in 2013, using fourteen items from the longer RAADS-R. The original validation involved adults in psychiatric care.
How is the result calculated?
Answers contribute 0–3 points, with one reversed item, for a total of 0–42. A total of 14 or more is the published screening threshold. We also show the three areas described in the study and the median totals of the study’s diagnostic groups for comparison.
What can the result tell you?
A score of 14 or more is not an autism diagnosis or a probability of autism. Many adults with other psychiatric conditions also reach the threshold. Findings from a psychiatric sample cannot automatically be applied to an unrestricted online audience.
Languages and adaptations
German and Russian use published translations with the adaptations documented by this site. Norwegian and several other versions are AI-assisted translations, not clinically validated local versions. Our result explanations are our own.
Frequently asked questions
Is the autism screener free?
Yes. You can answer the statements and read the full result without paying or creating an account.
Does a score of 14 or more mean I am autistic?
No. In the original study the threshold of 14 picked up 97% of the adults with autism, but also 36–54% of the adults with other psychiatric diagnoses, depending on the group. A score above it means an assessment may be worth discussing, not that you are autistic. A score below it is less typical of autism but does not rule it out.
Who was the test validated on?
Eriksson, Andersen and Bejerot (2013) tested the RAADS-14 on adults in psychiatric care, comparing people with autism, ADHD and other diagnoses. The median totals were 32, 15 and 11. It has not been validated as a general-population test, so scores from an online audience should be read with caution.
Why does it ask about now and before age 16?
Autistic traits are present from childhood, so the form asks whether each statement is true now and when you were young (3 points), only now (2), only before 16 (1) or never (0). Traits that have been there all your life count the most.
Is the Norwegian version validated?
No. The German and Russian versions use published translations. Norwegian and the other languages are AI-assisted translations made for this site and have not been clinically validated or reviewed by a professional. The scoring is the same in every language.
How is it different from the ADHD screener?
The RAADS-14 asks about social understanding, social anxiety and sensory reactions, while the ADHD screener (ASRS) asks about attention, organisation and restlessness. Many adults with ADHD score above the RAADS-14 threshold, and the two conditions can occur together, so neither screener can tell them apart on its own.
What should I do if I think I might be autistic?
Talk to your doctor, who can refer you for an assessment. It can help to write down examples from both childhood and adulthood, and to bring your result. An assessment usually includes interviews about your development, often with information from someone who knew you as a child.
License and reuse
CC BY 2.0The RAADS-14 publication and its supplement are published under CC BY 2.0, requiring attribution. The questions originate in RAADS-R and are credited to that instrument’s authors; the RAADS-R article has separate publication terms.
The terms below apply to the test materials. Articles, translations, software and our result descriptions may have separate terms.
Sources and further reading
Eriksson, J. M., Andersen, L. M. J., & Bejerot, S. (2013). RAADS-14 Screen: validity of a screening tool for autism spectrum disorder in an adult psychiatric population. Molecular Autism, 4, 49. Abridged from the RAADS-R (Ritvo et al., 2011).