This month, our practice, Heartland Therapy Connection, located in the Brookside neighborhood in Kansas City, wants to take a deeper look at neurodivergence. If you wonder if you see the world from a neurodivergent lens, you may have looked up things online or pivoted towards self-diagnosis. The ponderings of your heart and reflections are valid, and it is human nature to seek further clarity in our felt experiences. If you are curious about the difference between someone who may experience neurodivergence and neurotypicality, you can read further about that in a previous blog, Neurodiversity & Neurotypicality. With this in mind, the RAADS-R may also greatly benefit you on your journey of self-discovery and understanding.
The Self-Reporting RAADS-R Assessment
The Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised (RAADS-R) questionnaire gathers self-reported data to help adults identify if they have criteria that fall in conjunction with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Persons who may be intrigued to take the RAAD-S R assessment may not have been previously diagnosed due to ASD criteria that were subclinical. The assessment was created for adults with level 1 or subclinical autism with an IQ within the normal range. Although the RAADS-R Assessment is accessible online, seeking guidance from a clinician to clarify the data presented is highly recommended.
You can take the RAADS-R Assessment here.
What Does RAADS-R Assessment Test?
The assessment includes 80 statements with four choices. These statements assess symptoms that fall under the diagnostic categories for ASD in the DSM-5.
Those categories are:
- Language
- Social Relatedness
- Sensory-Motor
The four choices for each statement are
- True now
- True now only
- True only when I was younger than 16
- Never true
Scoring For RAADS-R Assessment
The site that provides the RAADS-R Assessment Embrace Autism also includes how to read your test results. From the assessment, you can score anywhere from 0-240, and typically, persons who score 65+ “are likely autistic, as no neurotypical scored above 64 in the research”. Remember that this assessment is self-reported and not an all-inclusive assessment. This assessment may help identify or indicate if you experience neurodivergence.
To get further clarity about yourself takes excellent vulnerability and courage. We do not take your journey lightly! Any clinician at Heartland Therapy Connection would love to come alongside you to help collaborate with you as you grow in understanding your experience more. In a session, we can help make sense of what your RAADS-R Assessment means for you and direct you to other recommended resources. Please consider booking a free consultation today; we would be honored to meet with you.
