The RAADS-R is a diagnostic tool specifically geared toward identifying autistic individuals with a subclinical presentation. It nuances its grading scale by distinguishing between behaviors present in both adulthood and childhood, in adulthood only, and in childhood only. The RAADS-R has an especially high sensitivity, with 97% of autistic individuals being correctly identified by the inventory. 

RAADS-R

The CAT-Q is a diagnostic tool that measures how much an individual masks, or hides, autistic traits. It serves as a useful tool for identifying autistic individuals who are missed by other inventories due to the way that they mask. 

CAT-Q

The RBQ-2A is a diagnostic tool that measures the frequency of restrictive and repetitive behaviors, which is one of the key diagnostic criteria of autism spectrum disorder in the DSM-5. 

RBQ-2A 

The ADOS-2, Module 4 is one of the most frequently-used diagnostic tools for diagnosing adolescents and adults on the autism spectrum, involving a semi-structured interview between the evaluator and the person being evaluated. Its primary purpose is to assess a person’s social skills and to observe for any repetitive or restrictive behaviors. It is commonly used in conjunction with the ADI-R. 

ADOS-2, Module 4  

The Autism Quotient is one of the most commonly-used diagnostic tools in adults, with fifty questions relating to various diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder. 


The shortened Autism Quotient (AQ-10) was created to speed up the screening process, containing only ten questions compared to the fifty questions in the original Autism Quotient. 

AQ-10

- Autism Quotient and Short Autism Quotient (AQ and AQ-10) 
- Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale–Revised (RAADS-R)
- Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q) 
- Repetitive Behaviours Questionnaire (RBQ-2A) 
- Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2), Module 4 

Bowdoin College

Although autism spectrum disorder is typically diagnosed in children, research shows that more subtle presentations of ASD are often not identified until adulthood. Adult diagnosis is particularly common in autistic women, who are less likely to display stereotypical autistic traits and are more likely to internalize their presentation. Diagnosing autism in adults requires some modification of the typical approach used to diagnose children, including the use of different screening tools. As with child diagnosis, parental input is frequently sought for the diagnosis, but significantly more weight is placed on the individual’s self-report in adult diagnosis. 

Diagnosing ASD in Adults (DSM-5)

Hirota, T., So, R., Kim, Y. S., Leventhal, B., & Epstein, R. A. (2018). A systematic review of screening tools in non-young children and adults for autism spectrum disorder. Research in developmental disabilities, 80, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2018.05.017

A systematic review of screening tools in non-young children and adults for autism spectrum disorder

The DSM-5 text revision, released in March of 2022, provides additional guidance on diagnosing autism spectrum disorder, acknowledging that some autistic people will learn to mask their traits and that adult women tend to mask the most. It also provides additional descriptions of more subtle presentations of various diagnostic criteria.  

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