The clinical procedure for diagnosing ASD typically comprises extensive assessments performed by a team that includes a certified psychologist and a fully trained psychiatrist specialized in diagnosing ASD in adults. Thus, the main diagnostic challenge for psychiatrists today is not to distinguish between individuals with ASD and typically developed individuals, but to identify adult psychiatric patients who may have an undiagnosed ASD for further diagnostic investigation. Symptoms in the ASD panorama sometimes overlap with symptoms of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or personality disorders, and this may cause diagnostic confusion. Moreover, a high rate of comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders has been observed in adult psychiatric patients with ASD. The results of this study indicate that RAADS-14 Screen is a promising measure in screening for ASD in adult psychiatric outpatients.Īutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is no longer regarded as a rare disorder. The psychometric properties of RAADS-14 Screen were shown to be satisfactory. A factor analysis identified three factors consistent with mentalizing deficits, social anxiety, and sensory reactivity relevant for the diagnosis of ASD. A cut-off score of 14 or above reached a sensitivity of 97% and a specificity of 46 to 64%. The RAADS-14 Screen score was significantly higher in the ASD group than in the control samples, with a median score of 32 for ASD, 15 for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and 11 for other psychiatric disorders ( P < 0.001). In total, 135 adults with ASD and 508 psychiatric controls completed the abridged version of the RAADS-R. Methodsīased on the 80 item Ritvo Autism and Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised (RAADS-R), we developed a 14 item self-evaluation questionnaire, the RAADS-14 Screen. The purpose of this study was to develop such a screening instrument. Therefore, a screening instrument to aid in the identification of patients who may have undiagnosed ASD should be useful.

The clinical assessment of ASD is lengthy, and has to be performed by a specialized clinician. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be difficult to distinguish from other psychiatric disorders.

Autism spectrum circle test