RAADS-R - Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale - Revised

1

I am a sympathetic person

2

I often use words and phrases from movies and television in conversations

3

I am often surprised when others tell me I have been rude

4

Sometimes I talk too loudly or too softly, and I am not aware of it

5

I often don't know how to act in social situations

6

I can 'put myself in other people's shoes'

7

I have a hard time figuring out what some phrases mean, like 'you are the apple of my eye'

8

I only like to talk to people who share my special interests

9

I focus on details rather than the overall idea

10

I take things too literally, so I often miss what people are trying to say

11

I always notice how food feels in my mouth

12

It is very difficult for me to understand when someone is embarrassed or jealous

13

Some ordinary textures that do not bother others feel very offensive when they touch my skin

14

I get extremely upset when the way I like to do things is suddenly changed

15

I have never wanted or needed to have what other people call an 'intimate relationship'

16

It is difficult for me to start and stop a conversation. I need to keep going until I am finished

17

I can chat and make small talk with people

18

Sometimes I have to cover my ears to block out painful noises (like vacuum cleaners or people talking too much or too loudly)

19

I can tell when someone says one thing but means something else

20

I like to copy the way certain people speak and act. It helps me appear more normal

21

It can be very hard to read someone's face, hand and body movements when they are talking

22

I focus on one interest at a time and disregard other interests for long periods

23

People tell me that I give too much detail

24

I can only relax when I do things the way I like

25

It is very difficult for me to work in groups. I don't understand how to act

26

Others consider me odd or different

27

I understand when friends need to be comforted

28

I am an extremely logical person

29

I need to do things myself in order to remember them

30

Sometimes I offend others by saying what I am thinking, even if I don't mean to

31

How to make friends and socialize is a mystery to me

32

When I feel overwhelmed by my senses, I have to isolate myself to shut them down

33

The phrase 'I've got you under my skin' makes me very uncomfortable

34

Sometimes the sound of a word or a high-pitched noise can be painful to my ears

35

I am usually not the one to initiate phone calls because I am uncomfortable not being able to see the person

36

I often don't know what to do with my hands

37

When I am walking I may sometimes appear clumsy

38

When talking to someone, I have a hard time telling when it is my turn to talk or to listen

39

I have been told that I have an unusual voice (e.g., flat, monotone, childish, or high-pitched)

40

Some things that seem simple to others are very difficult for me to understand

41

I have been told that the way I move my hands and body is unusual

42

I have never been sure that others are telling me the truth

43

I have a hard time making eye contact with other people

44

I have special talents or abilities

45

I like things to be exactly the same day after day and the slightest change can be very distressing

46

I would rather stay by myself

47

I like routine. It makes life more predictable

48

When I'm stressed, certain movements comfort me

49

I can't tell when someone is flirting with me

50

I have been accused of staring

51

I rock back and forth or side to side when I'm stressed or anxious

52

I like to spin or twirl myself in circles

53

The same things don't make me happy or sad as they make other people

54

I respond to what people say in a straightforward way

55

I often feel clueless in social situations

56

People in a room make me feel nervous

57

I feel very comfortable with dating or being in social situations with others

58

I have been called arrogant or know-it-all

59

I prefer the company of people my own age

60

I may need to rock or move back and forth when thinking or concentrating

61

I often can't understand why someone felt insulted or offended

62

I am very sensitive to light and the flicker of fluorescent lights

63

When I was young, I enjoyed playing with other children

64

People always say I am too sensitive or too critical

65

I am so literal that I often don't understand what someone really means

66

It hurts when I am told something that others might take in stride

67

I prefer not to be noticed by others

68

Some people say I act younger than I really am

69

I have been told I walk with an unusual gait

70

I must perform certain rituals or routines or things don't feel right

71

I am considered a picky eater

72

I flap my hands or wiggle my fingers when I'm excited or happy

73

I prefer the same routine every day

74

I don't like to be touched

75

It is hard for me to participate in group activities

76

I prefer repetitive activities

77

I have certain abilities that are quite advanced, but other things that are extremely difficult for me

78

I find it difficult to understand books and articles that others find easy

79

I have been described as having an encyclopedia knowledge of some topic

80

I often have to ask people to repeat what they said because I can't quite understand