Autism Spectrum
Rating Scales™ Adult
A new standard for understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in
adults aged 18 and older.
About the ASRS® Adult
The ASRS® Adult is a scientifically validated, multi-informant rating scale built on the trusted foundation of the original Autism Spectrum Rating Scales™ (ASRS®) and informed by current adult ASD research. Support accurate diagnosis, treatment planning, and progress monitoring of ASD throughout adulthood with self-reported insights and observer perspectives to identify ASD symptoms, behaviors, and associated features beyond the pediatric stage.
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How the ASRS® Adult Makes a Difference
Captures symptoms, behaviors, and associated features of ASD often overlooked by child-specific tools
Supports clinicians with detailed score profiles through both Self-Report and Observer perspectives
Available in two formats—a full-length, 96-item form (ASRS Adult), and a shorter, 20-item form (ASRS Adult–Short)
Provides a Total Score, DSM/ICD Scale, and 10 Treatment Scales to support diagnosis, treatment planning, and progress monitoring over time
Includes norm-referenced that compare an individual’s scores against a nationally (U.S.) representative normative group
Promotes culturally sensitive and fair assessment for adult populations
Captures symptoms, behaviors, and associated features of ASD often overlooked by child-specific tools
Supports clinicians with detailed score profiles through both Self-Report and Observer perspectives
Available in two formats—a full-length, 96-item form (ASRS Adult), and a shorter, 20-item form (ASRS Adult–Short)
Promotes culturally sensitive and fair assessment for adult populations
Provides a Total Score, DSM/ICD Scale, and 10 Treatment Scales to support diagnosis, treatment planning, and progress monitoring over time
Includes norm-referenced that compare an individual’s scores against a nationally (U.S.) representative normative group
Modern Challenges in Adult
ASD Diagnosis and Identification
What makes the ASRS® Adult
Psychometrically Strong?
Highly Representative Normative Samples:
Normative samples of 2,000 adults (1,000 Self-Report, 1,000 Observer) were stratified to closely match U.S. demographics based on the 2023 American Community Survey.
Reliability:
High internal consistency values, strong test-retest results, and strong alignment between raters supports the precision of the ASRS Adult to measure ASD-related behaviors and the confidence clients can have when interpreting results.
Validity:
Scores and scales are robust and validated through strong internal structure factor model fit, high correlations with other measures of ASD and related concepts, and effective classification accuracy statistics.
Fairness:
The ASRS Adult provides consistent measurement across demographic groups, unaffected by factors unrelated to the content of the scales.
Informed by Current
ASD Research
Without continuity of care, individuals with ASD often lose access to familiar clinicians and essential services, entering an adult healthcare system that is fragmented and lacking autism-specific expertise. This gap underscores the importance of informed research to support evidence-based decision-making and improved health outcomes.
As awareness and diagnosis of ASD in adults continue to rise, there is an urgent need to expand healthcare services and advance research addressing the sociodemographic challenges faced by this growing population.
An estimated 61.8 million people worldwide were autistic in 2021 — that’s 1 in 127 individuals. This is a substantial increase from 2019, when the estimate was 1 in 271.
In a Medicaid study of 403,028 adults from 2011 to 2019, autism prevalence more than doubled, rising from 4.2 per 1,000 enrollees to 9.5 per 1,000. The largest increase was seen among adults aged 25 to 34.
As children with ASD grow into adolescence and adulthood, many face urgent gaps in healthcare services and support. The rising number of individuals with ASD highlights the critical need for improved access to diagnosis, treatment, and lifelong care.
ASRS® Adult: Access Made Easy
ASRS® Adult FAQ
The new ASRS Adult offers a purpose-built rating scale for identifying, differentiating, and tracking ASD symptoms, behaviors, and associated features in adults. It includes both self-report and observer perspectives, and its items, norms, and scoring are tailored to adult populations.
The ASRS Adult ensures greater relevance and accuracy when assessing and supporting individuals beyond adolescence. Additionally, this rating scale facilitates care for adults with autism overlooked in childhood, offering a holistic and versatile measure of ASD at each life stage.
- Can support accurate identification of core ASD symptoms, behaviors, and associated features with its focused, multi-informant, standardized rating scale.
- Establishes alignment with the broader ASRS ecosystem, closing the gap with a continuity of care across the lifespan— from early development through adulthood.
- Meets or exceeds standards for reliability, validity, and fairness, built on a large, nationally representative normative sample.
- Consists of metrics that describe response patterns and flag potential validity concerns that may impact the interpretation of results.
The ASRS Adult can work in conjunction with a battery of standardized psychological assessments, collateral information, and other assessment and evaluation methods, such as diagnostic interviews, individual history, behavioral observation tools, and cognitive measures, in addition to qualified professional judgment. When used in conjunction with other measures, the ASRS Adult can help distinguish ASD from commonly co-occurring diagnoses like ADHD, anxiety, or mood disorders. For example, the ASRS Adult can work alongside ADHD rating scales like the Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scales™ 2nd Edition (CAARS™ 2) to differentiate between diagnoses with overlapping symptoms.
The ASRS Adult serves as a key part of a comprehensive evaluation battery. Its scores can be integrated with other information to enhance understanding of the individual. When used alongside data from other assessments, results from the ASRS Adult can help inform diagnostic decisions, as well as treatment planning and monitoring. The ASRS Adult further provides a valuable framework for guiding therapeutic decisions and tailoring treatment plans to meet the individual’s specific symptom profile by identifying specific areas of difficulty. The ASRS Adult can also provide data to support recommendations for academic accommodations, workplace assistance, or therapeutic referrals.
The ASRS Adult is accessed through the MHS Online Assessment Center+, which lets you administer, score, and generate reports at the click of a button. You can begin digital assessments by purchasing ASRS Adult Uses online. If you do not already have a MAC+ account, you can create one during the checkout process by using the email address you want associated with your new account. Once your purchase is complete, your MAC+ account will be created. Please note, this process takes 1 to 2 business days to complete.
A User’s Manual is included with the purchase of ASRS Adult Uses. All users will get access to the manual via MHS Online Assessment Center+. The digital manual contains an overview of the product, detailed interpretation guidelines and case studies, information about the standardization process, and extensive psychometric evidence. You can also print sections of the manual for easy reference.
Yes, the entire assessment lifecycle (administration, scoring, results, and reports) for the tool can be integrated via Universal Rest API into your existing platform and workflows. Work closely with our consulting team to develop a solution and implementation plan that addresses your organization’s specific requirements while aligning with your unique goals. Contact our customer service team and mention “API Integration” and we will get in touch with you.
ASRS® Adult Assessment Quick View
Observer
ASRS Adult Adult-Short: 20-item form (3 minutes)
Print paper forms and score online
Spanish (North America)
French (Canada)