The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R)

The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) is a comprehensive, standardised and structured interview used for assessing children and adolescents suspected of having an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

The ADI-R (along with the ADOS-2) is considered the gold standard in the assessment and diagnosis of children with ASD. The instruments appear to have a complementary effect in aiding diagnosis and confirm the importance of a multidisciplinary assessment process with access to information from different sources and settings.

An experienced psychologist conducts a comprehensive, structured interview with the parents or carers of the child who are familiar with the child’s developmental history and the child’s current behaviour.

Skills assessed with ADI-R

  • Language/communication
  • Reciprocal social interactions
  • Restricted, repetitive and stereotyped behaviours and interests

The ADI-R has proven very effective in differentiating autism from other developmental disorders for children over the age of two years old. Extensive use of the ADI-R in the international research community has provided strong evidence of the reliability and validity of its categorical results.