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Understanding
Assessment & diagnosis
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Understanding
At what age is the ADI-R used for a child?
The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) is used for children with a developmental age of about 2 years and above — through childhood and into adulthood. It is based on developmental level rather than calendar age alone, because the social-communication and play behaviours it asks about only become meaningful from around a two-year stage. It is a structured interview conducted by a clinician with the parent or main caregiver, and is typically used alongside direct observation of the child as part of a fuller assessment.
Read the answer AnswerWhat is the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R)?
The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) is a structured, in-depth interview a trained clinician conducts with a parent or caregiver as part of a comprehensive autism assessment. It is not a test the child sits and is never used alone. It explores a child's developmental history across three areas: communication and language, reciprocal social interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviours and interests. Clinicians often pair it with a play-based child observation to form one rounded understanding.
Read the answerAssessment & diagnosis
ADI-R compared with the AbilityScore developmental assessment
The ADI-R is a focused, clinician-led interview built to support an autism diagnosis, exploring a child's history and behaviour in the areas central to autism. The AbilityScore is a broad, clinician-administered developmental assessment that maps strengths and needs across many domains to set a baseline and plan therapy. One is autism-specific and diagnostic; the other is whole-child and progress-focused — and a Pinnacle clinician may use both. Any diagnosis is confirmed only at a Pinnacle centre by a qualified clinician.
Read the answer AnswerShould My Child Have an ADI-R Assessment?
The ADI-R is a structured, in-depth interview a trained clinician conducts with the parent — covering early development, communication, social connection and behaviour patterns — to help inform an autism evaluation. It takes roughly 1.5–2.5 hours, is usually paired with a direct child assessment, and is one tool within a fuller picture. Whether your child needs it is decided by a qualified clinician, never from an online form.
Read the answer AnswerADI-R indications, strengths and early-childhood limits
The ADI-R is a clinician-administered, caregiver-based diagnostic interview indicated within a comprehensive autism workup — best paired with direct observation (ADOS-2) and clinical judgement. Its strengths are detailed developmental history, strong onset coding and high specificity in verbal children; its key early-childhood limit is reduced validity below ~24 months mental age, where it can over-identify and should never stand alone. It is one input, not a diagnosis.
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