Autism and autism features in a young adult ADHD population, gender differences and use of the RAADS-14

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Boilson, M., Roarty, A., Stanfield, A. C., Berney, T., Lenihan, D., Doherty, M., & O. Dea, S. (2026). Autism and autism features in a young adult ADHD population, gender differences and use of the RAADS-14. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1017/ipm.2026.10213

Publication date: 15 Jul 2026 Added to AutiHub: 24 Sep 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
7
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 7 (14.3%)
  1. Marie Boilson
  2. Aidan Roarty
  3. Andrew C. Stanfield
  4. Tom Berney
  1. Diarmuid Lenihan
  2. Mary Doherty *
  3. Sophie O. Dea

Abstract

Abstract Objectives: Diagnostic criteria for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism have broadened and are common at estimated adult prevalences of 3%. This paper explores the incidence of autism and overlap of features in ADHD young adults transitioning from Child and Adolescents Mental Health Services (CAMHS) into a specialist adult ADHD service, and the utility of the Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale 14 (RAADS-14) assisting assessment and support planning. Methods: This comparative cohort study included all young adult ADHD patients referred from CAMHS. A comprehensive assessment and diagnostic formulation, including RAADS-14 was completed. Those without a current autism diagnosis but clinical assessment suggested autism, underwent further assessment. Percentage of autistic and ADHD young adults was calculated. RAADS-14 total and subscale scores were compared between groups. Gender differences were assessed. Results: Co-occurrence of autism in a group of young adults diagnosed with ADHD was high (53%). High levels of autism features were evident in the ADHD only group. Significant differences in the RAADS-14 sub-scores (social anxiety, mentalizing and sensory sensitivities) were found between the autistic ADHD and non autistic ADHD groups. Autistic females scored higher on all domains of the RAADS-14 compared to males. Sensory sensitivities were significantly higher in females in both groups. Conclusions: The level of co-occurrence of autism, and overlap of features, suggests employment of neurodevelopmental rather than single condition approaches to avoid mis-diagnosis/missed diagnoses. Sensory sensitivities are suggestive of neurodevelopmental differences particularly in females regardless of diagnostic category. The RAADS-14 may be helpful as part of screening and support planning.

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Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 2 Oct 2026 11:55.

Cited references
39
With a DOI
29
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
10
2 / 39 (5.1%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
8 / 39 (20.5%)
References with detected author names
31 / 39 (79.5%)
Without detected author names
8
Without a structured title
7
Without a stable identifier
10
References with raw author names still to review
7
References with external metadata lookup issues
0
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
188
From DOI or external metadata
188
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
8
58 / 188 (30.9%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 130 / 188 (69.1%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
4 / 188 (2.1%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 4 / 58 (6.9%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 4 / 182 (2.2%).
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