baren-cohne quiz credible?

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Anyone take the Baren-Cohen Quiz?

What was your score? I'm curious how many people are indeed on the spectrum.

This has probably been posted before but I didn't know how to search for it.

My score was a 37. I've never considered myself autisitc! According to this, I am. Higher than 32 is considered higher than average (16).

My score for another Aspie Quiz online was 60/200 NT and 146/200 (AS).

Are these online quizzes credible? Is it all just a marketing ploy? Could it be that I'm answering the questions too immersed in the spectrum jargon and biased because of my son's issues?

I'm starting to doubt this whole spectrum thing. It's getting out of hand. Does everyone in the world have Aspergers? I'm losing faith quickly.

How can someone go their whole lives, seemingly fine, and have a neurological disorder?

It seems a bit too broad--the criteria.

These are just quizzes--not full blown diagnoses. If you have felt fine your whole life, then there isn't anything to worry about. If you want to seek further guidance, that is up to you.

If they are marketing ploys--what would they be marketing? Did they have links to advertisers?

If your son has autism issues, then it is possible that you do, too, and you might want to look into it more.

There are several tests developed by Simon Baron Cohen which are not intended to be diagnostic.

They are tools to measure certain qualities and ways of thinking. They are not quizzes to be done for fun but are properly developed scientific tools used in his research into autism.

The Autistic Quotient test does appear on the internet in a shortened form to the one used by Autism Research Cambridge and it usually makes clear that it is not a diagnosis.

However it is true that a large percentage of people who are diagnosed with autism do score in the higher range. It is not true that everyone who scores in the higher range is autistic.

Also I don't think you should be surprised by your results as you have a family member on the spectrum and there is thought to be a strong genetic element to ASD.

You may have traits, either way you are not likely to be certain without a diagnosis.

I think that what my NT son's therapist told him when he wondered if he, too might have AS like his siblings was the clearest way I have ever heard it explained. Basically, she told him that everyonehas at least 20% Aspie traits, some of us have more than that and being born into a family with AS present means that he probably has more, maybe even 50%. To be diagnosed with AS, you have to have 80% or more of the AS traits.

I believe that to be true because there are so many relatives that have AS, or shades of AS in my family, but we don't all have ALL of the traits. Many of us are just simply odd.

Yes, I found them very useful and indicative when the question of Asperger's arose for me, at the age of 48. And yes, it's quite possible to make it this far without being diagnosed.
It wasn't even an option during my childhood.

I've since had a formal diagnosis done by a member of Baron-Cohen's team at Cambridge, and also been involved (used) in a couple of pieces of research.

Is it a neurological disorder? (loaded terms)
It certainly puts me at a disadvantage in certain circumstances, but gives me an edge in others.
And having a high IQ does provide resources for "covering up": learning and doing things by consciously deriving rules, which others pick up by almost instinctive mimicry.

Finding a career/social niche where waeknesses are minimised, and strengths multiplied, is another survival strategy.

But knowing has helped, and explained many, many, incidents in my past.
It hasn't completely made the world make sense, it it has explained why the world doesn't make sense.

Sorry about the misspelling in the title.

So, I guess I could score in the high range and not necessarily be autistic. Okay, this makes sense.

thanks for the responses.

mother of a 6 year old autistic daughter, took it,got a 44out of 50, kinda suspected after lurking around this site and reading others stories. the test was just confirmation of what my daughters therapists had all been telling ME"your a little aspie" a little freaked out by it but it all makes sense w/ my childhood. I would't completly dismiss them. If your unconfortable w/ it you may want to delve further into it, or NOT. I kinda knew in my heart a little I guess. Do you?

Maybe. I don't know. I'm pretty with it. But, I have such an interest in it and it all came to me quite easily. Yet, I don't think I'd ever pursue an actual diagnosis--don't think it'snecessary at my age. I've overcome quite a bit--just staying focused as been my biggest hurtle.

Right now, my kitchen floor is littered with units for the upcoming year. How did I wind up here?

Back to work.