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Is there some sort of 'test' for Asperger's?

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Dawkins
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27 Aug 2011, 6:40 am

Hey, I'm Geralt. New here, so erm, greetings.

To the point... I've always suspected that there's some explanation to my social issues. Most people simply assumed that I was just incredibly shy when around other people and that it would pass, but it hasn't changed at all. I'm 18 now fyi.

Summed up:

-Can't maintain eye contact, no matter how hard I want/try to
-Can't keep a conversation going
-Spend a lot of time alone through choice. I do go out with friends every now and then, but after a while I can't get back home quick enough.
-Would rather sit in silence than talk to other people a lot of the time
-Can't function properly in groups or when I'm being observed by others. I usually just keep my mouth shut until someone asks a question or otherwise engages me, 'cause I'll stutter or slur like mad.

That's mainly the social side of it, but I wanted to know whether there's some way I can get tested for it. If I go to my GP, will they be able to assess this in some way?

Sorry if I sound like an idiot. I'm sure it's been posted a lot of times, but I'd rather ask for myself instead of going off someone else's experience. :roll:



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27 Aug 2011, 6:57 am

There are many, but none will diagnose you definitely. Here's one I think is the most comprehensive.
http://www.rdos.net/eng/Aspie-quiz.php


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Dawkins
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27 Aug 2011, 3:33 pm

I honestly have no idea what these results mean. Anyone care to elaborate?



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27 Aug 2011, 4:37 pm

What were your results? Did you print them out?


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27 Aug 2011, 4:57 pm

It's much easier to rule it out than in.

Read this link. If you don't match the criteria (from the information you have provided, I don't think you do - note the (II) section) you can rule it out. If you do match the criteria, ask your doctor. And hope they know what they're doing when it comes to ASDs, which is unfortunately not a given.


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Dawkins
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28 Aug 2011, 9:59 am

Aimless wrote:
What were your results? Did you print them out?


Got a screenshot, but it won't let me post it. 5 post minimum thing.

No idea what it means really, and I'm sure there could be 101 other disorders that fit the same kind of symptoms. I'd put it down to simply being socially inept, but it's not like I don't actually try to be social.



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28 Aug 2011, 10:51 am

These test is considered more scientific:

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aqtest.html

If you have more than 32, it is almost sure that you have an autism spectrum disorder; if you have less than 24, it is almost sure that you haven't.



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28 Aug 2011, 11:55 am

Well, came out at 36, but I doubt the credibility of an online test. I'll just enquire about it when I see my doc next.



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28 Aug 2011, 12:48 pm

TPE2 wrote:
These test is considered more scientific:

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aqtest.html

If you have more than 32, it is almost sure that you have an autism spectrum disorder; if you have less than 24, it is almost sure that you haven't.



No- if you have more than 32 then you might have an ASD, it is however useful for saying that if you score low enough then you won't be diagnosed with one - but there are enough ways to score high on the AQ that aren't ASDs, that its not "almost sure", and the people who use these in evaluations don't use it as almost sure.



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28 Aug 2011, 12:57 pm

Yes, AQ test is definitely more scientific, IMO. The Aspie quiz is based upon a theory that the autistic mind is more in tune with our caveman ancestors (or something along those lines)--a theory that has yet to be proven. The AQ is a good scientific test. While not designed to give a diagnosis, it will give you some sort of idea. (That being said, there are people on the spectrum who do score lower than 32, and some not on the spectrum who score above it....but it is still a good foundation to use). When I participated in an autism-related study, I was asked to take the AQ test there. This was in the psychology department of a university campus, so scientifically they do see value in that test.


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andrew_w
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30 Aug 2011, 1:36 am

littlelily613 wrote:
Yes, AQ test is definitely more scientific, IMO. The Aspie quiz is based upon a theory that the autistic mind is more in tune with our caveman ancestors (or something along those lines)--a theory that has yet to be proven. The AQ is a good scientific test. While not designed to give a diagnosis, it will give you some sort of idea. (That being said, there are people on the spectrum who do score lower than 32, and some not on the spectrum who score above it....but it is still a good foundation to use). When I participated in an autism-related study, I was asked to take the AQ test there. This was in the psychology department of a university campus, so scientifically they do see value in that test.


The AQ test also seems to be somewhat based upon a particular hypothesis, namely the hypersystemizing/"extreme male brain" hypothesis (which I consider to be flawed - to me, it appears that hypersystemizing is not the underlying cause of autism, but the result of something else, since there are some autistics who couldn't really be considered hypersystemizers).



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30 Aug 2011, 5:20 am

andrew_w wrote:
littlelily613 wrote:
Yes, AQ test is definitely more scientific, IMO. The Aspie quiz is based upon a theory that the autistic mind is more in tune with our caveman ancestors (or something along those lines)--a theory that has yet to be proven. The AQ is a good scientific test. While not designed to give a diagnosis, it will give you some sort of idea. (That being said, there are people on the spectrum who do score lower than 32, and some not on the spectrum who score above it....but it is still a good foundation to use). When I participated in an autism-related study, I was asked to take the AQ test there. This was in the psychology department of a university campus, so scientifically they do see value in that test.


The AQ test also seems to be somewhat based upon a particular hypothesis, namely the hypersystemizing/"extreme male brain" hypothesis (which I consider to be flawed - to me, it appears that hypersystemizing is not the underlying cause of autism, but the result of something else, since there are some autistics who couldn't really be considered hypersystemizers).


I agree with you and don't agree that the rdos test only asks questions related to his Neanderthal theory. It's simply a list of possible AS traits and NT traits that in my opinion, display a more accurate range of AS traits.


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