Went through neuropsych. eval. - test question

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I finished my neuropsychological evaluation yesterday, and I have a question about one of the tests. The psychologist took out a laminated card which had scattered red squares. She pointed at some of them, while I was supposed to remember the sequence and repeat it. I did fine with 4-5 squares, but lost it completely when the no. of squares in the sequence increased. Then she took out a card with blue squares, and I had to do the same thing, only backwards. I did as badly as the red ones. I hated that test and would like to know its purpose.

I don't get it. What kind of sequence with red squares?
this is to check working memory by the way. Don't worry, it is common for autistics to have below average working memory.

My "working memory" is pretty bad.

About the square test: think about the squares being spread out like cities on a map, but with no connection between them, and someone points to different cities, one after another, randomly. You are then supposed to replicate the exact order of cities by pointing at them immediately after the person did. Only I had no visual cues to hang on to like you would on a map...all the squares looked alike, red and the same size and scattered with no pattern to be seen.

I kind of figured that the test checks for working memory, but I'm a bit confused. I think I have an ok working memory, I have no problem remembering 9 digits both forwards and backwards (works in 75% of the trials), and when she read 2 lists of 16 words each (vehicles, veggies, animals, and furniture), I remembered them all from the beginning (not in order), and I had already put them in their categories, so she had to skip some parts of the test. I also remembered all the drawing stuff.

During the test, I felt almost exactly like I would if someone tried to give me directions to a place. I get lost all the time, I can't deal with directions because I can't visualize them fast enough. I wouldn't have remembered digits and words if it weren't for the fact that I see the pictures right away. I couldn't form any pictures during the squares test (wish I knew the name of it).

I wonder why I did well with both auditory and visual tests (visual as in drawing), but I almost completely failed this square sequence one.

Welcome to WP Ticky.
You mentioned something in your above post that just hit a chord for me when you said that you have trouble with people giving you directions because you can't visualize them fast enough. I think that is my issue too. If you give me one or two turns then I am fine. Once you start getting to more than that, I can't keep up. It's like I am getting lost trying to process all the directions that are being thrown at me but I could not figure that out until just now. In fact someone was giving me directions this morning and I told her to just forget that and that I would have to follow her. But I find that if I have more time to process each part properly I can retain it pretty well although I do get left and right mixed up. But you mentioning that was like a light bulb just went off for me and helped me understand why I have this particular issue.

Fascinating. I have never heard of this test before; it is, as Linatet said, a means of testing working memory, however it is specific to visual working memory rather than auditory (which is what the WAIS IV tests). The examiner probably tested you this way because of the general difficulty autistics have with remembering auditory stimuli; visuals are much easier. Interestingly enough I don't have this problem; my auditory working memory is in the "high average" range (though I don't recall the specific percentile off the top of my head). I've never had my visual working memory tested though.

I found the name of the test: Corsi block-tapping test. It measures visuo-spatial short term working memory (spatial span test), and I think I got tested because I had mentioned in my interview that I get lost easily, I never know where I am in relation to other places outside the room I'm in, etc. Funny how I got the same feeling of getting lost while taking the test.

Now I know the reason why I get lost all the time. I used to joke about it and blame it on the fact that I'm short and can't see far enough to orient myself.

I think I have developmental topographical disorientation.

Yes, found out about developmental topographical disorientation, maybe you'd like to look that up as well.