Raven_Morris wrote:
I went to take this test and quickly noticed a whole lot of gaping issues in the way it functions as a diagnostic test. Before I had answered a dozen questions, I had already determined the mechanics of the test and all of its faults and biases.
Of primarily significance, is that this is not a test to determine if a person actually has Asperger's or high-functioning Autism. Instead, this is a test to determine how well integrated a person is with with neurotypical societal viewpoints.
Aspies tend to learn how to integrate themselves with neurotypicals via hiding their Aspie traits over time in their life. Therefore if you take this quiz and focus the answers on how you were as a child, you will often get very different results as compared to answering from a current standpoint.
In my case, I am consciously aware of every decision I make to modify my behaviour, in order to fit in with whatever social situation I am in -- but this in no way suggests that this is my *desired* way to live, or that I would not behave differently if there were no punishments for "being myself". I would much prefer being allowed to be myself without punishment and prejudice, but that isn't a variety of society currently available.
Clearly if the goal of the quiz is to be used as a diagnostic tool, then the questions *must* be ones which will be just as true even after the person has learned to hide their differences, and in this regard, this quiz is a dismal failure.
A person is no less Aspergian simply because they have learned a skill of hiding their Aspergian traits. This is equivalent to saying that a homosexual person is not homosexual, if they have merely learned to hide being a homosexual -- this is ridiculous.
I have therefore decided to take the quiz twice, the first being answered from the perspective of when I was in Elementary School around age 9 years old, and the second being answered as a 30-something adult with all of my life experiences and gathered knowledge.
Myself As A Child:
( Graph in Raven's Post )
Your Aspie score: 180 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 20 of 200
You are very likely an Aspie
Myself As An Adult:
( Graph in Raven's Post )
Your Aspie score: 96 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 134 of 200
You are very likely neurotypical
I am anything but neurotypical, what a useless quiz...
That is absolutely brilliant! Maybe a more accurate and informative survey would have two sets of questions that mapped data on two different graphs, each with its own statistics. One set of questions would determine natural behaviours and sensitivities and would include examples taken from the entire Autism spectrum as a whole (Traits you displayed as a non conformed Aspie including things you were made to unlearn and/or suppress in order to fit in with NT society.) The Graph associated with these questions would represent to what degree your Brain naturally behaves in an autistic manner. In other words how Autistic your brain is and is the first piece of data you would need to determine how LITTLE Your brain developed in a NT fashion on its own. ) The second set of questions would determine what behaviours, skills and indicators of social awareness are now possible:
NT YES answer -
1. Natural/Instinctual/Intuitive: Developed with no more ( or possibly
less O.O ) difficulty or intervention than it would have taken for an average NT!
Aspie YES answer -
2. Non-Intuitive ( Proficient ): Learned or Adapted an understanding of the concept or behaviour at a higher degree of difficulty than it would present your average NT; and can emulate/decypher/respond now with minimal/minor concentration and discomfort.*
*To draw a parallel: It was like learning how to ride a bike. Once you get the hang of it; it
feels as
natural as walking ( or close enough ) and is not something
easily forgotten.
Aspie SOMETIMES answer-
3. Non-Intuitive ( Hit and miss ): Learned or Adapted with a concerted/greater effort than an NT; at a basic ( though not necessarily consistant ) level of proficiency: Meaning you gained enough of an understanding of the concept or behaviour at a higher level than you could before; but lower than your average NT ) and can emulate
<decypher
>respond with varying degrees of success.
Aspie NO answer-
4. Non-Intuitive ( Still struggling/disabled ): Tried or haven't tried to learn and do not understand enough or do not understand at all: most if not all attempts to emulate=decypher=respond fail.**
**This is source of great frustration and/or comfusion. This makes you uncomfortable, anxious, and mabey irritable. It often results in misunderstandings between you and your peers as an Aspie individual
NT NO answer-
5. Counter-Intuitive ( Deliberately Oppositional ): Yeah, you understand perfectly and are fully capable...
....But you don't want to emulate=decypher=respond appropriately or possibly at all.***
***It is a source of amusement and is often spiteful. Deliberately being contrary knowing full well that it is inappropriate is a purely NT type trait; think about it!
Man I am really tired. Well a few of the questions would most likely require selectable answers in the form of one sentence per answer multiple choice. This is just an idea. To tired to proof read for grammatical errors. I know I'm weak.
Sorry! =^_^=
Your Aspie score: 193 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score:
5 of 200****
You are very likely an Aspie
****No surprise there.
Nighty-Night!