Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) test

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I got 41.

Callista, you should read Baron-Cohen's own research on this question (it is hard to give links as his site uses javascript pop-ups for linking to publications).

He actually did follow-up assessment interviews with as many people as he could get who scored over 32 and came from the undiagnosed control group (the general population sample). He found that many of the high-scorers he interviewed met all the criteria for Asperger's syndrome, and all the remainder met some - so they were all Aspies or BAP. The one rider he added was that (a) they didn't have parents with them (they were all adults, some of whom no longer had parents anyway), and (b) they were not experiencing impairments because they were employed in university faculties where their special interests and social isolation were quite acceptable. So he did not diagnose any as AS. However, they typically reported emotional and social problems in their teens and early adulthood, which they had eventually grown out of. So while none were actually assessed as having AS as mature adults, all were on the broad spectrum - and some might have been diagnosed with AS if their parents had been able to provide the appropriate developmental information.

So I am not sure that the test merely means "only 28% of people who score over 32 have AS". At the very least, it means (a) "at least 28% of people who score over 32 have AS" and "very much worth getting an assessment" - that is why it is a screening test. It is worth reading quite a few of his papers about validating the AQ Tests, including his discussion about setting the cut-off at 26 versus 32. He does use the 26 cut-off for certain purposes (screening patients referred by doctors), but not for screening the general population for ASDs. When he compares people with ASDs to a sample of the general population (especially a sample approaching a thousand subjects), he does not screen out people in the general population who also have AS or are BAP. Especially when he uses university students and faculty staff for his general population samples, he will find a number of high AQ Test scores in the "general population" - particularly from the mathematics, engineering, computer science and natural science fields. He found that university students in general were not more likely to score high in the AQ Test than a sample of the non-university population from eastern England (east Anglia), but staff and students from certain faculties or departments did score significantly higher. The highest scores from "undiagnosed" subjects were the contestants (or winners? can't remember) in the Mathematics Olympiad at Cambridge University - their average was 26. AS correlates with mathematical ability, according to Simon B-C.

Anyway, I got 40 today when I did the AQ Test. My problem with getting a diagnosis is not the expense. My parents are no longer alive (which makes assessment more difficult), I am in my mid-50s, and I am also reluctant to go through such a personal exercise with strangers (aka the clinical psychologists). A diagnosis would be purely for personal interest - although I would not totally rule it out if I start to experience significant emotional difficulties at work. I have a degree in psychology, and have looked at other disorders too (ADHD, OCD, and sensory integration disorder). I have significant sensory sensitivity issues, score high for alexithymia and low for emotional IQ - and there are several of my close blood relations who are either BAP or AS (according to other family members who brought it to my attention). A friend with 2-3 autistic children (and more than 20 years experience raising them) also thinks I am on the spectrum - she knows about my special interests! I can pay the best part of a thousand dollars and get a competent assessment from the local autism support organisation's specialist psychologists - but it would be an expensive luxury as far as I can see, if it is simply to get a label. Temple Grandin also doesn't think getting a formal diagnosis is so important for people who discovered AS as adults like me - she encourages mature-aged people to diagnose themselves.

36

My score is 34 but that means nothing....

I got a 40 this time around, which totally shocked me, as I have never scored so high on this test! (Last time I got a 35). I swear to God, I think they must change the answers around or something.

I have trouble answering questions like "I am good at making up stories". I don't know, I never need to make up stories, so I have no idea if I am good at it or not.

41

42.

45

See, this is where I have a problem. Did he interview any of them as to their personal situations? Marriages? Friendships? Relationships? There is more to life than job success, and there is more to impairment than under/unemployment. How many of these ppl had their marriages ruined by a combination of their AS traits and an NT spouse's inability to deal with them? How many had few friends? How many were actually happy with their personal lives? How many were never married and wanted to be? How many were isolated from their families because of inability to relate to them?

~Kate

What is BAP?

Other problem that we can see in that is that made the concept of "Asperger's Syndrome" and "Autism Spectrum Disorders" largely relative - after all, the same person in different ages and/or different social contexts could be severely impaired or not. If you are bullyed at school but you are a relative sucessful adul, you can "have" or "not have" AS, depending of the age when you are diagnosed.

Btw, one reason usually given against the distinction between AS, LFA, HFA, etc. is that the same individual can be in different levels during is life; but the same does not mean also a that you can't also really split ASD form BAP?

Broader Autistic Phenotype

43.

HOLYF***INGS***. I'm not a diagnosed AS. :S

43, how surprising

ha, i got 44.
and im not even officially diagnosed

LOL.