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Korin
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21 Jan 2015, 1:51 pm

I got this result but a psychiatrist diagnosed me Mild PDD NOS
Misdiagnosis ?

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I only have mild social anxiety GAD self stimulation and sensory issues



izzeme
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23 Jan 2015, 3:24 am

the ASD quiz is not a diagnostic tool, and doesn't claim to be.

also, PDD-NOS is different from Autism/Aspergers (it literally is "Not Otherwise Specified").
PDD-NOS is basically a term to mean "not NT, but we don't know what else"



Jezebel
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23 Jan 2015, 1:03 pm

izzeme wrote:
the ASD quiz is not a diagnostic tool, and doesn't claim to be.

also, PDD-NOS is different from Autism/Aspergers (it literally is "Not Otherwise Specified").
PDD-NOS is basically a term to mean "not NT, but we don't know what else"

Technically speaking, it's not different anymore - at least not under the DSM-5.
PDD-NOS was diagnosed when some, but not all, of the AS or AD criteria were met. It's also been called "atypical autism", so those diagnosed were still considered autistic/on the spectrum.

I've read posts on here from many people diagnosed with PDD-NOS, and it's not true that it meant "not NT, but we don't know what else"; the definition of the term seems to have varied from person to person, similar to how AS diagnoses were given inconsistently. So it would not be surprising if someone diagnosed PDD-NOS scored rather highly on the Aspie Quiz (which basically just tests autistic traits anyway), due to those inconsistencies. I agree that it's not a diagnostic tool, though it does seem to be pretty accurate.


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Diagnosed with ADHD combined type (02/09/16) and ASD Level 1 (04/28/16).


ToughDiamond
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23 Jan 2015, 4:17 pm

I think the quiz is pretty good as these things go, but any self-assessed test like that has to be viewed very cautiously. I always feel as if I'm guessing when I answer the questions, the opposite response often seems as true as the one I've made, it's too general.

As for the diagnosticians, I think it would be very interesting for an individual to try several of them, and see if there's any agreement between their conclusions at all. I doubt there would be much, in most cases. I have little faith in diagnostic pigeon-holes as a realistic way of seeing what a person is really like. I think it's much better to try to identify and confirm specific traits and problems, again not by self-assessment questionnaires but by direct testing of aptitudes. You don't get a simple label that way, but maybe that's just as well. I know scientific reductionism is often the only way to make sense of complex data, but I don't see a problem with having a list of verified strengths and weaknesses instead of being shoehorned into a diagnosis. Maybe it's more a problem for health services and employers than the client, having to deal with them as individuals rather than assuming that one size fits all.