How much do you trust online tests for AS?

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I've heard different opinions as to the accuracy of these tests. From "They're just for fun and not accurate at all." to "They're quite accurate."

I've taken all of the tests I could find and consistently scored well into the ASD range.
I think that because my scores are so consistent from test to test that they do seem to be pretty accurate at indicating that one may be on the spectrum. I don't take them as definitive indications, but the tests combined with realizing that I have so much in common with others on the spectrum has gone a long way to convincing me that I in fact have AS.

I plan on taking my test results to the psychiatrist; but I'm kinda worried that they may have the opinion that these tests are pointless and don't "prove" anything.

They are something that shows you that its something you should look into more.

This is the road block that I'm running into with my psychologist. She's convinced that I'm just going to assign myself symptoms that don't exist, or that I'm going to inflate "meaningless quirks" that do. It wasn't until my husband was professionally evaluated and they concluded that he does, in fact have AS (meaning that I was right about him) that she even bothered to take anything that I was saying seriously. She keeps telling me that she's going to evaluate me, than "forgetting her materials" ... it's like this woman wants to pretend that Autism doesn't even exist! Ugh. Not trying to frustrate you, just letting you know that your worries are legit.

Nobody can tell you who you are. They can only tell you what they think they see. The tests can be wrong, but so can the psychologists. In the end, I think it depends on you. I say if the shoe fits, wear it, no matter what a test or person might say.

I guess if you gave them to random people, you'd probably get results typical for screening tests--maybe one out of ten of the people who scored "You're autistic" on the test will actually be autistic. They're not terribly accurate, but "one in ten" is narrowing it down from "one in a hundred", so they're not totally useless either. Add to that scoring autistic on multiple tests, and the reasons you went to the tests to begin with, chances are probably around fifty-fifty by the time you actually walk into a doctor's office and get a good evaluation. Better than that, if you're one of the people who gets obsessed and researches things minutely.

I use them to see if there is any point to going further in figuring out if I might have it. They can't tell you with 100% certainty but they do point you in the right direction and can help you confirm or deny your suspicions. Plus, the obsessive behavior of trying to figure out if you have it and digesting all of the information you can find about it is also a bit of a confirmation of the condition in it's own way.

Though I was diagnosed twice by psychiatrists these test gave me more insight as to what I'm about. I didn't take these tests just once but 3 or 4 times just to get exactly the same scores or only a few points apart. I waited for a while inbetween each time I took these tests and was careful how I answered the questions. I also did a lot of research on Autism and Aspergers articles which is very consistant with these tests.

Given that, if a person tries to answer these tests as honest as possible, I can see where they can be very accurately.



Jetbuilder, I don't think it is a good idea to take the test results to your psychiatrist taking a chance of irritating him and not getting an honest answer. However, I wouldn't hesitate to take your list of traits (symptoms) telling him this is what you are experiencing making sure you don't say anything about those test results.

They match up nearly perfectly with each other (for instance a 92.5% score on one, a 9/10 =90% on another etc.).
But way more importantly, they match up 100% to what *I* experience in life, i.e. that it's pretty damn bad and hindering me in many places.

Get a psychiatrist to diagnose. Psychologists are supposed to give therapy... and this one sounds like a BAD one at that!

I think a lot of them are very credible, but not worthy for official diagnosis. They suggest whether you have an ASD or not, and suggest whether yoiu should get assessed or not. The problem is, tests do not usually change according to age, and who you are. A psychiatrist knows who you are and assesses accordingly.

There is a chance that you will want to lean one way, since you may want a certain result and there's no one to stop you from choosing something that isn't true, since you're administering the test.

On an official assessment, you can't really do this.

What I'm saying is, the tests are usually useful, not for official diagnosis, but to get an idea. It's sometimes the people who take it that you can't trust. (Not saying everyone does it )

I've been obsessed with learning about AS ever since someone suggested I may have it. That was 6 months ago. I do tend to be very obsessive when it comes to my interests.



I can understand how that could happen.
I do try to answer the questions as honestly as I can. When this all started, my friend sent me a link to the rods aspie quiz. This was before I did any research on AS and I barely knew what it was. It said I was most likely aspie. I didn't really know any of the symptoms of AS when I took it, so I think it was a relatively un-bias result. I have taken all the tests several times over the past 5 months and the scores fluctuate slightly, but they're always around the same.

I do not trust those at all. You can never know for sure with the internet.

I believe to be truly diagnosed with a solid answer, one needs to be diagnosed by a professional. I was diagnosed by a psychologist and a psychiatrist who have known me and all of the inner workings of my brain for seven years. I trust that kind of diagnosis.

Not anything from the internet.

I have taken a couple of the tests and the results and research online (including here) have had 2 effects.

First, I have an appointment to confirm (or invalidate) my decision that I have Aspergers.

Second, whether or not I officially have Aspergers, I know I am not like most people. I have already communicated with my manager to explain what I have discovered, and described how I feel I can be more productive by having her assign me tasks for which I am best suited. I have the advantage of working for her, or related groups for over 10 years. Her response was favorable.

So, I think the tests are helpful, but don't know if they are accurate.

I do also think that even a professional diagnosis is questionable because a patient can have all the traits except for say 1 of the 2 traits that are required for an official diagnosis, and one can find themselves off the spectrum officially, but still developmentally more similar to AS than NT. That is why I didn't wait for an official diagnosis, I need to manage my life as if I am on the spectrum, because that is where I am regardless of professional opinions.

I don't trust psychologist or psychiatrist either. Most of the test that I took came from WP. And almost everything I have read has been very consistant with these tests. So there is a lot of truth on the Internet too.

Most of the online tests are actually reproductions of actual tools used to screen for and/or assist in the diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorders. The Aspie Quiz is not, but has been validated rather thoroughly, to the point that the author has said that it is about as reliably as existing tools.

They are only as accurate as the person that is taking them. Some of the questions I wasn't sure about so I exited the test and did my homework on not just one, but several websites such as WebMD, that is very reputablle. Than I would go back and take the test.


One of the things I wasn't sure about is the speech problems I have. After doing so much research on this, listening to my speech in some videos, the speech of those with severe speech impairment in other videos, even though I have some speech problems and minor speech delay, I can't put myself in the category of those who is non-verbal or is severely limited on their speech skills. Even with the minor speech problems, I do have a full range of words. My problem is I can't always get the words out of my mouth that my brain is sending to it once in a while.