Accuracy of online Quizzes?

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This is specifically about the Asperger’s ‘aspie’s quiz’ here
http://www.rdos.net/eng/

Is it considered relatively accurate? I am asking because it came out fairly high (neurodiverse) for me, so I’m wondering whether to take that as an indicator to go through with the full assessment.

The full assessment is $expensive$ Here, and not covered -

so I am wondering whether it is worth going through with based on this quiz result.

Or if it’s a flimsily designed quiz maybe I should just back out of the asseSsment.


( I took the Quiz a few times to be sure, it came back about 83% neurodiverse each time)

There are research articles on Leif's site, such as this one. From the results I've seen on this site it's a pretty good screener, but there always have to be a few exceptions to prove the rule. That would include my score (seen in my signature), which is rather balanced, despite the fact that I was officially diagnosed with a high-functioning ASD about a decade ago (or maybe they were wrong? Who knows)

A word of note. The RDOS quiz, while primarily designed for Aspergers, isn't only sensitive towards it. You will also get a higher than average score if you have another neurodiverse condition, such as dyspraxia, dyslexia, Tourette's etc.

I took a different quiz, the Autism Quotient test, and found it to be very accurate. I scored 34–very mild autism but still definitely autism. Average score for NTs is 16, average for Aspies is 35. I don’t know what the average is for other autism spectrum disorders.

Thank you for that tip.

I took this AQ test two times to be sure, and received a score of 43. I suppose proceeding with the assessment is recommended, according to what was written there.

Thanks again for the tip as it gave me extra reassurance that I’m not simply wasting the money.

What I find interesting about online autism quizzes, is how they seem to score me all over the place.

For other conditions, such as OCD, I tend to score quite high on quizzes, which doesn't surprise me given that some of the therapists I've had in the past have highly suggested that I go to someone more well-versed in the condition who can diagnose it, as although they did suspected it quite a bit... they didn't feel comfortable making that call.

They've also suggested that I look into G.A.D.

But for autism quizzes, my score really varies. Sometimes I get equally NT and ND, other times it's "Over the average amount of autistic traits, but not enough to fall on the spectrum", then some quizzes say "Quite likely to be autistic", but then I also get "Not likely to be autistic". There have been times where I've scored just under the threshold on a test.

It often varies depending on how the questions are worded, and what the focus of the quiz is on. With quizzes that focus more on sensory issues and literal-mindedness, I'm likely to score high. But if it's more about special interests, then I'm probably going to score lower.

Especially if it's the type to ask "Do you like train sets, maths, and memorising number plates?" or "Do you see patterns in numbers?", because I am not a mathematical person, nor do I care for train sets.

Some tests include Aspergers, whereas others just focus on more classical/severe forms of autism.

On the tests that feature Aspergers, I tend to get either "Higher autistic traits than average, but not on the spectrum", "On the spectrum, just- it's borderline", or "Definitely on the spectrum".

Whereas with ones that don't include it, usually I score "Not likely to be autistic".

I can't comment on the accuracy of these tests myself because I am not diagnosed, nor do I consider myself self-diagnosed. Personally, I recognise it as a possibility, but I am unsure.

Last edited by Lost_dragon on 25 Dec 2017, 1:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Wow you must have OCD if so many have commented on it.
One of my brothers (the most intelligent and kindest young person I know), has severe OCD which is disability level, it really makes him depressed.

Other than that he is very socially adept and everyone loves him. Even people who met him only once. He puts people at ease etc. You have a similar writing style to him not that that is anything meaningful for diagnosis, but the comprehensive way you wrote all that and the way your thoughts unfolded there. He writes like that. He actually writes as a job, on the side.
Are you part of OCD type groups too? Or is this forum good enough to encompass that?


A person here linked me to an interesting study that found that OCD and autism share a genetic link. You might find it interesting too.
https://spectrumnews.org/news/sweeping- ... bsessions/




So if one sibling has OCD it is v likely there will be another with autism.

So maybe that explains how your test results are all over the place.
The brains must operate similarly.

I can’t wait for DNA testing for autism and other things, to be reliable - that would help greatly!

It has always been something of joke by my family and friends that "Ha ha, it's almost like you're OCD", but it wasn't until I went into therapy that it dawned on me that maybe I really am.

Since, I always just ignored the possibility. I knew that people often said that kind of thing regularly even when the behaviour didn't seem to signify OCD due to the fact that OCD is so misunderstood. "Yeah, I know people say things about it to me all the time, but I can't really have it...right?" I'd ask myself.

But then one therapy session changed all that. I was speaking to the person who was my therapist at the time, just talking about areas that I struggled with, when they replied "You do realise that you've been describing are symptoms of anxiety, right?"... which I wasn't expecting. Then, they went further and asked me how long I'd been dealing with what I'd described.

I thought about it for quite some time, until it dawned on me that I'd be dealing with this kind of thing for most of my life, and at first I was hesitant to admit that, but I did eventually.

They were quite shocked at that response, and questioned why I hadn't received help sooner .

Afterwards, they offered to refer me to a GP who would then decide whether or not to refer me to a specialist on OCD and GAD, but... I didn't feel comfortable at the thought of going to a GP about it. So I didn't.

If I do have it, then I seem to be at a moderate level. The thoughts I have...they're not pleasant. Common ones I have include; flooding the house (I check the taps because of this), setting the house on fire (regularly check the stove), stabbing someone (I put any knives away if I have this thought), murdering my cat (this one is really unpleasant because I love my cat), kicking puppies (Not even sure how this one started), and throwing children (Yet again, not sure, but whenever I pass a child in a baby pram I have this thought, and it just seems to come out of nowhere). None of which I would ever actually do.

I can understand why it could get someone down, sometimes they get me down so I like to joke to myself how ridiculous some of these thoughts are, such as; "Of course brain, because most people drop-kick and throw babies in their spare time " (sarcasm, obviously lol).

Quite a few people have commented on my writing style, both here and on a different forum I use. Some have said it makes me sound articulate, others remark that it's logical and/or detached, and now "comprehensive" apparently.

I'm not a part of any OCD groups so far.

Everything you are describing sounds like what my brother told me. Frightening stuff. I hope you can get the best fitting diagnosis and that it helps you.

His accommodations he gets in some things seem to help him. If you are in college or uni you would need support too. Don’t downplay your struggles as all you are asking for is relatively equal footing to your peers.

Interesting article. Yeah, I suppose it makes sense that there's something of a connection between the two, since they both involve repetitive behaviours, albeit for different reasons.

As far as I know, I don't have any autistic family members...however some people in my family do show traits of it.

I don't know of any diagnosed OCD members either, but I have heard tales about obsessive relatives... so you never know I suppose.

Well, I'm at University currently, but I'm coping fine.

Yes and what is fascinating is that they can also overlap in individuals, more often than not. Perhaps in the future, based on such findings, more specific diagnostic criteria will be developed looking for the neurology where it overlaps!

(I dislike the word co-morbid)