If you are DXed AS, does it matter what Psychologist does it

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I have been listening to some folks (dare I say brag) about who has diagnosed them with Asperger's Syndrome. Some other folks don't even mention the Psychologist at all.

The Question: Does it make the DX more valid by who diagnoses you? Or if you are DXed by a trained board certified PhD is that enough? Are you more of an Aspie if you have a famous PhD?



I didn't make this a poll, just write your answer.

Merle

I might brag if I had a diagnosis from Tony Atwood but other than that; it would not matter to me.

Credentials topic

The psychologist who dxed me has been a psychologist for thirty years, and prior to that was a Registered Nurse in the UK. He has had extensive experience with AS children and for the past five years has diagnosed adults.

After hearing how tony attwood is, I wonder if even THAT would matter to me.

It would be nice if they took 3000 cases, filed EVERY odd difference, and created STANDARD tests for each! The deficits could be -1, and the positives +1.

If you had NONE in the proper areas, you would NOT be autistic. Otherwise, an IQ below 80 or so would make you LFA. Otherwise, a deficit in language or selfhelp, or good social skills, could brand you as HFA. Otherwise, you would be AS!

the score could then be used to assess a persons inate abilities. The lucky ones could look at their positive score, and realize they aren't that bad off!

I self dx'ed myself, then talked with my doctor I also gave him a copy of my aspie quiz, he did agree with me and the dx, but didn't think it was worth it getting an official dx, kind of pointless at my age, I really have know idea nor give a hoot who Tony Atwood, sounds like that toothy guy who does infomercials

Any clinical psychologist/psychiatrist can (so it doesn't matter who does it); Autism is in the field of mental disorders, so they're the ones who do it. I've seen a "big name" person (clinical psychologist), and said person wasn't any better than the run-of-a-mill psychiatrist.

I think a neurologist can, but I'm not certain of such. These guys aren't specific for Autism, rather, they treat comorbid conditions like epilepsy.

To add, does it matter who diagnoses you with a broken arm?

I hate that, if people claim your diagnosis isn't valid.

I was diagnosed in a youth psychiatry and you'd think it's something commonly accepted that they're experienced in children's development and PDDs. But there are some aspies who've doubted my ASD and then just said these people aren't able to diagnose autism and that my disorder must be something else.

Then I wonder who is supposedly qualified if people say that?

There seem to be two main kinds of diagnoses... either someone gets a bunch of standardized neuropsychological tests and those point to ASD, or the person just talks with a psychiatrist or psychologist who subjectively decides they are have an ASD. I personally think I'd put more weight in someone whose neuropsych tests showed a tendency towards ASD, just because as an Aspie I tend to trust objective over subjective.