What Counts as A Legitimate Diagnosis?

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Hi All,

Wanted to get your opinions on what you think constitutes a legitimate aspergers/high functioning autism diagnosis. I was recently seen by a psychiatrist who said I have Aspergers but I never got the formal 16 hour testing done. Scored in the aspergers range for the AQ test and my EQ test was a whopping 8 (however I often find these tests hard to believe since I’m the one answering the questions about how I relate to people and how they relate to me and if I have autism, how am I providing a reliable metric lol).

I digress though. Is getting the diagnosis from being interviewed by a psychiatrist as official as the full-blown testing? Can I trust the diagnosis is accurate? A diagnosis would really explain a lot about me, my relationships, and my childhood. I don’t want to claim something that I don’t have a right to but God would it be a relief.

Thanks!

It's really up to you.

If you feel strong doubts, and if you can afford the full testing and/or your insurance will cover it, then go for the full testing -- which will not just give you a diagnostic label, but also give you insights into your more specific strengths and weaknesses (which vary widely from one autistic person to another).

If you can't afford the full testing and your insurance won't cover it but you do live in a major metropolitan area or a major university, then see if you can find a place where psychotherapy "externs" work under the supervision of a fully qualified psychotherapist who specializes in ASD. That will be a lot cheaper than being tested directly by the fully qualified psychotherapist.

There are different ways to be diagnosed. ADOS is considered the gold standard by many, but being diagnosed according to either of the major diagnostic manuals is also valid diagnosis as long as your psychiatrist has taken care to rule out other conditions via extensive history and that he isn't basing his decision on a knee jerk reaction to a stereotype.

If you feel he listened well to your history and asked insightful questions showing he understood your condition, I'm sure you can trust his professional opinion

I agree with Mona Pereth's comments re more extensive testing, but I think it's also ok if you decide to stick with your psychiatrist's diagnosis.

I would ask him to run through the diagnostic criteria with you and have him explain how he feels you meet those.

Welcome to WP

As has been said it is up to you.

If you need accommodations or benefits a diagnostic report is usually required.

My diagnostic report further clarified things for me.

As for me, I think a formal diagnosis could only harm me, reversing all the progress I have made.

I probably would fit under the Broad Autistic Phenotype, as my AQ score is 28. My EQ score is average for a female.

A legitimate diagnosis is one rendered by an appropriately-trained and licensed mental-health practitioner. While on-line tests may indicate some likelihood, the answer to each question is based solely on subjective opinions and not objective observations.

In your case, your psychiatrist said you have Asperger's Syndrome, but if he/she does not put it in writing, then it may be because he/she is not entirely certain that the diagnosis is valid. You may have other conditions that mimic or mask AS symptoms.

Are you in the UK.

I don't think the funds are there in the UK for the full blown testing unless they are really needed. The US is probably different because of the way their health system works.

Many of us seem to have to fill in a couple of questionaires, chat to a professional and have a relative interviewed.

That is what happened to me and afterwards I got my scores and a letter saying I have Asperger's.

I must admit I was also concerned about the lack of exhaustive tests, but the way I look at it is this - if the professional is happy to diagnose with out the tests, then why do them? In other words if it is clear (i.e. there is no doubt) that the person has autism of some sort then it is pointless going to the time and expense of further tests.

As long as you have got it written down in some form of letter/document then it is completely legitimate.

As I said earlier, the point of the more thorough testing is not just to give you a diagnostic label, but also to give you a profile of your specific cognitive strengths and weaknesses, which vary a lot from one autistic person to another.

The diagnostic label "ASD" doesn't actually say a whole lot about you; it just puts you in a very broad category of people.

IMO the label "autism" is more useful for social purposes (to bring together a community of people who otherwise would either be lone outcasts or drive themselves literally insane trying to fit in) than for therapeutic purposes. IMO therapy really needs to be tailored to the individual's strengths and weaknesses; there is no good one-size-fits-all therapeutic methodology for "autism" (although we do need therapists who are knowledgeable about ASD -- and there is quite a shortage of such therapists even here in the USA, all the more so in many other countries).

Last edited by Mona Pereth on 26 Jul 2019, 6:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.

If you get a diagnosis from either a PhD psychologist or a psychiatrist, it's "valid" from the viewpoint of any entity requiring a "formal" diagnosis.

16 hours? I have a formal diagnosis and I think the total time spent was 6 hours, including the initial visit, the written test, the interview with my parents, and everything else. It even includes the visit to the psychologist where I got the report and the results were explained to me.

Maybe how long an assessment takes varies by country?

My actual face to face time with my assessment therapist was only three hours. However, I took numerous written tests I was provided in advance of the assessment and spent many hours compiling what ended up being an 18 page narrative and history. I forwarded that document set to my assessment therapist before my assessment and she read everything in detail. I was initially scheduled for a follow-up visit to discuss the results, but at the end of our three hour session (no breaks), she said there was clearly no need for a follow-up and she went over my scoring with me and my scores were overwhelmingly on the top end of the scoring range. She had no doubt at all.

Here in the U.S.A. it probably varies by practitioner.

I was given an initial interview, then an IQ test, then a Thematic Aperception Test, then an MMPI (long general mental health questionnaire), then a couple of tests of my ability to recognize facial expressions and tone of voice, then the ADOS, and then the Vineland. Additionally I was given several take-home questionnaires. Also, before the appointments even began, I was asked to fill out a long "life history questionnaire."

I'm really happy to read this! I am 29, and have suspected for a few years that I may be autistic, but I have terrible insurance and live in a rural area where access to testing is difficult. I recently started seeing a psychologist to explore the possibility, and while I don't currently need a "formal" diagnosis for anything at the moment, I was worried if I ever did I'd be out of luck.

Sounds about the same as me , 1 hour pre assessment with therapist ( plus emails about my history ) , 3 hour session with psychiatrist ( 1 smoko ) , 1 hour post assessment with therapist. I felt shortchanged when I read about other members diagnosis time , thanks for making me feel better Magna

All an official diagnosis is, is a report from a licensed mental health professional explaining that they think you have something, and their reasons why.

There is no such thing a a fool-proof ASD diagnosis; there is no blood or DNA test for it, for example.

A report from a licensed mental health professional should be enough to gain access to any services (mostly reasonable accommodations at work and school), so it should be sufficient for your own curiosity as well.

Indeed. Get any verbal diagnosis in writing if you want to take advantage of any services granted to people with disabilities.