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Advice needed on filling out my assessment questionaire

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Sam64
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11 Aug 2019, 12:45 pm

I've been referred for a diagnosis and the service have sent me a questionnaire to fill out about my symptoms and such. I typed up everything about my current situation, my symptoms in general and my early years, but when I looked back at it I realised it was insanely long! Like, 16 pages and quite rambling and repetitive. I've tried changing it and such but every time I work on it I feel so overwhelmed that my head's going to explode.

In truth not being able to be concise in writing or when expressing myself and letting everything flood out/oversharing when I do actually open up is part of my issues, so my question is, should I just send it as it is as it's an accurate reflection of who I am and how I write (even though it might look a bit nuts and over the top) or should I attempt to cull it and make it look more professional?

There's so much to talk about I think I'll find this really hard and it will cause me further stress to figure out what to keep and what not to. I think maybe part of the problem is they've asked for the issues/difficulties I'm having and I've just listed all the reasons I think I might be on the spectrum, but I was so anxious when I went to the doctors initially, it was really hard to speak and know where to begin so I feel it might be useful for them to have everything up front. I could explain this on there perhaps?

Please let me know your thoughts and thanks in advance!



Last edited by Sam64 on 11 Aug 2019, 1:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

skibum
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11 Aug 2019, 12:54 pm

Send it exactly as is. Part of what they are looking at is not only that you answered but how you answered. The fact that you wrote a thesis basically is a sign that shows that you could be Autistic. I did the same thing. I had to fill out a form for my disability case and they gave me five lines, like three inches to answer one particular question which asked how my disabilities prevent me from being able to work. I wrote a 12 font single spaced 21 page treatise to answer that question. My disability lawyer thought it was amazing and said that the fact that I wrote such a ridiculously long answer, and it is all very accurate and actually pretty concise, proves right there that I am Autistic. So, yeah, your lengthy answer will definitely help your case.


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Sam64
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11 Aug 2019, 12:58 pm

skibum wrote:
Send it exactly as is. Part of what they are looking at is not only that you answered but how you answered. The fact that you wrote a thesis basically is a sign that shows that you could be Autistic. I did the same thing. I had to fill out a form for my disability case and they gave me five lines, like three inches to answer one particular question which asked how my disabilities prevent me from being able to work. I wrote a 12 font single spaced 21 page treatise to answer that question. My disability lawyer thought it was amazing and said that the fact that I wrote such a ridiculously long answer, and it is all very accurate and actually pretty concise, proves right there that I am Autistic. So, yeah, your lengthy answer will definitely help your case.


That's great to hear, thanks! I will leave it then. Yes, my form is the same. It gives you tiny spaces that you're meant to write in pen, god knows how you're meant to fit anything in. I've done it on the computer instead.



skibum
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11 Aug 2019, 1:41 pm

Sam64 wrote:
skibum wrote:
Send it exactly as is. Part of what they are looking at is not only that you answered but how you answered. The fact that you wrote a thesis basically is a sign that shows that you could be Autistic. I did the same thing. I had to fill out a form for my disability case and they gave me five lines, like three inches to answer one particular question which asked how my disabilities prevent me from being able to work. I wrote a 12 font single spaced 21 page treatise to answer that question. My disability lawyer thought it was amazing and said that the fact that I wrote such a ridiculously long answer, and it is all very accurate and actually pretty concise, proves right there that I am Autistic. So, yeah, your lengthy answer will definitely help your case.


That's great to hear, thanks! I will leave it then. Yes, my form is the same. It gives you tiny spaces that you're meant to write in pen, god knows how you're meant to fit anything in. I've done it on the computer instead.

I know right??! !! Apparently the people who create those forms don't understand Autistics! :D


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Mona Pereth
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11 Aug 2019, 3:35 pm

Sam64 wrote:
skibum wrote:
Send it exactly as is. Part of what they are looking at is not only that you answered but how you answered. The fact that you wrote a thesis basically is a sign that shows that you could be Autistic. I did the same thing. I had to fill out a form for my disability case and they gave me five lines, like three inches to answer one particular question which asked how my disabilities prevent me from being able to work. I wrote a 12 font single spaced 21 page treatise to answer that question. My disability lawyer thought it was amazing and said that the fact that I wrote such a ridiculously long answer, and it is all very accurate and actually pretty concise, proves right there that I am Autistic. So, yeah, your lengthy answer will definitely help your case.


That's great to hear, thanks! I will leave it then. Yes, my form is the same. It gives you tiny spaces that you're meant to write in pen, god knows how you're meant to fit anything in. I've done it on the computer instead.

If you haven't sent if off yet, I would suggest that you take what you've written and at least try to organize it a bit to make it more readable. But don't leave anything out that seems relevant.


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11 Aug 2019, 8:03 pm

Mona Pereth wrote:
Sam64 wrote:
skibum wrote:
Send it exactly as is. Part of what they are looking at is not only that you answered but how you answered. The fact that you wrote a thesis basically is a sign that shows that you could be Autistic. I did the same thing. I had to fill out a form for my disability case and they gave me five lines, like three inches to answer one particular question which asked how my disabilities prevent me from being able to work. I wrote a 12 font single spaced 21 page treatise to answer that question. My disability lawyer thought it was amazing and said that the fact that I wrote such a ridiculously long answer, and it is all very accurate and actually pretty concise, proves right there that I am Autistic. So, yeah, your lengthy answer will definitely help your case.


That's great to hear, thanks! I will leave it then. Yes, my form is the same. It gives you tiny spaces that you're meant to write in pen, god knows how you're meant to fit anything in. I've done it on the computer instead.

If you haven't sent if off yet, I would suggest that you take what you've written and at least try to organize it a bit to make it more readable. But don't leave anything out that seems relevant.


If you do that, I would send in both versions. Add an explanatory note telling them that version one is what you instinctively wrote, but after time and thought you re-organized it. You think that they should see both versions. If you were having a verbal session you wouldn’t be able to go back and edit your speech.



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11 Aug 2019, 9:24 pm

AnneOleson wrote:
If you do that, I would send in both versions. Add an explanatory note telling them that version one is what you instinctively wrote, but after time and thought you re-organized it. You think that they should see both versions. If you were having a verbal session you wouldn’t be able to go back and edit your speech.

I'm not sure that that would actually be helpful. Lots of people, not just (or even primarily) people on the spectrum, write very disorganized first drafts of things. I think it's probably better just to give them something easily-readable but detailed.


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11 Aug 2019, 9:33 pm

In addition to the many pages of questionnaires I prepared for my assessment, I saw no other way than to use additional pages to properly answer the many questions. The supplemental information and my answers added 18 pages of typewritten responses.



Sam64
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12 Aug 2019, 7:33 am

skibum wrote:
I know right??! ! ! Apparently the people who create those forms don't understand Autistics! :D


:lol:

Mona Pereth wrote:
If you haven't sent if off yet, I would suggest that you take what you've written and at least try to organize it a bit to make it more readable. But don't leave anything out that seems relevant.


I've not sent it yet. It is organised into different sections like Sensory/Social/Routines etc. :)