I scheduled a diagnostic evaluation

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I am meeting with the psychologist on February 10th. It is a one-and-a-half hour diagnostic interview. I am nervous now because I want to be fully prepared when I go in there, to have it go as smoothly as possible.

For those of you that have been diagnosed, what type of appointment did you have (i.e. structured interview, personality test, intelligence test, etc.)? How did you prepare for it?

I am thinking of going through Tony Attwood's book, copying the sections I found particularly relevant, and highlighting the sections that pertain to me with my own notes to supplement. Did anyone do anything like this, or would this be considered overkill?

I appreciate your responses.

My assessment consisted of a diagnostic interview. The doc just asked me a lot of questions and observed my behavior.

Looking back, I was very nervous (to put it mildly) and kept re-reading a bunch of AS stuff so I'd be prepared. It turned out that I really didn't need to do any of it.

The fact is, if you've got AS, you're already a walking textbook. The psychologist will ask you questions and elicit the information that he/she needs. Plus, you will manifest symptoms while you're there in ways you might not even be aware of. There are lots of nonverbals the doctor will pick up. NTs are good at that, I hear. Even if you are good at masking symptoms, you will not be able to hide them from someone trained to know what he/she is looking at. So if you're worried about that part, don't worry. I had 50 years of experience in pretending to be normal, and the doc saw through all of it immediately.

Don't overdetermine this. You'll needlessly exhaust yourself. Take it from one who never fails to do that.

mine is scheduled for the first, i'll tell you how it goes.


i just learned about AS recently, but everything in my personality is explained by it, and i seem to be going through "the stages of grief" (denial, anger, depression, etc.). i keep feeling like there's something "wrong" with me, but at the same time it's a relief to know that most of my problems aren't entirely my fault.

i think if i get an official diagnosis i'll feel better about it.

im going in february. i usually am compelled to do this sort of thing, and have in the past with psychiatrists.

this time, im going to try and relax. i'm actually going not to seek an AS-specific dx. actually if they think other things are more relevant, i'll go with that. if it's NLD, or ADHD, or some other neuro thing, find, i just want to address the things i need to address, to be successful in my chosen path. so CBT with my neuro issues in mind, sensory exercises, cognitive strenthening exercises, organizational strategies.. in all, going to see an AS specialist will help validate things i am going thru - even talking to him (thru bf) has helped already. im not offbase, even if i'm 'subclinical' whatever that means. so. i plan to be pragmatic.

a simple list could help, if you think it will assist you in communicating things.

- name a difficulty
list ways it affects you
give a concrete example
if applicable, things you have tried that didn't work, to address it
i suggest keep it for yourself during the appointment, but tell them at beginning you will give a copy once the appt is over - it's for you to help organize your thoughts.

but if you write too much, the person can get turned off or just overwhelmed, or think that you've written *everything* down, when that's just part of it.. because there's always more. i think you want them to have an interaction with you, not just read. i've had this happen. i think it's abt communicating but letting them do their job. your behaviour is also the thing they're observing, not just what you say. the more you can relax, the less you'll be self-monitoring. an experienced person i think can understand the compensating that older previously undiagnosed people do. they know what questions to ask, and what to look for. just some thoughts. good luck

pj

The professional asked me pretty much everything. I would have been able to give a lengthy talk on AS or HFA and why I suspected to have one of the two, but I just answered questions (in length) mostly.

It was a very down-to-earth approach, the questions were varying between being open-ended and asking for very precise answers so preparation would have been useless. I'm glad I didn't manage to prepare myself specifically for these appointments, being the procrastinator and chaotic person that I am.

I also did several personality tests and some that asked for symptoms, as well as an IQ test.

I've always been afraid of doctors, how do you go and find one to diagnose asperger? I was diagnosed autistic in the early 70's but they considered it misdiagnosis after I started talking and then started scoring higher than normal in many subjects. I think though, this was in a small town in oregon where getting a diagnosis beyond retardation or autism was beyond their resources. I had a meltdown two years ago and now and haven't been able to work and now I want real help. I don't know where to go because every public resource here is designed to keep the people who need it from being able to use it, and so I will spend whatever of my savings I have left for this.

Nesh - I have 20 typed pages of notes for my doctor. From what you said here, it basically sounds like I won't need those. I think I will take it anyway as a security blanket just so I have it if I need it, but perhaps I won't need it.

Catwoman - Awesome! Good luck! My appointment for the same thing is on Feb. 4 and I am extremely nervous about it! Having already gone to a psychiatrist who I did not like, I was at first very discouraged and almost just decided to not attempt an assessment. But in not doing so I would be screwing myself out of the help that I really need. So I have an appointment with an autism spectrum expert and am hoping eveyrthing goes smoothly.

There is a lot happening this February, lol. Mine is at the end of February. Mine seems to be longer - an 8 hour deal.

I recently went through an extensive evaluation with loads of various tests and interviews and I did nothing whatsoever to prepare myself. I really don't think you need to do the things you mentioned, Catwoman. You either have it or not. Just be yourself. That's what I did and it ended in an official AS diagnosis.

Best of luck to you!

Catwoman! I was just wondering how your appointment went. I am going to be assessed some time in the next year and was thinking of doing almost EXACTLY what you described with highlighting the exerpts from the book and then adding in your own "personal" bits to show why you identify with whatever passages you have highlighted.

Did you end up doing any of that? If so, did it help? What was the outcome of your visit?

Thanks...

I had a structured interview called ADOS, I think that's what it's called. I was asked questions and had to tell storys and stuff. I also had a non-verbal IQ test which was great fun!