Do online Aspergers tests have any truth to them?

[SchrodingersMew]

Have thought for a long time I have a problem in social situations (I get scared when talking to people in rl and do not know what to say, I don't know when to stop talking and I seem to talk without thinking along with other problems) and have been trying to get to the root of where this comes from.

I do not think I have Aspergers but have taken an online AQ test and scored 37 which seems to be fairly high.

I am sure this is not the problem as I do not think something like that would be missed all through school etc) but perhaps there is something with similar traits?

[Boardiegirl]

I have social situation issues too and hav considered i may b borderline ASD. I dnt think it matters whether u hav a name for it or not, especially now ur an adult, u hav dealt with it all these years, wot gd wud a label do? Im intersted in the online test u mention however, never heard of it! Gd luck.

[SchrodingersMew]

It's not a label I'm interested in, just a way to find the right person to speak to about it to get over my problems and deal with some situations better. :)

This was the test.

[HecateLarpo]

that's the one by this guy as you can see, he knows his onions it is good. I'm a 43.

[Tiggles]

Online AS tests are fairly accurate. There are set percentages around somewhere, but most people with AS would get a high score on them (or low on the empathy part) but some don't. Equally some people without AS would get a high score on them but most don't. But in the main (80% springs to mind) they are accurate for people with AS.
I am not sure if there are more false positives for people without AS. I wonder this as (a parent with a child with AS) that I have people say to me for e.g. "Yes but my child get's anxious about ..." but their child has not been up all night the night before worrying, hiding under the table refusing to come out. So when I can say easily "Very much agree" with a statement for him that he gets anxious, other parents could say the same for their non-AS child who has just needed a quick hug and then got on with things. IYSWIM.

[PedanticPanda]

Aspergers is definitely missed through school for some cases, especially for girls. When my son was diagnosed he spent months and months doing different assessments, so no I don't think an online questionnaire with 50 questions is sufficient, but it would be enough to indicate whether you should speak to a GP or now.

[SchrodingersMew]

Maybe I should speak to someone then. As I said, I am not looking for a label, just help with some social skills and how I deal with certain people and situations.

""Yes but my child get's anxious about ..." but their child has not been up all night the night before worrying, hiding under the table refusing to come out." I actually posted on a thread last night about needing the tv on to go to sleep, I had said that at night, I get really scared and start worrying about everything and will cry. I've always been like this and in primary school actually used to hide under tables to cry when I had a certain teacher.

I really thought it would be noticed in school, especially as in high school eventually I needed to be seperated from every one else and was put in a room on my own for a year as I had panic attacks constantly as soon as I seen or stepped foot in the school. They ended up putting me in a place called "Right Track" but when I was there I was told there was no point as I was too smart for it (mostly people who had been expelled but I asked to be taken out of school as all the people made me scared) and they couldn't teach me anything, so they put me in full time unpaid work at 14 years old without a way to earn qualifications.

[HecateLarpo]

Yeah, there's pretty much bog all help for functioning adults on the spectrum They're not exactly chucking it at our kids either!

But there's no harm at all in looking. There may be something out there.

Also, I'd be really happy to share my tips with you. If it would be any use at all.

[SchrodingersMew]

Hecate I would really like that. :)

I have been offered CBT for pain problems, would they be able to help with other things?

Even a support group (probably better online though as I am rubbish with groups and just panic) maybe to talk to people with similar problems.

Thanks everyone for the advice btw. :)

[HecateLarpo]

CBT is good for helping you to change your thinking, but you need someone who understands odd brains because otherwise they'll just be telling you to do stuff that makes no sense at all.

Online support group sounds good. I for one am SO much better in writing than I am in person.

I have tricks for eye contact, I know the formula for interacting with people socially, etc.

I feel like an outside observer of the human race, tbh. I study them and try to understand common human behaviours and motivators, but I don't feel part of it. I feel more like a scientist observing and recording her experiments When I was a kid, I used to say that people were "cardboard cut outs" and describe them as looking "like ants". As you can imagine, I was not overburdened with friends

What about a group or thread where people can talk about those areas that they struggle with and others can describe the tricks they've learned?

[SchrodingersMew]

I'm pretty good online too (most of the time), I have a bit of a panic sometimes and end up flouncing from threads (usually my own when it gets too much and I get confused about what people are meaning or saying) or, and this makes me feel bad, if people are being really sympathetic and lovely, I never know what to say back so I panic and flounce...

In RL, I am pretty crap, I have 2 close friends and I even get paranoid or confused with them, especially when it is a personal conversation or they are worried about something etc. I find it hard to understand what to say to them.

That actually really makes sense (looking at everyone as an outsider), I don't normally feel part of the conversation or situation, even if is personal or meaningful to them, I can't really get involved in my mind if you know what I mean? I normally because of this, end up saying something entirely inappropriate.

A thread would be good, it would mean I could flounce if needs be. :o

[HecateLarpo]

I was once meeting a couple of mners and one of them was talking very seriously to me about something important. And I interrupted her by yelling RABBIT! and pointing out of the window.

Because I had just seen a rabbit in the garden.



It's not that I wasn't listening or didn't care, it's just that I do shit like that.

My husband now whispers "rabbit" at me as a warning when I'm cocking up socially.

and yet I still did it the other day. Had a friend for coffee and in the middle of her telling me something, I looked out of the window and said "Look at the size of that lad's HAIR!"

No. Brake. On. Gob.

And, as anyone who has ever read my posts already knows, I can only contribute to anything by finding something relate-able from my own experience and applying it to their situation. So I sound like me me me me me enough of me talking about me what do you think about me.

[SchrodingersMew]

That's me! Especially with the me me me thing. I have to relate a situation to something I have been through myself to understand it so every post is a telling of one of my own experiences.

I often think people on here must think I am a nutter who makes up all sorts as I am always posting on threads about when it happened to myself or someone I know. I'm telling the truth, it's just I only post on the threads I can properly relate to. I also know I say "I" and "me" too much.

Lol @ Rabbit! I have a horrible tendency to create awkward moment and don't know when to shut up, I once asked a girl what had happened to her head to be told it was skin cancer regrowth... A code word would be a good idea, I think my DP's family think I am a bit of a loon. :o

[HecateLarpo]

probably.

do you do stuff that you aren't aware of until people point it out? apparently I stroke door handles

[SchrodingersMew]

I pinch a bit above my sternum and never notice until it's pointed out but I do it a lot. I also have a weird tic thing with my neck.

Door handles! That's brilliant. The only think like that I do is with glasses that I drink from, they have to be rinses 3 times in an anti clockwise direction, I have done it since I was little.

:o

[devilinside]

Yes, I went to my GP and got told in a very patronising way that I was just depressed. Unfortunately, because of my poor social skills I am completely unable to argue with people in authority.

I emailed Simon Baron-cohen's office and was told there was no help without a diagnosis....what are we supposed to do?

[SchrodingersMew]

Devlin I would be interested to hear the replies to your question as I also have no idea how to access any professional advice about this.

[SchrodingersMew]

Although, I scored very high on a PND questionaire that I had decided to take online as I wasn't offered it and seen my GP about it who recognised that I wasn't depressed, so maybe there's hope with them?

[Tiggles]

You are making me , probably as I am fairly sure I have undx-ed AS, and can relate to all of above. I have always lip read people (I'm not deaf) and had no idea until they were assessing DS1 for AS that you should make eye contact. I try and make eye contact now, but have no idea what 'normal' eye contact is, as apparently you can make too much as well. I also thought I was fine with empathy until I tried an online empathy test for AS, and scored almost zero .

[SchrodingersMew]

Maybe there should be a thread for all of us that think we have AS, I wonder if we were all assessed how many of us would have it...

I have no idea about eye contact or if the amount I use is normal or not, definitely something you would never think of until brought up.

I don't think I would want to do an empathy test, I know from experience I lack empathy with others when they really need it and I feel bad for it, I don't mean it, I do mean well. I just don't know what to say or understand when the right time to say it is.

Something that came up on that test was numbers. I pretty much have an obsession with memorising numbers but the test didn't tell you if that was a point of AS or a point that isn't.

[PedanticPanda]

There is a good thread already for adults on the spectrum, or suspect they are on the spectrum. I think it is in mental health. Also, research a bit into sensory processing disorders and it may help to understand why you react to certain things in a certain way, and could help you to minimise problems you think will arise.

[PedanticPanda]

[SchrodingersMew]

Pedantic I will look that thread up, thanks. :) Even if I could find information on the internet and self help. I think I would prefer that actually.

[PedanticPanda]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/feeling_depressed/1429582-Support-thread-adults-on-the-Autistic-Spectrum

:o found it.

[SchrodingersMew]

Thank you Panda! I will have a look through. :o