Aspie-Quiz as an adult and as a child (Learning NT habits)

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Matraia
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14 Dec 2009, 12:11 pm

Hello everyone,

I've been taking the Aspie quiz to see just where I may fall on the autistic spectrum. I'm just starting to learn about AS and how it gives an explanation for some of the eccentricities I have. Upon reading the questions though, I kept having thoughts of "Well, I USED to be that way, but now I do x instead or I don't do y as much". So I thought I'd do a comparison:

As an adult (29) I get this result:

Your Aspie score: 134 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 89 of 200
You are very likely an Aspie

Aspie talent: 8.4
NT talent: 2.2
Aspie compulsion: 5.3
NT compulsion: 2.6
Aspie social: 7.0
NT social: 4.1
Aspie communication: 7.6
NT communication: 4.2
Aspie hunting: 6.3
NT hunting: 6.5
Aspie perception: 6.0
NT perception: 5.2
Environment 7.2

But as an late elementary school/early junior high student I get this:

Your Aspie score: 156 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 43 of 200
You are very likely an Aspie

Aspie talent: 8.0
NT talent: 2.4
Aspie compulsion: 6.2
NT compulsion: 1.2
Aspie social: 6.8
NT social 1.5
Aspie communication: 7.9
NT communication: 0.6 (! !)
Aspie hunting: 8.0
Normal hunting: 6.1
Aspie perception: 7.9
NT perception: 4.7
Environment: 9.3

Some very significant shifts over time! Thoughts?



visagrunt
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14 Dec 2009, 2:22 pm

I think it is important to remember that we are not static creatures. Aspies learn just as much as any other person learns. Our learning takes place in the context of our social deficits, behavioural differences and cognitive interests, but take place it does.

I don't think we should be particularly surprised that our behaviours change over time.

A statement like, "It upsets me when people come over unannounced," can be interpreted a few ways. If your reaction to this circumstance is less disruptive than it was when you were young, then yes, your response might change. But equally you might say that you are just as upset as you were when you were younger, but you have learned new skills like to cope with that upset.

Similarly, avoiding circumstances that you know upset or confuse you is a learned behaviour. It does not alter the underlying neurophysiological distinctiveness, but it does diminish the impact on daily living that the distinctiveness imposes.


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Willard
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14 Dec 2009, 3:52 pm

AS involves a disability in learning social skills and coping mechanisms, not an inability. We pick it up, just more slowly and with difficulty.

Although, I do believe most of the internal distresses and hypersensitivities remain pretty much unchanged over a lifetime.


And I for one find it extremely easy to revert when not under pressure. I do the eye contact thing easily and (almost) unconsciously) when its necessary and appropriate, but if I'm around people I'm relaxed and comfortable with, I don't force myself, and I can feel my internal stress level drop.



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14 Dec 2009, 4:13 pm

I think I maybe a case of that. The doctors say my social skills are too good nowadays, but looking at my past school reports... even brought back the memory of that college student that used to follow me around in school, she was trying to teach me normal human interaction.

But at the same time, I look people in the eyes and stuff and have normal 1 on 1 communication skills (more than one person, I get confused)


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14 Dec 2009, 4:16 pm

I have always done aspie quizzes answering the questions as an adult. There was only one time when I decided to answer questions from my childhood ages 2-17 and I got a 177. As an adult it was 146 I got if I remember correctly.


We all improve over the years because we learn to cope and adapt. Even without the label. But we have to choose what faults to work on like not getting so upset when you can't sit in your favorite seat because you realize it's part of life and if everyone had to move so everyone could sit in their favorite seats, then everyone would be fighting over a seat and having meltdowns or feeling uneasy or asking each other to move. What if two people had the same favorite seat. It be chaotic.


I see AS as a list of faults that we can all work on. Sometimes it requires therapy such as for sensory issues or balance or motor skills. Those things can only improve through therapy and doing certain exercises.



marshall
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14 Dec 2009, 4:39 pm

I've definitely changed dramatically from how I was as I child. I became more and more self-conscious as I grew older. I think fear, rather than social instinct, was my main motivator. I used to go on and on about my interests and never talk about anything anyone else wanted to talk about. Now I'm the opposite. With strangers I feel uncomfortable sharing my interests and only talk about others interests, or I avoid conversation completely. Sadly it's gotten to the point where it feels like I've completely stamped out my personality. I can act like a boring NT just to fit in but it's all a fake act. I only smile and half-heartedly laugh at jokes because I have to, lest I be perceived as a total scrooge. I still get very little enjoyment out of typical conversations with NT's and I don't think that will ever get better. I just don't relate to people and I don't think I ever will at this point.



Apple_in_my_Eye
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14 Dec 2009, 6:32 pm

People grow and adapt. And people without dx's in early life get tossed into the world in an "adapt or die" sort of way, so if you're alive you've probably done some adapting or 'compensating.'

(And dx'ed-when-young people of course also grow and adapt.)

I.e. When I was 19 I was not functional in a normal adult sense, and was realizing it and getting worried about how I'd function. I worked on suprressing rocking and stims, voice modulation, forcing eye contact, tuning out the pain of certain sounds, bright lights, crowds, and a hundred other things. For me it was a conscious process, but I'd imagine for others it may have been more unconscious. The world does police social behavior harshly, so if someone isn't totally oblivious they are going get "behavior modified" at least a little.

And there's also just delayed development that does eventually happen.