Accuracy of Baron-Cohen test

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http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aqtest.html

The above is a link to a test devised by respected autism researcher Baron-Cohen. I have looked elsewhere on this site and it seemed as accurate as such a preliminary test could reasonably be - autism is indicated with a score of 32 or higher - standard NT score would be around 15-17 - most autistics on wrongplanet (but not all by any means) scored well over 32.

Reason I had checked this out is two-fold. First my son (diagnosed as on the autistic spectrum) has stated he does not believe he has autism (-he thinks he has social anxiety and an avoidance disorder). Secondly, following on from reading Michael McManmon's good new book about autistics transitioning from teenagerhood to adulthood "Made for Good Purpose", and where he notes he was only diagnosed at 51, I have wondered if I might possibly be slightly on the autistic spectrum, although this is something I have not really considered previously.

I incidentally scored a 28 on the test, significantly higher than "normal" but under the minimum threshold for autism. However that would indicate some autistic tendencies. On thinking about it, my mother may also show similar slight signs of autism. This might be of some use for me to consider, both in relation to myself and my son.

Specifically as regards my son, as per the first couple of chapters of Michael McManmons book, it is important for autisitics to accept their diagnosis, and then work on from there. My view is that my son (apart from in any event being so diagnosed) is definitely on the spectrum. It is not just a question of him being socially anxious and having an avoidant personality; although he undoubtedly has those symptoms they are a result of his autism and his not processing social cues the same and not naturally developing organisational skills like an NT kid. The result is failure in relationships and failure at school, which encourages the social anxiety and miscoping by avoidance.

When I have the chance I think I will make him take the test (asking him to be honest and noting I will not be checking his answers); his score will doubtless be in the autistic spectrum, and then I will have a talk to him saying that it is important to know yourself, and, as the forward to Michael McManmon's book says, you can then move forward to learning how to succeed using the strengths of autism (eg focus) as well as learning how to combat the organisational and social deficits.

what does it mean if your score is under 15? My sons was 40. Mine, 12...lol

Based on my reading of the research papers (I am an ancient psych graduate, but not at all an expert)...

About 2/3 of the general population score between 10 and 22 on the AQ test. A score in that range means it is extremely unlikely you have Asperger's Syndrome (AS) or High Functioning Autism (HFA). The average score is 16. If you scored 12, then you are even less likely to be autistic than the average person in the street.

A score below 10 would suggest that the person was in the least autistic 1/6 of the general population - they would probably be good at reading other people's emotions and good at influencing them ... perhaps even a people manager, a psychologist, a diplomat, etc. The people I know with AQ scores of 10 or less tend to have those kinds of occupations. I rather suspect that many politicians fall into this range, because they have to be good at reading and influencing other people's emotions if they are to develop a following.

A score in the mid or high 20s would suggest that the person had some observable autistic traits. Researchers sometimes use the term "BAP" (Broad Autism Phenotype) to describe someone with a high-ish AQ score and some autistic-like traits. It is common for family members of people diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder to have scores in the 20s - or higher. There is a BAP test here: http://www.okcupid.com/tests/the-broad-autism-phenotype-test. It was originally used in a published research project examining the autistic characteristics of relatives of people diagnosed with autism. The AQ test itself is also used in research projects about the relatives of autistic people.

A few people with AS do get low AQ scores (well below 32), but that is because the AQ test does not pick up every single trait or combination of traits that people with AS can have. The AQ test, for example, has very few questions that really pick up on sensory sensitivity, and the few it has are ambiguous in my experience - as are some other questions in the test. A questionnaire is a "blunt instrument" - it can indicate whether you are a long way from the autism spectrum (eg scores below 20), or close to or inside the spectrum (eg scores of 26 or above). It cannot tell you for certain that you have, or don't have, AS or HFA. That's why they call it a "screening test", and not a "diagnostic test": it cannot diagnose you.

I think something else is important about that test, (I think I scored a 32) it requires a lot of self-awareness and a certain amount of brutal honesty. Someone who knows what autism is and doesn't want to see him or herself that way could easily change the outcome of the test.

Something else about psychological testing: when my son took the test for pragmatic speech, he passed it (barely.) This was because he could successfully read situations and interpret people's feelings in them. However, he had ZERO idea of how to respond, he couldn't even guess at the answer - but since this was only one-third of the test score, he didn't score as badly as one would assume. In other words, the fact that he was totally unable to respond in social situations (something seriously disabling for him) did not count as heavily as someone who might show lesser deficits in all areas of the test.

Fortunately, we went to a private speech therapist and got a recommendation for therapy before we went to the school, otherwise they would have assuredly denied services on this basis.

@one-A-N

Thanks for your useful information. It's obvious in thinking about it that this is just a screening test, rather than a diagnostic test. People are too complicated to completely fit in boxes (for instance I think I'm good to very good at reading emotions, hidden agendas etc, despite a somewhat higher score on the Baron-Cohen test). Incidentally also tried the BAP test you suggested and fwiw came out highly aloof, a bit rigid and average pragmatic, with a suggestion that two scores above average meant I was BAP or autistic (neither of which incidentally seems too likely at all to me).

@momsparky

Agree that there is a bias in the tests in that it is fairly obvious what you need to answer if you don't want to have the results point to autism; this might be a problem with trying it on my son who has made avoidance into a fine art, although it would still be interesting to see his results. If he were to score similarly on the test to say my primarily NT daughter (or myself) that would point to limitations on the test (also alluded to in your post), as there is in practice an enormous difference between the siblings.

Diagnosed autistic son's score from him doing test - 12
My score from doing the test "on his behalf" (of course some guesswork there) - 37

This huge discrepancy seems to point to him not having a proper insight into his condition.

Yup, that's a difficulty for sure! I was wondering how it would go...

I've taken the test myself and while I test on the autistic side, I can't figure out if I'm tampering with my own results. How anybody without daily exposure to the test-ee can make any kind of decision about the spectrum with any kind of measure is beyond me. I can see why so many of us parents have kids with a whole trail of alphabet letters...

Now trying the Aspie Quiz http://rdos.net/eng/Aspie-quiz.php

My scores were:

"Your Aspie Score: 60 of 200

Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 127 of 200

You are very likely neurotypical"

I am interested to see what my son's score will be - I am sure if taken properly it will show him likely aspie (as is his diagnosis).

This will then hopefully encourage him to reconsider his rejection of his diagnosis.

I think the "Aspie Quiz" one is much better than the other, I just took it recently too. (My lovely score: Aspie 180/200 NT 20/200)

I did his test, I get 10 or 11, my husband gets 33 but has no problems and has never been to a Dr. Wish there was one for a child as I find it hard to complete it on behalf of my daughter.

I did his test, I get 10 or 11, my husband gets 33 but has no problems and has never been to a Dr. Wish there was one for a child as I find it hard to complete it on behalf of my daughter.

I got a 32 on the first test and 147/200 - aspie on the Baron - Cohen.

I've not been diagnosed asperger's, but my parents were pretty adamant to never let the school do an evaluation on me though I clearly needed it.

If a person suspects they are an aspie, or self diagnosis, is there value in getting an official diagnosis?

Confusednewb - a moment's search on google gave - http://pediatrics.about.com/od/autism/l/bl_autism.htm

And there are doubtless others

Thinking about it my results are a little puzzling as I was close to borderline autistic on the Baron-Cohen test but pretty much NT on the Aspie quiz - shows the uncertainly with these self-diagnosis tests, although they seem fairly credible generally. I don't think there is huge reason for an adult as opposed to a child to get a formal diagnosis unless he or she is not coping with life, and needs extra support.

Quite interesting results of my two kids on the aspie quiz. Firstly my successful apparently NT daughter scored 88 Aspie, 123 NT - showing traits of both Aspie and NT (her Aspie score was higher than my 60). This is an interesting example of someone with some Aspie traits who has found ways to cope with that (as well as a difficult home environment) and you need to know her quite well to notice her Aspie traits.

With my ASD diagnosed son, who has not been coping well, his doing these tests has shown up a real issue with the tests. With the Baron-Cohen test he scored himself a 12 and I scored him a 37 from recollection. With the Aspie quiz there is again a huge discrepancy between his scoring and my scoring "in his shoes".

His score was Aspie 79, NT 143 - you are very likely NT
My score for him was Aspie 124, NT 55 - you are very likely Aspie

So clearly these tests do not work for someone who does not have proper insight into their condition because of their ASD. I had wanted my son to get some insight into his diagnosed condition from doing these tests but it looks as if something else will be needed.

These tests are usually to be used in conjunction with other information I believe. There are two major potential flaws and that relates to the temporal aspect and the interpretation of the questions.

Are the questions intended to be answered with respect to a literal sense or a broad sense? For example, question 9 "asks" "I am fascinated by dates."

Does the tester want to know if the person is fascinated by dates, and if so, only in the present, or does the tester want to know if the person has a fascination with some numerical entity, now, or at any time in the past?

Maybe a person isn't fascinated by dates. But maybe they are fascinated area codes, or zip codes.

A very literally minded person on the spectrum would simply answer the question at hand while someone else might say "Well I'm not fascinated by dates but I'm fascinated by zip codes," and one would have to wonder, would the clinician count that as "dates" and would the potential insight of the testee into the point of the question impact the evaluation?

I've done this test before but I did it again now. Got a 19.

If I had taken this 20 years ago I would have scored much higher. For example the question about knowing when the other person is bored in a conversation. Back in the day I really used to go on and on about some special interest of mine, usually in a very loud voice. After several people pointed this out to me I became more consious of what I was doing.