Scored a 35 on AQ?

Post Reply New Topic

Sometimes yes. Other times, no, not at all.



Yes, i tend to be emotionally flat. I can relate to that too, usually i think i am projecting a down look (and people have told me this "you should smile more"), when to me the feeling is sometimes more like sadness mixed with wonder/curiosity or concern. Some people have said i'm very intense too, brooding.



I don't have that really, i was a bit uncoordinated as a kid sure but eventually i got into physical activities like martial arts and yoga, and did well enough. Actually, once i got away from the competitive environment of physical education in the US (and plalced in special education classes) I was much more OK with my body and its abilities.

Just to say : I am dyspraxic too and scored 38. From what I have read in dyspraxic forums, the results tend to be higher than average (25-35) with this condition.

From my observation of dyspraxic people (I've known 3, besides myself), they are usually more high-functioning in terms of theory of mind and general self-awareness than most aspies. I think maybe they score higher because they have more of an inkling of how their behaviour is strange. I don't think they usually have more severe autism. My knowledge is limited, though.

I really like that analogy. It paints a pretty picture.

People with Dyspraxia often have Autistic traits so it is more likely someone with Dyspraxia will get high scores on this test. I agree with others though if they don't cause a person any problems then I doubt the person is actually Autistic. I mean have I done all these Autism/Aspergers type of tests and I often score quite high. However I don't think I am Autistic, but I do have Autistic tendencies and I have been told I do. Mind you being completely content alone with no friends, and prefering solitude probably isn't exactly normal.

I know that I am going to sound stupid but I still do not understand what theory of mind is. Even after reading the wikipedia article twice.

The ones who score higher (25-35, I do not think that 15-25 is really high, am I right ?) generally have severe dyspraxia, which tend to create social difficulties (early in childhood). But this test is highly subjective.

I know that I tried to be honest and make most of my answer fall into the grey area (well, I really could not for some of them) because I cannot tell whether my problems are really important or not compared to some people.

You know, loving the number 7 (and most odd numbers apart from 1, 11, 111 etc) does not mean that I am obsessed with numbers for example (this is silly but the gap between the two is important enough to show my point) but I am pretty sure that some people would have "agreed" with this sentence just because they like some numbers.

It's just like my best friend who does not believe that I am dyspraxic and will say "well, I am clumsy too, I may as well be dyspraxic" while she obviously has no idea of what it is to have dyspraxia and what other problems one can have.

So, basically, this test is a great tool with people who are not depressed or suffer from very low self esteem first, because they have a tendency to exagerate their problems because they feel bad (I know that, I was a teenager once and adolescence is awful when you are rejected and are learning about what your parents had been told about "your problems" which you are were not aware of as a child).
Then, well, let's say that it's a great tool if you ask someone else to do it for you as well to compare (not always a great tool however, I had a highest score with my brother, thanks XD) and if you are objective and well informed about the various existing conditions.

For example, my best friend did the Aspie Quiz, and she score quite high compared to what I would have guessed, and talking to her about that I realized that she had exagerated some answers because she has no knowledge about the various conditions which are part of the test.

For example, "I like being alone sometimes, I think that partying is cool but I always do something stupid, therefore I have no social skills". (She is bipolar and gifted and somewhat of an introvert, but very social.)

And "I do not understand social rules" means "I do not understand why we have to party and get drunk every week or go shopping with other girls twice a day."

Really ? Well, I do not understand body language and implicit orders for example, that's another kind of problem isn't it ?

I am not angry at them but I really think that we should take the results of these tests carefully. Obviously, there will be some high score due to misunderstanding.


(I am still grateful that the Aspie Quiz exists because I did it to convince myself that I should seek at least a diagnosis of dyspraxia.)


I would be interested to see the score of one of my friend because she is depressed and almost blind which means that she has a lot of social difficulties (and a tendency to think that what happens to her is the worst that could ever happen to anyone but that's part of her personnality) and narrow interests (archery, archery and archery).


Oh, by the way, I was not saying that we have more severe autism, just higher score than most non autistic people. But to tell where if the autistic traits are an aquired consequence of our difficulties or something we are born with is difficult, I think it depends on the way we are affected.
I am faceblind, this could explain the fact that I do not understand body language at all (even the obvious gesture like someone who wants to shake hands) but people who do not have this condition may understand body language pretty well but be unable to use it properly.

[I know, some autistic people can understand body language and this diversity is impressive and interesting.]

Thanks for the replies.

I've been reading more about AS and what I'm learning is making me feel disturbed but also strangely comforted.

The lack of social skills in particular is something I've been reflecting on.  My childhood is something I think about often as it was the only time in my life I felt genuinely happy.  I'll spare most of the details, but I was the naughty child in school and this role became my character through most of high school.  I was frequently suspended and very often ejected from the classroom, and would spend most lunch breaks writing lines in detention. I remember drawing pictures on my GCSE exams and instead of answering questions I would write letters to the examiners discussing random topics.  People who knew me from school find it very very strange that I went to university much less that I finished grad school.

I always felt different.  This will sound strange but from a very young age I remember it seeming absurd that other people actually existed and had genuine feelings like myself.  It's only in the last few years (twenties) that I've been gradually accepting That others also have feelings, hopes, abilities, aspirations, etc.  I basically lacked empathy and it's a new concept I'm only now starting to understand.

The other aspect that I relate strongly to is special interests.  They were never very narrow (like memorizing train model numbers) but I would often find a topic I'd become deeply interested in, such as electronics and programming microchips, and would spend a lot of time reading and learning and purchasing accessories for these activities.  I went through similar phases with cryptography/cryptanalysis, studying the stock market, studying biblical prophecies, and writing computer programs.  These interests have been my companions for many years.  This brings me on to the next point...

I've been very isolated socially since I was around 17; before then I had one main close friend and was reasonably ok with others.  I recall vividly making a conscious decision to learn more about different subjects (those mentioned above) instead of wasting time walking around town with my friends who didn't stimulate me much.  I barely left the house after this point except for essentials and was always eager to get back to my interests which gave me much stimulation and excitement.  It was only last year (age 26) when my uncle told me his kids don't like to be 'isolated, away from people' that I took it as a subtle hint I was on the wrong path.  Since then I've been trying to get out more, but it's hard going and I still feel happier with my interests than I do with people.

So these are some of the ways I'm seeing how my life has had elements of AS: social awkwardness, withdrawal, interest in different special subjects, lack of empathy, etc.

Does any of this match up with AS?  How can I be diagnosed professionally, as an adult in the USA?  Can I get better?  Should I be mad at all those teachers who just threw me out of class and made me waste all those breaks writing lines in detention?       

  
Thanks

hi i scored 40 on aq test and a lot of people have said i have aspergers so maybe there righ.t having trouble being officialy diagnosed but keep trying im 37 only just trying to get answers now just want to knew .

As others have said, it's only a "disorder" as such if it causes clinically significant impairment in functioning, so you don't need to worry that you might have disorder you didn't know about unless you are experiencing serious problems and need to locate the source.

Aside from having a diagnosable disorder, you could well be somewhere on the autistic spectrum in a milder sense. Learning about the characteristics associated with being on the spectrum could help you to understand your own eccentricities and perhaps work on areas of weakness. My recommendation is to read up on it in your own time but try to keep an open mind and don't let yourself or others start labeling you as having a disorder unless you are really certain and you definitely are having problems.

Of course you would have some, but not all of the traits. If you're interested, I would sugest you seek a proffesional diagnois. Knowing more about ways to better cope with your paticular struggles and explore your talents can be very inspiring.

I took both the AQ test and the aspie quiz. I think I scored pretty high

my scores

AQ swore = 42

Aspie Quiz
Aspie Score = 181/200
Neurotypical score = 28/200

Of course I had major issues growing up, esspecially in school, dispite my high IQ. I had an extreamly large vocabulary, but I never knew what people expected of me. It's interesting to note that my son was diagnosed with high funtioning Autism and he had more significant problems including speech, and other devalopmental delays.

On the empathy side, I'd say that both my son and I are extreamly empathic (making eye contact with anyone way to intence for comfort), but I'm emotinally blind. When I finally discover that someone was annoyed or upset by my behavior, I feel terrible, but I'm usually the last to know.

Last edited by BirdGirl79 on 29 Sep 2013, 9:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.

scores in signature. i figured this out when i was 48, although i've had my suspicions over the years. you are well within what i perceive as the curve for more common screening for this diagnosis in our school years, by about ten years.

I scored a 21 on the AQ test and I have an Aspergers diagnosis

some of the questions have to do with personality type, for instance, I would definitly much rather go to a theatre than a library and i'm not good at remembering dates or numbers like some aspies are.


I am also okay with change, I don't like doing the same thing over and over again such as using the computer all day. Even though I dont necessarily like talking to people, I do like getting out of the house and going to events. I prefer a busy life so I won't be in the house all day on the computer.


Not all aspies are the same.

""I also see connections a lot between things that don't seem related to others, and when I try to explain their relatedness I'm never able to persuade anybody"

So much this. QFT.

Hi Combo.

Seeing "connectedness" where others don't - take a look at this: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/L ... tiveAgency

With that being said, I do that too (somewhat) - I like your ideas.

I didn't figure out I had AS until I was 32 (6 years ago). People can find out at any age. A few people "noticed" it in me before I took the tests, so when I told them it was no big deal. Others still don't believe it's true. (I'm female, btw, so it may present differently with me.)

According to most psychological/psychiatric thought, a condition is a "disorder" if it significantly interferes with daily functioning and/or quality of life. Take that as you will. When it comes to the autism spectrum, that may vary - "if you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism."

Don't know if this helps you any but, welcome.

Combo posted this question in 2010 the last year he posted on Wrong Planet. I hope by now he found answers.

that's amazing to me I just took this online on a whim and mine has impaired my entire life, i got the same score, I didn't really notice til i got out of the structure of school that i was basically non-functional in life. in school environments I am fine. I love school. like i've partially taken a lot of certifications and stuff at community college like solar energy, medical transcription, computers, paralegal etc just because I like doing it so much. well three of those i completed. nursing and paralegal I didn't finish when I accepted there was too much human interaction. I can't imagine having this and not noticing.