I have too much empathy?

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Perhaps too much reverse empathy. I generally keep emotional leakage in check... but sometimes if enough people are suffering I go right into 80s cartoon villain mode.

I think their comments are complete generalizations. Nowhere on the DSM IV for Asperger's does the diagnosis require that you're unempathetic or incapable of returning smiles/laughter. In fact, I made my assessment psychologist laugh numerous times with my jokes and remarks but she understood that it was actually a coping mechanism I'd developed to socialize more effectively. I think your assessor(s) haven't come in contact with enough adult ASD sufferers to tell coping mechanisms from innate skills. My advice would definitely be to seek assessment elsewhere if you're unconvinced of their observations.

I took the empathy quotient test Dillogic mentioned and got an 11... That's really low, a lot ower than I expected! I went over it again to make sure I was answering truthfully and got the same score. I think their opinion was based on the fact that I had an emotional response when talking about my children as well. He said: "Unless you have been wearing a mask" and "The only thing that would change my mind would be developmental issues... Did you look into your mothers face when you were being fed, like that."

I've been thinking about yawning a lot as well I yawn whenever I think about how yawning feels. It feels nice. So I've been well oxygenated since this convo began!

windtreeman - I am in the UK so I don't think they are using the DSM IV, having had a quick look at the requirements for the DSM IV I think I would qualify easily for that ("Here's a list of my symptoms", "Tick, Tick, Tick, Here's your diagnosis" If only ). They are working with DISCO, the requirements for which seem to be shrouded in secrecy. It does seem to be impossible to diagnose someone using DISCO unless you are speaking to the autistic's/patient's parents. My mother was not available for comment.

Thanks guys!

Fen~