Thinking about participating in a study

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I recently found out that a local university has an autism research center which conducts various studies. I haven't contacted them, but they are looking for participants, both diagnosed and NT, and I'm strongly considering signing up. I'm not diagnosed, and I don't really know if I have Asperger's or not, but I think a diagnosis is part of the process. If I turn out not to be diagnosably Aspergian, I figure that would probably be interesting to the researchers as well, because it would make me an example of someone who nonetheless exhibits some definite ASD traits. If I do get a diagnosis, well, that clears up a lot about my past, and I'll have the diagnosis if I ever need it. But regardless, of what it does for me personally, I'm thinking that participating in this study could be a good thing in general. Thoughts?

That's how I got my dx. It's not an official DX through the program cause that would not be ethical for the research... But basically, they do all the homework for you and the papers generated from participating in the study that "stand up in court" so to speak... Meaning, they perform the exact same functional tests that you would have to do for an official ASD diagnosis anyway.

I took those papers (the study found me to be on the ASD spectrum) and when I went for my DX the doc really helped me out and because DXs in adults aren't covered by insurance... She took those papers and said that she could give me a dx via a non-standard method (basically just a psych evaluation)... cause most people who come to them for the ASD testing don't already have all those functional tests done for them. So basically, she helped me find a way to have insurance cover my ASD dx... As an added bonus, because my evaluation was not via their standard ASD evaluation, it doesn't show up on my insurance transcript as a blatant ASD dx... It just shows that i went for a psych eval--which could be for things even such as depression.

I'm not saying all places will work like that... but i am very fortunate that i found a place in my area to do so... It also only worked for me because my insurance covered psych evaluations (meaning if I had other insurance, I still might have had to pay the full price, but it was still cheaper than the full ASD diagnosis procedure) and it's all because I participated in an ASD fMRI study and their psychologists did all that extensive testing & IQ tests blah blah blah---for free. Just having those papers saved me a few thousand dollars cause that's basically how much a DX costs in adulthood.

Good luck to you!

Interesting experience, free diagnostic testing...I don't see a downside.

I hope you enjoy yourself.