BAP vs ASD

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Just curious is anyone here is BAP instead of ASD? Is that an actually diagnosis or just a more casual label they give to people with some autistic-like qualities who do not qualify to have ASD?

I don't have BAP (unless all people with ASD are BAP too), but I was just curious how many of you, if any, are around here.

I know that I am a classic Autie, and I took a test that said that I fell under BAP. I believe that B.A.P. encapsulates A.S.D.
Read http://autism.lovetoknow.com/Broader_Autism_Phenotype to get a better idea what they're talking about.

Good point! I took that test too, and also scored on the BAP.

So, I guess a better question is: is anyone here BAP but NOT ASD? And I am still curious if this can be an official diagnosis (for people who are not ASD).

There are probably some people here who have learned to cope so well and have become so high functioning that their ASD no long disables them, if it isn't disabling then it isn't ASD, in which case it's BAP.

I'd want a bap with cheese and ham right now, great.

I wish I had bap. Maybe later in life......

ASD would is considered a subgroup of the Broad Autism Pheonotype so it would not be possible to be diagnosed with ASD and not be part of that category. No, it's not an official diagnosis, just a scale of traits associated with Autism. My understanding is that it comprises about ten percent of the population.

Recent studies suggest 30 percent of at least one autistic trait in the general population.

I think this kind of stuff is good, because it shows that a diagnosis is not an all or nothing measure of autistic traits.

It's not a diagnosis, no. Most people, even doctors, have never heard of it.

I guess these traits are part of the 299.80 criteria? One would think you'd have to exclude the nonverbal impairment because "ToM" is tied to this one - that intuitive reading and mirroring of cues. This inability is the definition of autism.
Interestingly though, it looks as though one can meet the criteria in the 299.80 by having any two of the last three (in I). ( and having one in category II .)

I suppose then you could have just have one in any category, or one in the top(I) and one in the bottom(II), to a significant degree to be BAP? Or have one or them all to mild degrees, (except for the non-verbal).

Thoughts?

Since I do not have an official diagnosis, that would be me.

Although I most likely could get a diagnosis, as I am far from mild.

There are tests for BAP online, I just did a quick search and found one approved by a psychological journal on the okcupid website. The questions sounded pretty much the same as other tests approved to screen Aspergers/Autism. All the questions are related to the Criteria in the DSMIV, as far as I can tell the way other tests are for Autism. I'm not sure what percentage of the questions one has to answer to be considered BAP. Mine was: 121 aloof, 124 rigid and 115 pragmatic and the test suggested that I had either BAP or Autism.

Here's the link to the test:
http://www.okcupid.com/tests/the-broad-autism-phenotype-test

They don't ask any questions about developmental delays or TOM; questions are related to socialization/communication, rigidity, and pragmatism; and to what degree one displays the different behaviors.

The study on Autism traits done in Sweden that suggested people have at least one trait of Autism in 30 percent of the population was referring to meeting at least one of the criteria as listed in the DSMIV, but they were not suggesting these people fit the BAP.

That's a good point, even though I had a developmental delay, I wasn't diagnosed in the early 60's, adapted, and considered myself as happy as anyone else for decades. I was clueless about many things, and had no idea I was clueless unless someone pointed it out. People must have pointed out things to me a million times in my life that I did they thought was unusual; I just got use to it, and kept on smiling.

When I got diagnosed in my mid 40's I realized how much energy I had expended in adapting to things that others didn't have to, and realized why it seemed like others had the simple things figured out, and for me most every minute was a science project. I refused to believe I was impaired through most of my life, and that became my reality, regardless if other people could see it in me.

No doubt I would have been diagnosed at age 4 with no ability to put words together, today, but in those days, people just told the mother you give him everything he needs so he doesn't need to talk.

I'm glad I wasn't diagnosed early, I assumed I could solve all the problems in my world, and found ways to adapt. I was living on a tight-wire my entire life; I just got used to it; and was lucky as hell to stay on the wire for as long as I did. Adversity carried me much further than if I had been normal though, I think. Life was rarely boring.

There are probably millions out there my age, that are still clueless like I was.

The only thing setting them apart from a diagnosis and keeping many of them BAP is the fact that they have found a way to adapt as is. I had no clue it was possible to be happier than I was. Clueless has it's advantages too.

I'm a BAP, according to that test you linked. I am unsurprised. I've been calling myself a BAP ever since I discovered the term. Researchers seem to use it to mean people with the at least some of the traits but not strongly enough to cause diagnosable impairment. Thus it is not a diagnostic category.

To be exact, it said:

Rigid Personality
You scored above the cutoff for Rigod Personality which means you probably don't like changes, especially unexpected ones. You may have a daily routine that you seldom vary, dislike going to unfamiliar places or meeting new people or have specific rules about how you do things which you refuse to change*. However, you are not particularly aloof and don't have trouble with social communication. You are probably on the Broader Autistic Phenotype.

All true. Except I do like going new places and meeting new people. However I like to do it in my own way and on my own terms, with a well-scheduled and researched trip and with a way to get away from these new people I meet if they turn out to be scary and unstable (and a few times they have). Somerset Maughm wrote a book about a guy like me (I can't remember the name, although I have read all Somerset Maughm.) He traveled all over the world without ever once varying his routine. That's me. I greatly enjoy small talk but nobody should attempt to take me bungee jumping (although some have attempted) or try to get me to use a more efficient way to balance my checkbook.

*Several people have tried to teach me more efficient ways to balance my checkbook, starting with my parents, then every roomate who saw me do it, then my husband, who ultimately gave up. But I am very dyscalculic and it took me years to figure out a dyscalcula-accomodating method that works. The people who try to get me to change all point to the greater efficiency of using math properly. This is true. However, the ways they do it only work for people who can use math properly. I've never bounced a check so my way must work somehow.

Thanks for providing that feedback, I wondered if one could score below BAP in some of the traits and score above BAP in one area, and be considered BAP, as Mdyear was wondering. From your report here that seems to be the case. I've heard reports of 10% of people suggested to be in the BAP, but it may be closer to 30%, if the research proves out true in Sweden that 30% of the population has at least one trait. I wonder if they have actually gone out and tested people for BAP, rather than get information strictly online. That would be interesting to study.

That test also has a response that says specifically "Broader Autistic Phenotype" which is scorer above on all 3 aspects as opposed to just one or two. I've taken that test before, and that was my result.

I think BAP is the point where the autistic tendencies are so mild that your autism is no longer a diagnosable condition but only a personality type.