My AS-related test results changed!

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How many of you have had your results change? And why do you think they change?

My AQ changed from 34 to 35, which isn't that significant, but my Aspie Quiz score changed from an Aspie score of 139 and an NT score of 68 to an Aspie score of 141 and an NT score of 52! Very odd.

That's not very odd. My test results vary quite extensively depending on my state of mind. On the AS test, I went 8 up since a year ago. On the Aspie Quiz score, my scores vary about 20 points. That's the problem with these tests. They're subjective and one's subjective reality changes.

The Aspie part only went up 2 points. I don't think that is all that shocking. I also agree with the other person that said that someone's subjective reality can change.

None. I'm always baffled when people on the forums mention that they retook a test and got different results. My traits don't fluctuate at all.

I took the Aspie test when I was very calm and I took it when I was overloading. There was a significant difference in results for the simple reason that when someone asks you "do you have sensory issues?" you're a lot more likely to say yes when you're very stressed than when you're completely calm.

Not at all. Even when I'm completely calm, I'm very aware of my sensory issues. My memory sucks, but it's not bad enough to forget something like that.

Along with subjective changing, I've found that how autistic I act varies dependent on stress level. When I was at my worst in terms of moods, stress, and such a few years ago I was visibly stimming all the time, was having more extreme traits, and getting to the point where I was able to tell from looking through those lists, that I was showing symptoms I don't tend to show as my default.

When I was losing my ability to cope in other manners I was looking more and more autistic as I was trying to make up for other things. I didn't do tests at that point in time, but I am pretty sure I would have scored noticeably differently. However it takes an extreme amount of those mental problems for it to be visible in me - I'm drastically more stressed out now than I was at 12, and I score within a point on the AQ as when I self-diagnosed back then.

A lot of studies with NTs have shown that mood can affect their responses to self-report tests, for example if you give a person a difficult cognitive task and tell them they sucked at it, they'll rate themselves as having more negative personality traits because they have low self-esteem at that moment. It stands to reason that AS people might do the same.

I also find that the more time I've spent with other autistics, the lower I tend to rate my own autistic traits, because my comparison group changes.

On the AQ I've scored from the low 30s to the mid 40s. I once scored 24, but I had misunderstood several of the questions. I took the Aspie Quiz right after, and then went back and redid the AQ with the additional context and got 34 or 35.

On the Aspie Quiz I've ranged from 140-165 Aspie and 40-70 NT.

Some of it's how my perception changes, some of it's how my mood changes.

Subjectivity, perception inevitably changes with getting to know more about the tests. It's similar to what is called "panel effect" in marketing during surveys. Basically, when you know you're observed or you observe yourself more attentively and consciously than before, it alters your perception about the same things. This is why a "panel" (a methodically chosen group of people) should not be used in surveys for long period. Similarly, the tests for screening ASDs are presumably designed the way they work most accurately and effectively when taken the first time as objectively as one can at that moment. The reason I appreciate any "new" test occurring here on WP is that I can have more "first results", together they should provide a more solid basis for a preliminary assessment. Anyway, I would recommend to wait at least 3 months before taking a test once again.

My first result with the AQ was about as inaccurate as they come. My self-awareness was not up to self-assessment, or the AQ just sucks.

I wouldn't rule out the latter.

I've heard that some people suggest that you should let others take the AQ test for you because they are better able to assess your social difficulties. I plan to test this at some point.

Agreed.

Perhaps I should have added that a thorough explanation of the questions should precede answering them.

Sometime I want to do a study where I ask a bunch of autistics to, instead of rating themselves on a questionnaire, describe what they think a 'strongly agree', 'neutral' and 'strongly disagree' person would be like. I suspect NTs and autistics interpret some questions differently. It may even be that some of the questions that reliably distinguish between NT and autistic do so not based on actual differences in the trait described, but as a result of different interpretations of the questions.

I'm the same as you, Jory. My answers to questions are always the same, because I always use the same reasoning and logic to come to my answer.
My husband however, is more emotional and his answers will vary depending on his mood.

It seems like the more logical I am, the more "autistic" my scores get.

But the logic is informed by my own subjective perceptions, so they sometimes vary.