Does this sound like a normal AS evaluation?

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L_Holmes
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12 Aug 2014, 11:08 pm

I saw a doctor last week to get an evaluation for Asperger's, and the whole appointment took only about 45 minutes. I don't know if this is because he decided no more tests were needed in my case, I scored in the highest category for likelihood of autism on his test he was using. He asked me a bunch of questions pertaining to my behaviors in the past and/or now, and after I answered them all to the best of my knowledge (which only took about 30 minutes) that was basically it.

Less than 69 was no autism, 70 to 79 was unlikely, 80 to 89 possible, 90 to 99 likely, 100 to 109 highly likely, and above was basically certain. I got a 122 so he said he was certain I have it (though it only tested for the presence of significant symptoms, not really the degree of severity). I just thought it would be more thorough and take longer. What are most evaluations like? I don't think there is a standardized form of testing for it, but he had an official test of some sort, so I was wondering if anyone else had a similar experience, or a completely different one.



Jensen
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13 Aug 2014, 3:20 am

Indeed it sounds very short.
One of the usual tests is the WAIS-IV, which is basically an intelligence test, but also shows the pattern of strengths and the opposite.
An Asperger profile will typically be ragged: VERY good at some things, and VERY poor at others.
I don´t know about other forms of autism.
It is usually performed after three sessions, where the tester asks questions about past and present, family background and more.
The test itself can last from a few to five-six sessions and gives a differentiated profile.


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Piers
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13 Aug 2014, 4:22 am

That does sound like a very short evaluation, mine took just under four hours with pre-tests before hand which I need to hand to him once we were finished. He then took nearly a week to write a six page letter with explanation and further details, as well as a formal diagnosis.



StAndrewsPsych
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13 Aug 2014, 5:12 am

It sounds like this was just a brief evaluation to see whether or not diagnostic testing would be worth the time/cost. This is not all that uncommon since, as the previous replies mention, the actual diagnostic process can be a lengthy one. There are a number of different standardized forms that clinicians can use for this purpose, it sounds like the one that was used in your evaluation is similar to the RAASD-R (which currently also has a thread in the General Autism Discussion section). Since you are in the US, when your doctor is ready to run the formal diagnostic testing, they will probably use either an adult version of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) or the Autism Diagnostic Interview - Revised (ADI-R).



Waterfalls
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13 Aug 2014, 6:05 am

They can also not use more testing. Every test done adds time and money for them to do with you and score later. If I believed the evaluator had other good reason to make the diagnosis I'd let it be. The ADOS is highly structured and the gold standard, but the scoring is still in the subjective judgment of the evaluator who can use their judgment to assign different meaning to the same behaviors.

I think the question for you is whether you are satisfied with what is said, assuming they aren't planning further evaluation.



eggheadjr
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13 Aug 2014, 8:39 am

Waterfalls wrote:
They can also not use more testing. Every test done adds time and money for them to do with you and score later. If I believed the evaluator had other good reason to make the diagnosis I'd let it be. The ADOS is highly structured and the gold standard, but the scoring is still in the subjective judgment of the evaluator who can use their judgment to assign different meaning to the same behaviors.

I think the question for you is whether you are satisfied with what is said, assuming they aren't planning further evaluation.


While my own evaluation took longer than yours, Waterfalls is correct. Sometimes it's as obvious that someone is on the spectrum as "the sky is blue".


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L_Holmes
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13 Aug 2014, 9:02 am

StAndrewsPsych wrote:
It sounds like this was just a brief evaluation to see whether or not diagnostic testing would be worth the time/cost. This is not all that uncommon since, as the previous replies mention, the actual diagnostic process can be a lengthy one. There are a number of different standardized forms that clinicians can use for this purpose, it sounds like the one that was used in your evaluation is similar to the RAASD-R (which currently also has a thread in the General Autism Discussion section). Since you are in the US, when your doctor is ready to run the formal diagnostic testing, they will probably use either an adult version of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) or the Autism Diagnostic Interview - Revised (ADI-R).


that's what I thought it was at first, just a brief evaluation before starting the real stuff. Perhaps it's because he could already tell from my score and from talking to me that I am on the spectrum? I just didn't think it would be so quick, my symptoms aren't even that severe so I thought it would be a bit harder to make a diagnosis for me. But seeing as I did have pretty severe symptoms as a kid, especially with social interaction and meltdowns, and spending hours doing the same thing every day, maybe that's why. I hardly even talked, and had some developmental delays. I am honestly kind of shocked I never got diagnosed to begin with, but for some reason everyone just thought I was a delinquent.



Kiriae
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13 Aug 2014, 2:18 pm

My diagnosis appointment didn't take much longer - it lasted just an hour. I didn't even take any tests, I didn't have to. I showed the therapist a 20 pages essay filled with my symptoms, background and childhood memories, answered some questions and there was no doubts on the therapists side. I got Asperger diagnosis easily.

However it was a specialist that can diagnose people for their own knowledge but can't give out official document about it. To get the papers I would have to go to general psychiatrist to get diagnosed by him too and get a piece of paper of being diagnosed then go to governments disability center with the paper and get diagnosed by them to get disability rights. So while I am diagnosed by an specialist I can't really do anything with it (well, I could get a therapy, but I don't really need it anymore since I developed my own copy mechanisms). Polish health service is sick itself. :lol:
Apparently specialist is able to say: "Yes, you have it". Psychiatrist is needed to say "You got it severe enough to be evaluated by government" and the goverment decides if you get disability rights. Thats not good because government employs uneducated staff. I have heard about people being diagnosed as "nothing wrong with them" by the goverment just because they finished a university since "disabled people won't even finish elementary school". :lol:



little_blue_jay
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13 Aug 2014, 2:44 pm

Kiriae wrote:
Polish health service is sick itself. :lol:
I have heard about people being diagnosed as "nothing wrong with them" by the goverment just because they finished a university since "disabled people won't even finish elementary school". :lol:


Well, that is certainly bizarre! A government diagnosing people! The doctor should be able to tell the government who has a disability and who doesn't! Wow.


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