Adult going in for tests, what to expect?

Post Reply New Topic

Hello everyone. I just joined I'm a male 35 who is suspected AS, and I live in the US. Well suspected as in Ive known my whole life but I'm now needing help with managing things like work as I get older. My ability to mask things are breaking down. There's a ton I won't bore you with.
Both my son and myself are going in for diagnostic tests next month so we can continue his therapy and start mine. While I can find info about what a child's testing is like, I can't really find how an adults testing for AS goes.
I am hoping someone can provide a typical diagnostic experience that I'll undergo, well truthfully so I feel better because if I don't research things my anxiety will overload and also i keep thinking about it nonstop. I really appreciate it.

Well, it might be better not knowing. There is a reason, why Wais (often used) details doesn´t come up on the net.
The best way to prepare will probably be thinking through and writing down everything in your life and your sons, that make you and others think of autism.

You should expect to be feeling ripped off. So prepare yourself for that.

Doubt. Expect to have doubt at some point.

My testing was pretty tame. It was an hour or so of conversation. I was given a 20 minute computer test of attention problems. I was given several "bubble" tests, where you have to indicate how often something is true for me.

It was VERY helpful that I brought a typed list of concerns and sensory differences that I've noticed about myself, or that other's complained about me. I was very blunt and honest, including listing things that others say about me, but that I don't agree with. I am very able to cover for my problems in many social situations. Most shrinks can be easily fooled because we meet in one-on-one conversations and those are pretty easy for me. I needed to let them know what goes on in private, which is very typically autistic in my case.

Most evaluators are likely to give you a few more tests of cognition. Its pretty typical to get an IQ test and a few more tests of auditory perception and visual perception. I didn't get these this time because I asked simply to rule out or rule in Autism. Since I've been diagnosed with learning disabilities since childhood, I didn't feel it was necessary to reaffirm that I still have these problems. And I know my IQ is in the superior range, which is evidenced in my advanced degree, so the IQ test was considered unnecessary, too.

Please don't sweat it. Its not that big of a deal, although you might expect to be tired after all that bubble testing.

I just went through testing so I can share my experience. It was 8 hours of interviews and several tests.

DO NOT read up on any of the tests if you want an accurate assessment. In particular, the ADOS (autism diagnostic observation schedule). You won't find anything official about it, but you can find plenty on blogs and forums including this one. You want to be yourself, and if you know what they're looking for, that will be very hard to do. Otherwise, be prepared to share details going back to elementary years or earlier.

Thanks for the replies. One reason I'm anxious is because when I talk to people including my doctors I can't ever express what I'm trying to say so I just blurt out whatever and I don't think I get my point across, so I keep going on or a lot of times I blank out and stare off.

I wrote a long letter about many of my problems, of course not all but the major ones. Maybe I'll take that and or I'll make a new list of problems so when I'm there I don't blank out.

I guess any other test I'm fine with other than speaking.

Expect anything. The amount of clinicions who understand adult autism is quite low. If the person is competent your poor ability to express yourself will be taken as a sign you are on the Autism Spectrum.

It is also likely you will not be diagnosed with Aspergers which has not been an official diagnosis since 2013. Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 1 without intellectual or language impairments seems to be the current equivilent to what was Aspergers. A few clinicions might disagree with the current diagnostic manual and disgnose you with Aspergers.