Trying to understand the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test

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Hello,

I did an evaluation for asperger's syndrome and have to wait at least 2 weeks before they give me a response. I am nervous! This is going to sound crazy (or not?), because I want the test results to indicate that I am asperger's, since I've been called much worse in my life, and so being an aspie would be a relief for me.

Without anyone trying to analyze my thoughts or feelings in that regard, does anyone understand how the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test works? I started off the test doing very poorly and I know that on the first 64 cards I probably made more errors than I did correct answers, and some of my correct answers were simply by chance. But there came a point where I began to see a pattern in things, and I started doing really well. I still think I had more wrong answers than right, and particularly in the beginning and middle, I had a lot of perseverative errors because I wasn't picking up on anything and so I was just lying cards down. I also had to be corrected on how I stacked the cards, I wonder if that means anything.

I also did a spatial working memory test. Without realizing it, I started the test each time on the left hand side of the picture, but each time I drew it from memory I remembered less and less, basically getting the general picture but very few inward details.

I don't understand the point of the trail making tests. The first tests were extremely easy and I whizzed right through them, but I noticed on the longer ones I had to pause and the scorer started writing stuff down quickly when he saw me pause out.

My initial interview revealed that I've had a complex body movement all my life and that I have no friends my age, and I'm at odds with my family and the friends I did have. I am married though and my husband is only a little bit older than I am, and I have a kid. Any feedback?

Google is your friend:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisconsin_card_sort

As to the other tests, I have little to go on, to figure out what exactly the tests are supposed to be, and what results they are supposed to reveal.

With a lot of psychological tests, if you know what the test is about, it rather invalidates the results.

I suspect the genuinely neurological tests are harder to fool.

So far as something that may be useful to you, the test at http://www.rdos.net is quite revealing, provided you try hard to answer the questions honestly.


PS. Welcome to WP!

No I didn't know what the test was about until I read about it at home afterwards. I did a lot of searching just to figure out what they were called. They didn't tell me anything.

Welcome to WP!

Welcome aboard Wrong Planet, cquev26.

Welcome aboard and don't worry. I've been tested to death myself and it helps you understand your strengths and the areas you need help with. After that, it helps you QUALIFY for help with those areas, and your life becomes easier.

Um wrong idea here. I didn't read about the tests before I took them. I had never seen those tests before. I read about them afterwards. As far as reading about asperger's syndrome itself, that's the only way I would have known to check. My son was diagnosed with autism and when I read about it I realized that it was as if I was reading a biography of my life. I have done all the online quizzes for asperger's and they all indicate that I have asperger's, but bearing in mind I am answering some questions based upon the fact that I have had a difficulty with that issue at some point in my life, and not necessarily now. I have social difficulties now, motor clumliness, poor short-term memory and a tendency to lecture on one topic, but I no longer worry so much about where to put my arms. Since I did when I was younger though, I answered the question as a definite yes because I remember struggling with that, and I don't want that to be dismissed simply because it's no longer something I worry about it. I also did it though because I had rashes on the cracks of my arms and holding them up in flapping position prevented people from seeing them. I always cared about what people think, which might make me a little different than other aspies. Of course it probably appeared at times that I didn't because I didn't comb my hair in high school despite every one telling me I should, and I walked with my arms up and dressed out of style despite people's comments.

Later