Autism and IQ

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Some people think that everyone with severe autism is intellectually disabled and that having Asperger's means you're smarter than average (but just "book smart"). This is untrue.

IQ is not part of the autism diagnosis. "Low functioning autism" is autism with associated intellectual disability (a separate diagnosis, which complicates things); "severe autism" is not the same diagnosis as "low functioning autism". Some people with severe autism are smarter than average and can be geniuses.

Thanks.

And thank you

About half of autistic people have an IQ below average which is 85

Including about a third with intellectual disability

Their is unfortunately a strong link between IQ and autism which is not just coincidence

That's the nature of "average", about half the population is below and half above.

/Mats

Average IQ is 100, 85 is a standard deviation below average.

I have seen studies like "Autism As a Disorder of High Intelligence" and others that indicate ASD IQs tend to be bimodal (way lower or way higher than average) as opposed to NT bell curve (single mode around 100), and that the IQ tests doesn't capture processing disorders or differences, nor lumpy intelligence. I myself have met non-verbal ASD folks who I believe are highly intelligent but wouldn't test as such, nor generally. Heck, my own ADHD son is testing as average and he is so very not average.

It is well known that IQ could very well be irrelevant for individual autistic people.

IQ isn't a diagnostic feature of autism.

People are given an abbreviated IQ test to determine their non-verbal or performance intelligence (PIQ) and their verbal intelligence (VIQ).

In autism, it's common for nonverbal or performance IQ to be much lower than the person's verbal IQ.

VIQ > PIQ

That's the only way I know of that intelligence features in an assessment.

It's not the same as having a comprehensive IQ test and it doesn't mean the person has low intelligence overall.

Some people with autism are the opposite.

Their PIQ is much higher than their VIQ.

I guess you're right, although I think it's rare.

It's the disparity between these scores that matters most.

Actually, IQ testing was part of my Autism diagnosis.

Part of mine too.

The doc told me that I was the ONLY person he ever tested who knew the answer to one of the IQ test questions.

But IQ only matters for the aspergers label. Back when aspergers was a seperate diagnosis you had to be 70 IQ or above to be lumped into aspergers. Below that you were in the "other kinds of autism" hopper. But non aspie autistics could also be 70 (slightly subpar) normal, or above normal IQ, as well.

Your comment made me think of people like Temple Grandin who were diagnosed with classic Autism decades ago, but have superior intelligence and earned prestigious degrees. I suppose what you're saying allows for that, but a person who was classified with Aspergers couldn't have a low IQ.

Interesting.

Maybe they do full IQ tests for some people now, to screen for other conditions or problems even though it's not part of the diagnostic criteria?

It's so confusing. Since we all have different experiences with diagnosis, I can only imagine how confusing it is for non-Autistic people to understand what Autism is all about.

The conception of autism is certainly much more complicated than it was before the 90s, when the Spectrum idea took hold.

Yes. It confusing. Yes they have screen out other conditions like regular old mental retardation.

When I was 8 I was the textbook "little professor" (often used to describe aspergers kids) who could lecture you about whatever...the planets in the solar system, and their characteristics. But I supposedly couldnt tie my shoe (that was because mom and dad were too impatient to teach me actually). But thats the idea. I was obviously not below 70 IQ, but had some kind of deficits.

I think my brother would be considered Aspergers in that regard, because he's like a chatty professor. Although he does have sensory issues and other characteristics of Autism.

The spiky profiles are so interesting to me. I can excel in academics, drive a car, and recite strings of information, but I can't make phone calls and I'll have a meltdown if the sun shines.