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Fspos
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Joined: 14 Sep 2022
Age: 26
Gender: Male
Posts: 2
Location: Germany

11 Oct 2022, 3:09 pm

Hi, I‘m a 24 year old male from Germany that is wondering if he is on the spectrum (Asperger‘s (ICD-10 F84.5), to be precise – since I had no clinically significant speech delay).
I am currently on the waiting list for an assessment and want to use the idle time for some preparations.

This has led me to some questions:

1. What should I bring with me to an assessment?
I am in the process of compiling a document (which consists of around 12.000 words so far) that analyzes my past, points out my (possibly autistic) traits, and how my functioning is impaired (anything to add?).
I plan on bringing this document to my assessment, also clothing that gives me sensory issues, my mum, my (younger) sister, my laptop (including a charger), a few examples of my humor, water and snacks, and some paper as well as a pen if I need to visualize something for the assessor.
Would it be advisable to print out my (self-assessed) AQ- and EQ-questionnaires?
Any things that I could bring additionally with me?

2. Could I be „clinically significant“ impaired when I have friends (3, what I think, NTs), hold down a job and do somewhat fit in at work (in IT)?
Also I haven‘t received any support through psychologists / psychiatrists until recently (which lasted only for a short time, because my psychologist wasn‘t a good fit for me and I would certainly profited from said support during adolescence).
I still have impairments though, almost, if not daily, that may or may not come from autism.
I just hate that the threshold of being impaired in a clinically significant way is so subjective, although I realize that this is very difficult to define in an objective way.

3. To compensate, I have learned some social rules (through reading and observing) that I can apply (although most of them on a conscious level – like some aspects of social-emotional reprocity).
Should I „unlearn“ my knowledge (and effectively unmask) through my assessment, or act like I would normally do and just mention my conscious effort to the assessor?

4. It is possible that my diagnostic process uses the AAA.
What would happen if I would not score above the cut-off-point of it, say only 2 symptoms in section B and no symptom in section D?
Would I receive a diagnosis of Atypical Autism, some kind of personality disorder, or no diagnosis at all?



himmellaufen
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Joined: 3 Oct 2022
Age: 30
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Posts: 96

11 Oct 2022, 5:27 pm

1. No document, you're supposed to talk to them. They judge how you're interacting with them, not just what you say. Feel free, however, to inform them you wrote such document, and maybe send it to them on mail.
Don't print any questionnaires, also what do you need laptop and snacks for? Mom and sisters are good items to bring though.

2. If you have friends and hold a job, that means you're "high functioning" but doesn't disqualify you from being somewhere on the spectrum.

3. No, tell them everything you learned and demonstrate if they ask you.

4. None of us can know what will happen.



Canadian Penguin
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11 Oct 2022, 9:28 pm

You don't need to bring anything. Just be prepared to answer questions the best you can. If you can't answer some questions, don't worry. The doctor won't ask you trick questions, so if you don't have an answer, that's OK too.

Family members can be helpful to answer questions about what they've observed or things you don't know or don't remember. The more information you can share, the better.

Try not to be nervous, it's going to be OK.

Remember, regardless of what the diagnosis is, nothing about you changes, you're still the same person. I know I make this comment often but I believe it's important. Having a diagnosis gives you more information on how to proceed. I spend an inordinate amount of time wondering how things may have been different if I was armed with important information when I was younger.

I think all children should have assessments for mental health because the earlier they know if there is anything they should be aware of, the better. (This is an aside, not calling you a child :)

Viel Glück!


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Aspie1
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12 Oct 2022, 9:08 am

Canadian Penguin wrote:
You don't need to bring anything. Just be prepared to answer questions the best you can. If you can't answer some questions, don't worry. The doctor won't ask you trick questions, so if you don't have an answer, that's OK too.

I very strongly disagree with this part. I had a battery of tests done back in 1996, for ADD. The ADD part came out negative, but I somehow tested positive for "immature emotional development". On those tests, 9 out of 10 questions were trick questions. That is, some hidden correct answer was expected, but I had no way of figuring out what it was, and the rotten ***** [female dog] administering the tests even refused to let me look at what she was writing about me. So I all to work with was my aspie mind, which turned out to be mostly wrong. My fearful, confused state didn't help. Therefore, I was "immature" :roll:, which I was scolded for at home later.

So if those test questions on weren't trick questions, I would have done as well on them as I usually did on tests in school. Either that, or I should have brought a squirt gun filled with vinegar, so I could spray it in her eyes, then look at her notes while she runs to the restroom to rinse them out.



Fspos
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Joined: 14 Sep 2022
Age: 26
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Posts: 2
Location: Germany

12 Oct 2022, 3:29 pm

himmellaufen wrote:
1. No document, you're supposed to talk to them. They judge how you're interacting with them, not just what you say. Feel free, however, to inform them you wrote such document, and maybe send it to them on mail.
Don't print any questionnaires, also what do you need laptop and snacks for? Mom and sisters are good items to bring though.

2. If you have friends and hold a job, that means you're "high functioning" but doesn't disqualify you from being somewhere on the spectrum.

3. No, tell them everything you learned and demonstrate if they ask you.

4. None of us can know what will happen.


The laptop is for writing things down, i. e. if I need to think about a question later, when I'm at home. It might also be that the assessor gives me some advice that's worth writing down.

I've heard that such assessments can be quite long-winded, so I thought it might be a good idea to bring a few snacks with me, so that I can eat them when I get hungry, or when I feel my energy levels drop.



himmellaufen
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12 Oct 2022, 3:32 pm

Fspos wrote:
himmellaufen wrote:
1. No document, you're supposed to talk to them. They judge how you're interacting with them, not just what you say. Feel free, however, to inform them you wrote such document, and maybe send it to them on mail.
Don't print any questionnaires, also what do you need laptop and snacks for? Mom and sisters are good items to bring though.

2. If you have friends and hold a job, that means you're "high functioning" but doesn't disqualify you from being somewhere on the spectrum.

3. No, tell them everything you learned and demonstrate if they ask you.

4. None of us can know what will happen.


The laptop is for writing things down, i. e. if I need to think about a question later, when I'm at home. It might also be that the assessor gives me some advice that's worth writing down.

I've heard that such assessments can be quite long-winded, so I thought it might be a good idea to bring a few snacks with me, so that I can eat them when I get hungry, or when I feel my energy levels drop.


What, you're gonna have everything single day? That explains. Here it's spread out over multiple sessions and tests.



autisticelders
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14 Oct 2022, 6:10 am

bringing snacks and treats for yourself as well as something to drink is a good idea. Usually several breaks are offered or you may be told to ask for a bit of time for a break if you need one. I had all my testing done in one day. It was very interesting . Remember there are no right or wrong answers, each question is aimed at finding more about "how you work" or how you function. I failed miserably to perform on some tests and in others I was brilliant. I learned later that this is one sign of uneven neurological development and that such peaks and valleys of performance actually are a sign of autism. It is OK to tell them you are anxious or nervous, they will understand. Keep us posted, the process is different in different places or depending on what tests the professionals use. Its all for your benefit and for them to learn more about you. Hoping for the best outcome for you.


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