Schrödinger's neuroatypicality

[firecat]

Sometimes I take tests that purport to tell you if you are neuroatypical, and I've never gotten a clear answer. That happened again with eight tests I accessed here: https://embrace-autism.com/aq-10/ (each test includes links to additional tests). I found the site via mdlbear.

These five tests scored me as probably not autistic/neuroatypical/lacking in empathy/alexithymic/ADHD: AQ, Empathy quotient, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Systematizing quotient, ASRS-5

These four tests scored me as probably autistic/neuroatypical: CAT-Q, RAADS-R, RBQ-2A, Aspie quiz

Details under the cut.

Autism Quotient 10: Not autistic

(I scored 5, a score of 6 or above suggests autism)

The Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q): Autistic.

I scored 104, which means "You camouflage autistic traits." (But non-binary neurotypicals score 109 on average, so what the hell?). There are several sub-scores; I scored autistic on "compensation" but non-autistic on "masking" and "assimilation". Also, this test includes a bunch of questions that I think everyone should answer yes to, like "I learn social behaviors by watching other people." Everyone does that, at least as young children. I know that as older children and adults, people on the spectrum sometimes feel that they don't have the knack for it and have to consciously work at it (I fit this description to some extent). So maybe those were the people they were trying to capture with that sort of question. But seriously, who thinks that they learn social behaviors without reference to other people? Does that even make any kind of sense at all?

RAADS-R - designed to identify adult autistics who “escape diagnosis” due to a subclinical level presentation. Autistic.

I scored 80. "All scores of 65 or higher are indicative of autistic traits," but a score of 90 means "Stronger indications of autism, although non-autistics may score as high."

Empathy quotient - Not autistic.

Score: 46. "81% of people previously designated Asperger syndrome score 30 or lower." But I don't agree with the notion that people on the spectrum are automatically non-empathetic.

Systemizing Quotient–Revised: Not autistic.

Score: 66 "Any score above 75 is indicative of autism."

ASRS-5 screening scale for ADHD: No ADHD.

Score: 11. 14↑ you likely have ADHD

RBQ-2A restricted and repetitive behaviours: Autistic.

Score: 42 Scores above 25 indicate autism. Average autistic score: 36.

Toronto Alexithymia Scale: Not alexithymic. Score 49.

Scores of 52–60 indicating possible alexithymia, and scores above 60 indicating alexithymia.

The Aspie Quiz measures five domains: talent, perception, communication, relationship, and social: Autistic (79% probability — oddly specific).

But out of the five domains I scored normal on all but one, Atypical talent — "A high score is related to Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)."




The biggest clue I might be atypical in some way, IMHO: The fact that I took these tests and made a list out of my scores and POSTED IT.

We now return you to your regular "muddling through with the personality you've got, whatever they might be calling it this week" life.

Comments

[lirazel]

I also get mixed results whenever I do an ADHD test. The limits of online testing, I guess? But I think in general a lot of the questions they ask could be interpreted in different ways. I have extremely high empathy/ability to read people's emotions, but I'm also shy and introverted, so I end up answering some questions the way someone with lower empathy might.


The biggest clue I might be atypical in some way, IMHO: The fact that I took these tests and made a list out of my scores and POSTED IT.

Haha, true!


We now return you to your regular "muddling through with the personality you've got, whatever they might be calling it this week" life.

Exactly.

[firecat]

I think in general a lot of the questions they ask could be interpreted in different ways. I have extremely high empathy/ability to read people's emotions, but I'm also shy and introverted, so I end up answering some questions the way someone with lower empathy might.

Those are good points. Some factors are interrelated in ways the tests don’t capture

[lirazel]

Yes, that was exactly what I was trying to say!

[greghousesgf]

we can be just as empathetic as anybody else, we just tend to manifest it differently

[firecat]

Good way to put it

[megpie71]

I'll let you in on my marker for "you're probably autistic if..." when it comes to those tests: how many of the questions did you read and ask yourself "what are they asking with this?", want to pin down what they meant by certain words or phrases for, or want to get additional information for? If it's over about 20% (that is, about 1 question in 5), it's probably worth heading to a psychologist who has some knowledge of autism, and having a chat.

It's also worth noting: most tests for autism are designed to spot it in children or teenagers; adult autism tends to be a bit harder to spot, because usually if an adult has reached an advanced age without being diagnosed, they are very good at masking (masking being the method acting performance of "normality" a lot of neurodiverse people learn to perform as a form of self-protection). So if you're after an adult diagnosis of autism, you're really better off seeing a psychologist who specialises in adult autism (and if possible, in adult autism in female patients, because female autistic people tend to have a slightly different symptom set than male ones, due to the greater level of social behaviour expected of us by default) and talking to them.

[firecat]

how many of the questions did you read and ask yourself "what are they asking with this?", want to pin down what they meant by certain words or phrases for, or want to get additional information for?

Extremely good metric!

Many of tests at that site are designed specifically for adults; whether they asked the right things on those tests isn’t clear…

I don’t care enough to seek a formal diagnosis but yes, if one does, the tests aren’t sufficient

[silveradept]

Brains are the worst, sometimes even when they're the best.

[firecat]

#teambrain all the way though!

[flippac]

There's no way I'm doing the lot, but I get 3 on the AQ-10 and I'm diagnosedly autistic - I've just acquired a hell of a lot of skills since I was, er, 7.

[firecat]

Yay for skill acquisition!

[snippy]

I've taken only a few of the tests but the results are dispositive - am autistic/have autistic traits overwhelmingly.
Autism Spectrum Quotient 47, RAADS-R 192, Aspie-Quiz 135

Not sure what I want to do about it. Really not sure that seeking and getting an official diagnosis would have any benefit.

[firecat]

That’s interesting to know, and I hope it’s helpful to you.

I have a friend who recently underwent the diagnosis process and who might be able to talk/text/email you about it. Let me know if you want me to ask them.