The Aspergers Test Explained
The Aspergers test, officially the “AQ test” or “Autism Spectrum Quotient” was published by Simon Baron-Cohen and his colleagues at the Autism Research Centre in Cambridge, UK in 2001.[1] The test takes into account all of the factors listed above and aims “to investigate whether adults of average intelligence have symptoms of autism or one of the other autism spectrum conditions.”[2] Although not intended to be a diagnostic test[3], it has become very popular as a tool for preliminary self-diagnosis of Asperger’s[4], and further papers have indicated that it could be used clinically to screen test for the condition (suggesting that a diagnosis of Asperger’s can be ruled out for those scoring less than 26).[5]
The test itself consists of questions in a “forced choice” format, meaning that the answer is ultimately an “agree” or “disagree” with a given statement. It covers the five main areas associated with the autism spectrum: social skills; communication skills; imagination; attention to detail; and attention switching/tolerance of change[6]. Possibly due to the popularity of the test for preliminary self-diagnosis, versions of the AQ for children[7] and adolescents[8] have also been published.
[1]Woodbury-Smith MR, Robinson J, Wheelwright S, Baron-Cohen S (2005). “Screening adults for Asperger Syndrome using the AQ: a preliminary study of its diagnostic validity in clinical practice” (PDF). J Autism Dev Disord 35 (3): 331–5. doi:10.1007/s10803-005-3300-7. PMID 16119474. Retrieved 2010-10-20.
[2]Woodbury-Smith MR, Robinson J, Wheelwright S, Baron-Cohen S (2005). “Screening adults for Asperger Syndrome using the AQ: a preliminary study of its diagnostic validity in clinical practice” (PDF). J Autism Dev Disord 35 (3): 331–5. doi:10.1007/s10803-005-3300-7. PMID 16119474. Retrieved 2011-10-21.
[3]Take the AQ Test, Embarrassing Bodies website, Channel 4, 2011. Accessed 2011-10-21.
[4]Autism Spectrum Quotient at Answers About Autism website (part of Better Your Health), 2006
[5]Woodbury-Smith MR, Robinson J, Wheelwright S, Baron-Cohen S (2005). “Screening adults for Asperger Syndrome using the AQ: a preliminary study of its diagnostic validity in clinical practice” (PDF). J Autism Dev Disord 35 (3): 331–5. doi:10.1007/s10803-005-3300-7. PMID 16119474. Retrieved 2011-10-21.
[6]Hoekstra RA, Bartels M, Cath DC, Boomsma DI (2008). “Factor structure, reliability and criterion validity of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ): a study in Dutch population and patient groups”. J Autism Dev Disord 38 (8): 1555–66. doi:10.1007/s10803-008-0538-x. PMC 2516538. PMID 18302013.
[7]Auyeung B, Baron-Cohen S, Wheelwright S, Allison C (2008). “The Autism Spectrum Quotient: Children’s Version (AQ-Child)” (PDF). J Autism Dev Disord 38 (7): 1230–40. doi:10.1007/s10803-007-0504-z. PMID 18064550. Retrieved 2011-10-21.
[8]Baron-Cohen S, Hoekstra RA, Knickmeyer R, Wheelwright S (2006). “The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ)—adolescent version” (PDF). J Autism Dev Disord 36 (3): 343–50. doi:10.1007/s10803-006-0073-6.
This was very interesting. I have long suspected that I might be on the edge of this spectrum of things.
My email address wasn’t accepted in order to get results of the AQ test. I’m wondering why.
I have suspected for long that I might have this,but since symptoms are different in men and women I’m still not sure.
I was looking into this for my son. I took the test for myself and scored 36. Thats interesting
Hi 🙂
I saw somewhere that there is a slight increase in the likelihood of a child being on the asperger-autism spectrum if 1 parent is also on the spectrum but that a proper full study hasn’t really been done or that results were not really all that conclusive. Apparently it’s only when both parents are aspie-autism people that the chance of their children also being on the spectrum is significantly increased. Again it’s not clear if there have been any really good studies done on this.
It’s been enough for some IT companies to start including free tests to the children of their work-force as part of their company health plan. Which i think is kinda interesting
Regards from
Tom 🙂
Those companies are only wanting to catch future potential employees early!
I scored 23, does this mean its likely or unlikely that I have aspergers…?
unlikely. it said 23-29 is borderline edge of this syndrome but any score above almost definitely has it.
Hi 🙂
It says it’s unlikely. But it’s still worth going to a proper doctor and getting tested.
It might be that you have something similar or one of the conditions that aspies often have a bit of alongside their main condition. On the other hand none of these questions seemed to deal with the main points that make me feel like i might have something like this. I was still above the threshold but i can imagine other people
For example i do like parties and getting to meet people but i find it exhausting and have to make sure i can “beat a hasty retreat”. When i was younger i had a few times where i just shutdown completely in the middle of a party. None of the questions covered the anxiety, exhaustion or shutting-down.
So, i reckon go and get tested as you are still border-line.
Regards from
Tom 🙂
People have been telling me for a long time I’m different. I never understood what they meant and no one I asked explained those differences in a way that meant anything to me. My house mate and I did the test together. Her score was 18. I answered that’s a low score. I got 45. Now I’ve read the reply. I guess I might have it.
i always thought my differences were from a bad childhood. i have a few friends i trust but i avoid nearly all social interactions that aren’t with them. i thought i just had trust issues but my friends agree that i have austic tendancies. i got a 34 does that mean i’m worse than i think i am.
I also thought that many of my problems in adult life stemmed from an overbearing mother and bullying, but I now see that it could be due to Apergers (I scored 36).
I enjoyed a 22 year career in the Royal Air Force which I perhaps might not have done had I been diagnosed, but life has been a struggle.
Hi 🙂 It depends what you mean by “worse”. Being an aspie is almost like having a super-power. Einstein was one. Michelangelo, Mozart, Bill Gates, many talented or exceptional musicians, artists and others would never have become so talented without it. Are they worse than neurotypicals?
Regards from
Tom 🙂
I got the score of 40… I feel relieved that I may have this because there can be something to explain my differences..
I got a score of 40 as well. I have always felt socially awkward and so that’s why I decided to take the test! The score explains a lot
Wow I’ve sent this to my 19 year old son as Ive alwayss had suspicians and I took the test myself and scored 38 lol better be checking myself out lol
I scored a 44. I now believe I am the one who has passed the autistic gene to my daughter with severe autism. All my life I believed I have a faulty personality , impulsively rude or controversial, I enjoy arguing and am infatuated with politics. I blame myself alot for behaving this way. I am told at my age there is not much therapy can do since synapse pruning occurs when you are a small child and there is a small window there that you may improve your threshold tolerance level. My best way to fight it is to be aware that my asperger’s is faulty wiring and i don’t have to be snappy or rude to stay in routine and stay in sync with my everyday life. I must put great effort forth to understand that i am not solo and that i am part of a family that needs me. Right now i am fighting much uncomfortability just from light touch.This creates problems with intimacy with my partner and it is emotionally disturbing that i feel it when i am holding my precious little girl. Sometimes i feel like self awareness is the first step but I wonder How much of my life I can now Actually improve.
I can be controlling to maintain my routine it is not fair for my spouse and i feel like control = evil . So i ponder the topic of religion and now i find myself battling the topic of religious skepticism which i am extremely uncomfortable with. I pray that God will rid me this evil control and skepticism
Hi 🙂
You are being waaay to harsh on yourself. Physical contact is only one way of showing love. Granted that it is quite profound which is odd because it’s really only on the surface isn’t it?
I find it’s when someone kinda lets me into their inner world and reveals very different ways of thinking or feeling about things or why they are fascinated by certain things = that’s when i really feel a much deeper connection with that person. Could you get into your little girl’s world and share being there with her? How does she feel about physical contact? Maybe she is on the spectrum too and feels uncomfortable with it but goes along with it because she knows it’s such a struggle for you?
When someone who is famous for being rude and grouchy towards everyone gives me a nod of respect or says a kind word or unexpectedly gives me something they know i’ll treasure or that i know they treasure then that is HUGE.
That you do manage to push yourself into being like everyone else is admirable and probably exhausting. If they had any idea how tough it is for you to do those things then maybe they would value them more. However maybe they would feel even better if you rewarded them in ways that are less uncomfortable for you.
Regards from
Tom 🙂
I’m no longer young, and have wasted decades banging my head against a brick wall, only to realize that my husband almost certainly has a marked degree of Asbergers. I blamed myself for his inability to feel and empathise, thiking there was something very wrong with me, or that I expected too much. He scored high in the test. If only I’d known about this years ago, I would have spared myself much unhappiness.
He probably loves you more deeply than would be possible for anyone who is not on the spectrum to feel. He might even have let you deeper into his private world than he could ever trust letting anyone in. Just because he doesn’t react the same way as a neurotypical doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel. On the contrary he probably feels it far more deeply than you could believe anyone could possibly feel
Regards from
Tom 🙂
A few years ago (after an attempted suicide), I was diagnosed with clinical depression and Avoidant Personality Disorder. I just took this test and scored a 33. I’m curious to know if Asperger’s and APD are related. Anyone on this message board know?
I am young, but I always suspected that I was more “different” than my friends and family. Now I’m more aware of why, since I scored a 29 on here. I hope I can understand more about it since I know now.
I also scored 29. What does this mean, “borderline Asperger’s”? Aspergers is borderline autism. Wouldn’t that make us…. borderline normal??
,
Exactly. I scored a 30. Before I ever heard of Asbergers, I remember explaining my difficulty to my high school guidance counselor. She told me I was talking to her “just fine” and that was the end of it. It’s been so frustrating for years, trying to force myself to mimick “normal” social functioning. There’s this beat or timing to normal conversations and facial expressions that is exhauating. And if you don’t catch the “rythm” people sometimes take offense or just think your strange.
Hi 🙂 Do you find it easy to lie, cheat, steal and manipulate people into doing what you want. If so then you might well be ‘normal’. If those sorts of things are difficult for you then you might be on the spectrum.
Regards from
Tom 🙂
i have already been diagnose and i didn’t know that i was so high in the spectrum the pcychologist didn’t even tell me!!!!
My son is struggling with social issues. He was recently shoved by his teachers husband on several occasions (who is being used as an aide in the class due to cutbacks) and no longer wants to return to school. We have had to take legal action. He was diagnosed with Aspergers a year ago. He is super high functioning. He can sometimes become overstimulated and is difficult to contain. He seems to rub people the wrong way. It’s as if they think he is doing this on purpose. I understand his behavior, as I myself struggled the same way as a child. I was in G.A.T.E. as a little girl. My family always said that I was uniquely gifted and different. They could never get me to connect with children my own age. I often connected with adults. After a life long struggle with social inadequacies and a great deal of alienation, mostly my doing. I’ve come to realize that I myself most probably have a form of autism. I tested 36 on your site. I never imagined I would test high on your scoring, but apparently I have a lot more on my plate than I thought I did…my husband said “NO WONDER!!!!” Lol! What he doesn’t know is that I see it in him as well!!! haha
hi, im louis i live in oahu. when i was born i was suspected to have heavy autism, i just sat by my self all the time and didnt notice any thing in the world. My mom didnt ever tell me why i was weird in school. i could never make friends and i took every thing literally i wasnt able to tell what a joke was. ive been going to therapy twice a week. i love to surf. brah , surfing and music is m life. i have allot of friends but i dont know all of them and they know me… i was diagnosed 2010 in aspergers spectrom ,and thats when i figured it out. at first i was crushed, felt like empty. i look up to clay marzo, hes a pro surfer i look up to.
i see it as a gift. now insteadd of ‘ socially awkward dumb kid’,.
I scored a 41. I took it because my twin sister insulted me with this after we fought. This could explain my anger when things don’t go my way, my painful awkwardness, my obsession with becoming a surgeon, and the fact that I’ve never much cared what other people think of me.
I’ve always been a lone ranger all my life, and I took the test because some people I know told me that I’m different, and weird. At one point I wondered why they are not comfortable with me around. Heck, when I was in boarding school my roommates even announced on our hostel roll-call that they simply couldn’t stand having me as their roommate after a year, and asked if they could kick me out. I changed room after that.
When I was a kid/teenager, I could memorize things easily, learned a song simply by watching people playing it on a piano by memorizing the key positions (marriage d’amour to be exact). I showed what I’ve learned to a school senior once and she stopped teaching me grade 0 piano after that, and avoid playing the piano whenever I’m around. But after too many sh*ts happened, I lost my motivations in life and become a loser. I had thoughts on suicide because I didn’t know how to mix in.
Now I’m glad I know the reason.
Is there medication to take or just support
best to ask your doctor about this
I scored 32 but some of the questions I didn’t know the answer to, I suspect I may be higher though because I hate social situations and I have a really hard time making friends and people seem to go out of their way to avoid me, even my family avoid me but I think it is because I become obsessed and I just turn into the creepy person. I really hate myself.
Hi 🙂 Don’t hate yourself! Just find something good to focus on. Maybe try painting or sculture or musical instrument or computer programming or anywhere else where becoming obsessed might turn into a good outcome. Try a few such things out until you find one that feels reasonably comfortable and then really let yourself go with it 😉
Regard from
Tom 🙂
I got a 39. I seem to blend in well with everyone else but I get in trouble for doing stupid things. I think something is funny and others are just offended by it. They tell me they can’t believe I said that. I cannot stand talking on the phone. I avoid people. I don’t understand symbolism, art or the meanings of songs. I only read books if they are a technical manual or a how-to book. I am totally fascinated with documentaries and find them relaxing. People think I’m annoying and think I’m an A-hole but I just have no people skills. I hate meeting new people and avoid talking to strangers at all costs. Does this sound like you?
iscore 37- iam 35 year old male ifeel good to know what ihave has a name.afther so many year,s
Scored 28. Have some suspicions, and am kinda freaked out. Would explain a lot. Should I pursue further? Or is this score “low enough” ?
Hi 🙂 I think
1. it’s not as negative as you think. It might mean you have a propensity towards excelling at art, music, aswell as the stereotypical IT and science. Mozart and Michelangelo exhibited asperger-autism traits. Is that bad?
2. Probably is a good idea to pursue it further.
Regards from
Tom 🙂
I got a 38 on the test. What exactly does that mean?
I am 13 and scored a 22 on this test and I don’t think myself having a few autistic traits is bad. I have a high IQ and smarts, and a few close friends, and a whole mob of haters right behind. I knew I was different, and even my mom had told me that. The thing is, none of my parents or relatives have autistic traits. I have concluded to being traumatized, for I was almost raped by my afterschool driver, and everybody’s high expectation for me (I was the oldest child in the whole family, including the farthest ones in the family tree) to be very successful…I guess most Asian families have this expectation for any child. The most important thing for somebody with autistic traits, aspergers, or autism is that they live a happy and ordinary life, despite how different they are. They can always learn to communicate and act like a normal person. I have always lived a life of an ordinary person, and will always be.
I studied Psychology for 4 years in the 70s and did a lot of therapy in the 90s. Never had an inkling of brain wiring problems until I discovered 2 things: First, when I was teaching about 1998, I discovered that most right handed people were also right eye dominant, and I am strongly right handed and left eye dominant!
Second,after 2 divorces, ex-wife 1 said my son had been diagnosed with ASD.
I scored 37. Doh!
People start off thinking I am Ok but most avoid me. I rarely make friends and don’t know how to keep them.
Being “cross lateral” (opposite eye and hand) is not necessarily indicative of anything medical, although it can make learning to write more difficult; and any sport requiring that you line up with the ball or aim something is hard too. I have taught archery to cross laterals and this can be overcome in several ways. It is also possible to alter your eye dominance if you really want to by covering your dominant eye for a period of time so that the other eye becomes the dominant one. As long as you know you are cross lateral you can always make suitable allowances when you need to.
i got a 46, explains a lot
I’ve taken this test a total of 3 times with the following scores: 26, 28, 30. ((26+28+30)/3)=28 (mean average score), interestingly the score seems to have increased the deeper I’ve gotten into technical subjects and philosophy/science related subjects.
I find it much more difficult to do ‘chit-chat’ than I used to, it bores me and seems like a pointless segway into more meaningful communication, though I’ve never been comfortable socializing with new people or those who I don’t share many interests with – perhaps the more one focuses on specific subjects of interest the scope of interest is narrowed; perhaps the difference between ‘normal’, nerd and aspergers/autism is respectively wide-scope, narrowed scope by learning, narrowed scope by default? I think the similarities that ‘nerds’ and ‘aspies’ share are due to nerds ignoring many of the things in the common scope of interests more so than their increased attention to narrower scopes of interest?
As a child I spent time counting things and trying to figure out the relationships between things through numbers, though I’ve never been arithmetically/mathematically gifted; in early childhood I also tried to apply numbers to understand social interaction and for the majority of my time had no friends, though I would occasionally sidle up alongside another loner, those loners would tend to fairly quickly make friends and leave me remaindered into my own solitude again.
I have always been able to succeed even at my weakest subjects without or without much study academically speaking unless I actively ignored a subject, in school I found science made so much sense to me with all its facility to describe the mechanisms for complex systems. Patterns have, in short, been my saving grace.
I have adopted this ‘scientific’ approach to understanding social relationships and been able to semi-competently mimic others in order to participate socially, I often feel that I don’t know who I am in a group, as though I’m simply filling in the blanks in the context of the situation with pre-defined answers I’ve observed in more socially capable people, I even find myself adopting their mannerisms. When I do fall back into my default, which feels like the real me, I bore people with science and interests I rarely share.
Even when those interests appear to be stimulating to whoever I’m conversing with they fairly quickly become bored, I think because I tend to go into too much detail? I notice everywhere that people skim over subjects and usually miss out the most important points, which at best seems pointless and at worst dangerously ignorant – see “Loose Women” for an example of that 🙂
So that’s my story, I hope it’s useful in some way.
I was recommended to this site by my best friend. I got 42. I have been described as weird and different all my life. I was always a loner, but couldnt work out why. I ended up adopting other peoples mannerisms and dressed similarly – I think to adopt ‘camoflarge’ to fit in. My storeys pretty much the same as Robert Cutleys. Anyhow my thanks to this site – for the test and the hope it brings, for all of us.
I scored 37, and it explains a lot of things. I am also a Mensan, but have not put this to best use. I have always felt different, especially as an only child of an early widow. I make lists to my wife’s distraction. I get obsessional doing certain things, and once I have mastered a challenge and completed it, I put it aside and move on. I am keen on shooting because I can shed everything around me and focus, even tunnel vision what I am doing. Bowls as well.
I find it difficult to look a person in the eyes for long, especially when in conversation. I am awkward in a crowd, which I used to attribute to my poor hearing. I have always been a bit of a loner, and almost revelled in being “different” and marching to a different drum. I dislike organisations like the army, but at the same time admire how they have inherent order, despite disliking being ordered myself.
I find that, with all the activity in my brain trying to get things ordered, I need to pull the plug at times with a few drinks. Nothing excessive, just to ease the tension in the spring.
I find it very difficult not to keep active. I am constantly seeking physical stuff to do, and find it difficult to sit down and read a book, unless compelled to do so, such as in a bus or plane.
My concern is how can I put this new-found knowledge about myself to the best use?
This was / is a great test where my husband and son both scored over 40. They both also (by-the-way) have IQ’s of over 170.
I think the focus should not be on the label but on the knowledge that (like any uniqueness) this can be dealt with. I’m not naively suggesting that panic attacks and social dysfunction (that they both have) will go away just by knowing that they have this different wiring.
Instead, by focusing on the genius each has my husband went from an unsuccessful sales job to a corporate engineer and my son went from special ed to gifted and talented classes.
A few key components for us being able to make this happen was / is reducing all forms of ‘manageable’ stress as much as possible, dealing with change in supportive steps and supporting a healthy immune system.
It IS possible to go from autistic to gifted. It IS possible to become that change you want to see in others. Read Our Autism Story on my website: AutismWithRhonda (dot) com.
Scored 41 lol. I got the confirmation of my AS and official diagnosis last year after 4 years of struggle to be evaluated. I was recommended to proceed evaluation for suspected highfunctioning autism spectrum disorder 8 years ago but nothing happened due to lacking resources and ppl to help me fight for it. It was not until I read Tony Attwoods book that I found myself described and realised why my entire life been so difficult in certain areas, why I have always been the odd (wo)man out and always misunderstood, and that I cannot change everything about me which my surroundings have tried to make me do since my chilhood, resulting in severe depressions and suicidal attempts of a very damaged spirit. I’m so thankful now, to finally have not only explanations, but actual factual hope for a better future, with the correct tools to help me overcome and heal what I can. Also feeling I have the right to be me, and be accepted for who I am and not having to try so hard to adapt and conform to others demands in the areas which I simply cannot change thus experiencing constant failures all my life, is a wonderful constant stress and anxiety relief. I’m 39 yrs and I wish AS had been known when I was a child, but I am happy it is being more recognized today so more children can get the proper support they need to grow up and be more balanced and self-confident adults and proud Aspies.
Scored 41 lol. I got the confirmation of my AS and official diagnosis last year after 4 years of struggle to be evaluated. I was recommended to proceed evaluation for suspected highfunctioning autism spectrum disorder 8 years ago but nothing happened due to lacking resources and ppl to help me fight for it. It was not until I read Tony Attwoods book that I found myself described and realised why my entire life been so difficult in certain areas, why I have always been the odd (wo)man out and always misunderstood, and that I cannot change everything about me which my surroundings have tried to make me do since my chilhood, resulting in severe depressions and suicidal attempts of a very damaged spirit. I’m so thankful now, to finally have not only explanations, but actual factual hope for a better future, with the correct tools to help me overcome and heal what I can. Also feeling I have the right to be me, and be accepted for who I am and not having to try so hard to adapt and conform to others demands in the areas which I simply cannot change thus experiencing constant failures and blame all my life, is a wonderful constant stress and anxiety relief. I’m 39 yrs and I wish AS had been known when I was a child, but I am happy it is being more recognized today so more children can get the proper support they need to grow up and be more balanced and self-confident adults and proud Aspies.
I did the test twice and got the same score twice. 33. But I think my score would have been much higher when i was younger. I used to intentionally isolate myself from all people, stayed in my room for days. I was painfully shy and introverted. I remember often I wouldn’t even go to the bathroom to pee because there was a guest in the house, and I didn’t want to be seen. I had below average social skills. Yet i was reading all encyclopedias and memorizing political science, anthropology and geography at age 5. Though I had no interested in fiction. I only and still do only like social science and scientific journals. I also vividly remember I had an episode when i could hear and perceive “see” microscopic things. and everything got so painfully loud and hyper sensed. I couldn’t explain it. It was so scary. I have always been highly intellectual oriented and obsessed with university education. I am now trying to finish a PhD. Unfortunately the drawbacks of Aspergers are also preventing me from completing it. I don’t have those overloaded perception problems anymore, but my life still is screwed up by extremely obsessive tendencies, and especially extreme perfectionism. I want to be cured of this affliction! Although I want to keep the positives of Aspergers, particularly the intellectual side. I am proud of that part, but I hate the obsessive and compulsive drawbacks. I just want to get the good side, but do away with the bad side, if that is even possible???
Although I was never diagnosed with any problems, I was always a bit of a loner and rather un-social, as well as being a shy child and teenager. Probably could have done with some help when I was young, as having no friends or peer-group at uni I dropped out of my first course and I suspect I’ve chronically underachieved. An AQ score of 38 on this test confirms what I’ve suspected since I first read about Asperger’s symptons many years ago. Pity they’re doing away with that terminology, as I was fairly comfortable with that label, and have even jokingly said “I must have mild Asperger’s” as an excuse for my sometimes odd social behaviour. I doubt that I’ll be telling the world that I have Autism Spectrum Disorder, or whatever the ‘approved’ terminology is now ;(
HFA = since 2013, Asperger Syndrome has been included under the umbrella of Autism Spectrum Disorder. HFA is High Functioning Autistic, meaning you have a specified number of symptoms, but can take care of yourself.
Or so says my research…
I’m almost 50 years old and scored 29 but I’m quite certain I would have had a far higher score when I was younger. I trained as a drama teacher and have taught for many years with teenagers. It was through teaching that I learned about AS and clearly recognized the traits in myself. Without knowing that AS existed, I have quite consciously worked to overcome, hide or subdue many of my AS traits and I believe this is why my test does not accurately reflect where I am on the spectrum. I might do the test again, attempting to give the sort of responses I would have given as a 20yr old.
I have an additional issue of severe memory problems. These have possibly been a greater limitation for me, personally, than the AS. Like many, I am quite proud of many of my AS abilities – and frustrated by others. Executive decision making being one of my greatest failings.
I scored 4… is that normal? lol
I scored in the high forties. It’s been a revelation to me. So many lights went on when I read fully and I now feel that I understand myself a bit better. However it’s still a lot to think about.
I scored 39 and 40.I have problems with smalltalk, I hardly watch any tv,
I love youtube though!
When I do watch tv I can’t stand waiting for another episode and will watch the entire box set, back to back. I did all 5 seasons of breaking bad in 2 weeks, which was awesome.
I speak my mind, and I can’t concentrate with
noise, but especially voices. I hear every conversion in the room at the same time.
I prefer talking to older people 50+ even though im 32. I value their wisdom.
You have the monopoly on useful inr’emation-arfnot monopolies illegal? 😉
Ive always found making friends hard, keeping up conversation and just being generally antisocial but it wasn’t until my girlfriend, who has been recently diagnosed with Aspergers, suggested that i took the test that i thought i would have this. I scored 38 in 3 separate tests. I get angry over silly things like when my oven wont spark up first time or when an email wont send, i don’t feel empathy and i get obsessed with random projects like golf, diy, the accordion religious texts (although in an atheist). I spend money i don’t have on antique books that I’ll Never read just because i want to collect old books! The thing us what do i do now?
I’m 58, been an “alien” all my life, copying others, pretending to be human. Getting by but only just. It’s been getting so hard recently that I was becoming obsessed with negative thoughts. Now I discover that there may be a reason for how I function. Just to know that perhaps I’m weird for a reason has immediately made a difference. But how come I never noticed?
I scored 41 in the test. I’d like specialise in neuroscience. I had no friends in my school. Just because I lack empathy, people say that I’m not showing any sort of love or affection. I’m hypersensitive to the sense of touch so I hate people hugging me other than my spouse. I have problems in understanding the subjects which I dislike.I have obsessions.
I scored a 42 on this test. My mother said when I was a baby I didn’t like being held. I also didn’t walk until I was nearly 2 years old. However, I was reading at three and there were no problems with speech development. School bored me, because I found most things easy, with the exception of math (now there’s a contradiction). My reading scores were usually several grade levels above the grade I was in, and my spelling and written grammar skills have always been excellent. Verbally, I don’t do as well. I don’t easily speak to strangers, and there are some people whom I don’t talk to at all. It’s just something about them I don’t like. I remember seeing the back of one of my report cards (went to school in the 60’s & 70’s). In the Teacher Comments section, I read, “Very bright, but behaves strangely.” My dad got upset when he saw it, but my mother talked him out of calling the school. After all, to her, I was the “odd one. of the bunch.” I was never invited to any social functions as a kid; I could count the number of friends I had in school on both hands and still have a few fingers left over. I don’t have any contact with anyone from my school days and I don’t care to because they weren’t my friends. The friends I tended to have were social outcasts, as I was, but I’ve lost contact with them since graduation.
I’ve been a musician ever since I can remember; I’ve always had a good voice and can sing any harmony part. All I have to do is hear the melody. My mother said I was singing long before I could talk. I’m a self-taught guitar player and actually made an OK living doing so for awhile in the 80’s. I don’t do the garage bands anymore – too many bad memories, but I still keep busy with community theater. I’m comfortable with performing and it’s usually easier to show emotion through music or performance than it is in real life.
I’m twice-divorced, with one son and two grandsons. My son had a behavioral problem in school, as does my oldest grandson, who is nearly six. He has difficulty focusing in school, but give him a set of drums or his favorite videos and he’s the very picture of concentration. It’s for the benifit of my son and grandsons that I want to know if I actually have Asperger’s (or ASD, since the DSM-V came out), because my grandsons are still quite young and can benefit from any therapies there are, as can my son. I’m nearly sixty, and the pragmatist in me says, “What’s the point?” My son and grandsons are the point. I’m going to do some research into whatever resources there are in my area and see what I can find. I may not benefit much from it, but I’ll feel more comfortable knowing if my son and his kids have it or not.
Hi. My name is Ian, and I’m an Aspie.
There, I’ve said it. It is a relief to put it out there.
For years I’ve ‘never liked people’. I do not liked crowded places. And people never seem to quite ‘get me’.
I don’t know and I’m only guessing here, but I think I’m like a gay person who has just come out of the closet.
I’ve always secretly known I’m a little different to others around me. And now I know why, it’s a relief.
I’m an Aspie’ and proud. I AM different. I DO NOT follow the crowd. In fact I positively avoid the crowd.
I did the Aspie test and scored 38. And when I did the test a second time more honestly and not as generously understated with my answers, I scored 44.
Now I want a tee shirt that says Aspie and Proud. Or, Neurotypical I’m not. Or, I’m wired differently. Or, I am NOT average.
To all you fellow Aspie’s out there, don’t be embarresed about it, embrace it.
We can’t change it but we can accept it. It is not our fault Mr and Mrs normal dosen’t understand us and that is their loss because we are still people with thoughts and feelings that may be hard to explain but we’re not odd (okay, maybe just a little) and that is okay.
I’m still a nice person once you get to know me. I just think a little differently. And that’s all.
I’m an Aspie.
I hope this helps.
Ian
this totally helps 🙂 thanks for sharing – I like the coming out of the closet analogy
I am an example of someone diagnosed too easily with PDD-NOS as a child by some of the top professionals in my area. It ruined my life. Rather than avoid making anny diagnosis, I’d advise clinicians to be thorough and examine all possible causes of traits. For example my social interaction impairments were nothing to do with this but a combination of low self worth and a severe anxiety of adults, both stemming from emotional neglect and sometimes abuse as my parents have ASD (undiagnosed, and 1 likely have narcissistic personality disorder too). Also I couldn’t hear or see properly (auditory processing issue and needing glasses but not noticed) so that affected eye contact and communication. I could reciprocate fine otherwise and I meet no other diagnostic criteria for ASD.
And my “psychosomatic” symptoms (tummy aches) were a milk allergy which I wasn’t diagnosed with until adulthood. I hope people can learn from the errors made with me.
My concern with the Self-test is that so many of my responses would have been very different 40 years ago (I’m in my 60’s). I made a 33, but as I have ‘adapted’ to the world around me, my quirks are less troublesome to others and my answers reflect what I do Now. (for example: While I don’t Like change, my furniture, once placed, stays in the same place for YEARS. I’ve learned that to make my hubz happy, sometimes I have to let things change. But my preference would still be to keep it where it was.)
I answered the test as I am currently. There were no questions like Have I ever self-soothed (I did, but got bullied out of it and modified my behavior). After a lifetime of adapting, how does it take into account what I grew up with, prior to learning how to make other people comfortable by minimizing, redirecting or hiding my quirks/habits/self-soothing, etc??