Autistic Adult Takes the AQ (autistic quotient test) with @IndieAndy
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- Опубликовано: 7 ноя 2019
- Ever wondered how actually autistic people answer the AQ test (or autistic quotient test)? In this video, I talk through my own answers to the test.
This was a collab with Indie Andy, who also took the AQ test on his own channel. Check out his video right here:
• Autistic Person Takes ...
This week, Indie Andy and I decided to both take the AQ (autism quotient) test to see how good it is at accurately identifying autistic traits. I personally have a lot of criticisms of the test and some of the questions. As you can see in the video, a lot of them are open to wild interpretation, and I think that this is potentially missing a lot of autistic people in the screening process because of the somewhat outdated stereotypes of autism it perpetuates.
(You can also take the AQ test online here: psychology-tools.com/test/aut...)
Interested to know what you guys think about the test as well!
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Did you guess right? Be sure to check out Indie Andy's video too: ruclips.net/video/BEx4nBQcKj0/видео.html
Haha I got the same score.
Yo Samdy Sam I did the text the next day I got 15.
No behaviour of autism.
I did the aspie quiz.
It has graph of the aspie scale.
And Nero typical scale.
I got 72 out of 200 on the aspie scale.
120 out 200 on the Nero typical scale.
I was impressed how low the aspie score was.
And how high the Nero typicial score was.
I know in Australia and America.
Professionals are undiagnosing people with ASD or the old aspergers diagnoses.
Professional can do a retest.
And see if the score lower level that the ASD mark.
So you can loss your autism or aspergers diagnoses.
So even though not a cure for autism/aspergers you can loss that medical help if you mask and learnt coping strategies to come across normal.
So the aspie quiz is the best to rate how good have you developt your mask.
I did the AQ test and got a score of 45 out of 50. I usually get a score between 39 and 45. I thought you would get a similar score to Andy. I find social situations very stressful as well as meeting new people. I collect information on Pinterest and I collect books about meteorology, which I am obsessed.
I did the quiz and got a 49 out of 50 and wow I get near the highest u can get on most of the tests but most people day its impossible for me to have autism but I think I do
Haha....I was going to say the same thing about the fact that we would dissect questions and question the interpretation.
Me, on almost every questions... ; " Well, it depends..."
me too !
😂always.
Samee😂
perhaps it is just a really bad test. There is not any proof that it is a good test.
@@alexd7466 true..👌😆 sertenly dont seem like someone on the spectrum was part of making this test and other tests like it..
I feel like "did you overanalyse all potential meanings behind these questions and double-check every word?" should be one of the judging criterion haha
Trying to scour the entirety of my lifetime memory for any situation that might dispute my answer....
Some of the questions are really open to interpretation. 🤷♂️
I naturally communicate in micro essays. So incomplete questions on forms frustrate me. No only because the questions do not allow the truth but also because the forms themselves draw the entire structure of civilisation into question. I long for a world designed by Aspies where we are 99% of the population. Let the non aspies deal with that. Lol.
Ooooooh, I just posted that but in a convoluted way. Lol!
same though xD
“The fact that I’m picking these questions apart should count as an extra point toward autism.”
Agree. I do it too. That’s why it takes me 3x longer to complete questionnaires than the average person. It particularly annoys me to have to pick one answer when more than one applies.
Yes, like "do you enjoy social occasions?". I'm like do you mean with one or two close friends, with a group, a party, at someones home, or at a club? Because depending on that, my answer will totally change.
@@lyaneris plus everyone needs to socialize?? Like yeah i like seeing my friends for maybe an hour and then want to go home immediately. I felt like a lot of these questions are just based off the autistic male stereotypes. Also the pretend one like I can pretend im
A doctor if i have a scope of what a dr does but i cant pretend im someone else as a dr?
The "score" isn´t nearly as interesting as the reasoning behind it. Nit picking, missunderstanding questions and frustration over the suboptimal test tell it all in my book.
Omg same
Yep..thats secrectly built in to the questions.
I think the main issue with that test, is that it's written in "casual"/"relaxed" language, but meant to be answered by the type of person who often struggles with vague definitions and prefers precision. It's like having an eye exam in the dark.
yes 100%
You got it.
It's so nice to know I'm not the only one who has a terrible time with questions like these. My teachers used to get so annoyed with me, and those employment multiple choice tests... Forget about it 😅
literally
These questions are easy and simple for neurotypically social and extrovert people. When you're struggling to even understand the question or what the question means exactly, it means you're neurodivergent in the areas that the question asks about - there's nothing wrong with that, youre not "failing" anything, you will not be punished for answering honestly. These questions just narrow down the areas that you have difficulties with - which a lot of people struggle with, so you're not alone and you're not wrong or a bad person
it’s nice to know i’m not the only one who has a hard time with these kinds of vague assessments. i get so stressed out trying to pick the “correct” answer
I have that problem in all tests, even ones that are about my expertise.
Since I'm on the spectrum with these tests I too find myself answering the way I know will be considered as an "autistic" trait. Which is strange since I actually fought against my diagnose for a long time before I accepted it.
Me, too. Many of those questions I was like, "????" Both "no" and "yes." I didn't even _know_ how I felt about it.
I find them super weird too and like, usually I know what I'm "supposed" to answer but that confuses me even more cause like, answering the question itself is hard but I also end up worrying I'm adjusting my answer to fit with stereotypes or something like that, or that I modify my interpretation of the question to fit on what's expected of me rather than answer honestly with how I'd naturally interpret it.
@@jessiehermit9503 yeah... like the question about theater or museum! I love both but both need to meet certain "requirements" to me fully enjoy the activity.... so the question is just too vague and I don't really know how to feel about it. To me it was a pretty obvious I like both equally if they meet my requirements and if one meet my requirements better than the other, so obviously I'll prefer the one fitting my requirements better. And I guess every person on world is like that?!
Same
"Do you like meeting new people? Yes I do and five minutes later I am done with that." That made me laugh so hard and was the most relateable thing I heard in month.
I personally like meeting women that proceed to give me the exact same speech about how they are unique in pretty much exactly the same words as all the other ones that are "unique."
@@SmallSpoonBrigade We have met? You must be one of the new people I only met for like 5 minutes before I went home, because I don't remember you the slightest
I hide or pretend not to see people because small talk drives me crazy .then I talk to much and go home and analyse everything I said and worry I've talked too much and I feel exhausted. I'm happiest on my own
@@whoswhoo haha same ;D
This is why I hated Tinder because I swear that only difference was hair color!
I’ve taken the test four times and scored 39-42 as an average. I too found some of the questions to be imprecise. Depending upon circumstance, I would definitely agree, or disagree.
Same. I just tested and scored 37. It seemed a mishmash of vague statements that anyone answering would probably find themselves with significant traits.
thats weirdly my exact range too. i answered it once then told my therapist and he asked to see the test and id forgotten what i put so i did it again and got a new result. then i figured if i make note of all the questions i vary on i can look at the scoring system and work out highest and lowest bounds of the score. and i think thats the point my therapist decided to refer me for a diagnosis
@@taoist32 I think most of the questions are too on the nose in terms of knowing what the answer should be depending upon whether you want to test autistic or not. I think a questionnaire that got to these details more obliquely would probably have more predictive and descriptive value than this does.
I was tested by psychologist, and she said nitpicking all questions also indeed's a strong trait :D
😊😊
😊😊😊
I’ve been diagnosed with ADHD but not autism so far, and I scored 42. Finding your channel has been a really great thing for me. 😊
TBH, you might be autistic. I'm not sure how they're doing now, but when I was evaluated for what is now ASD, it took far more evidence to get an AS diagnosis with ADHD than without as ADHD tends to mask a lot of the symptoms or make them appear very different in ways that can be hard to evaluate if the person doing the evaluation doesn't have enough experience.
The answer to life the universe and everything. How appropriate XD
'People often tell me I'm being rude' The biggest social issue I have is that people WON'T tell me if they think I'm being rude. They just get offended or creeped out and ditch me. I lost my whole DnD group AND had to change dorms because people refuse to tell me I'm doing something wrong.
how is this one scored? The people I find rude don't seem autistic. They often loud, bold and overly social.
I also feel like I'm being robbed of an opportunity for growth whenever people decide to ghost me instead of actually telling me what is it that pissed them off.
Yes. Or they won’t tell me I’m rude until months later like now I feel bad. How was I supposed to know if you didn’t tell me?
@@KyleJohnson-ms1mu Because people think we are supposed to know. Then think it is weird that we didn't know or think we were being rude.
Rude is a silly construct. What matters is if i am accurate or not.
I find questions like these so hard without having an example. It stresses me out because with so many questions I don't even fully understand what they're asking me, so how am I supposed to answer them properly?
Exactly!!! It is only after I tried to understand what they were asking (and not what they were saying) that I think my score reflects me accurately
I’m so pleased to see you say this because this is how I feel too 💞
I think the correct answer to almost all questions of this type is ‘it depends’.
I feel the same. When I had to answer all the questions my psychologist asked me during my autism assessment and all the forms I had to fill in (kind of like this test) I had to ask her on every other question what the meaning was. When I get an example it's much easier. Although, on this test I got 41 out of 50. I think I interpreted them right
Yes! I hate those questions. They're not clear and I over analyze Everything it drives me crazy. 😅
I scored 45. I'm 55 and recently found out I'm autistic. I now understand what difficulties I hade to "overcome" in my youth when autism was totally unknown. I'm doing quite well in my life - but had a lot of failures which I can now relate to autism. Now that I know, it's a relief. And it's easier to deal with some situations.
Thank you for doing this. As someone only recently (unofficially) diagnosed at the age of 42, I have a lot of malinformed and stereotypical ideas of what autism "looks like." Seeing someone with an official diagnosis describe a very nearly identical mindset and experience? Oh, my god. It's so incredibly validating. Thank you so much.
Also, as another psych degree carrying person who studied diagnostic materials, some of these questions are actually insightful, others are absolute hot garbage that stink of ableism and stereotypical expectations straight out of the DSM. (I.E. If you're really gunning for a high or low result you can rig the result just by knowing the diagnostic criteria.)
And i here listening to the questions and debating them in my mind like she's doing and would answer them depending on who I'm answering them for and what results am I wanting them to get out of my answers. And I've never been diagnosed with autism but have a daughter who was dx at 12 yrs old only because I was the one who questioned. I am ADD though. lol
The way you pick apart every question based on semantics makes me feel right at home
This is every time they want to give you some personality test. The answers can change depending on the setting and who I'm with.
Many of these tests are designed to pigeon hole us into two dimensional stereotype. People are multifaceted. How we behave may depend on our mood, what happened earlier in the day and out current priorities and objectives.
I know this is a preliminary screening test but it may be best to either have slightly more specific questions or to the same test a few times at random intervals and average the answers.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weak_central_coherence_theory
Agreed.
I questioned every question the same way
You're not alone!
When I got my diagnosis, the therapist actually stayed with me during the test. the reason was autistic people tend to get hung up on those qualifying words (a lot, often, sometimes) and she could answer my questions about the questions. It was really helpful, because I tend to nitpick test questions.
I've just realised this is why I can't study and hand in an assignment.
@@Noor-jw2tn me too. trouble understanding what is expected
I can relate to this.
@@Noor-jw2tn Same I had a big project and had no clue what to do, I had a huge breakdown and got a zero. ;)
... and then let's just hope that the therapist's interpretation of "a lot", "often", and "sometimes" is the same as that of the author of the test. I find it ridiculous that the use such words that can be interpreted extremely subjectively, in a test. Or "frequently" - which only means that something happens with regular intervals - like every five days or every five months.
I got a 38 😅 I definitely had to take breaks bc my brain would just 🤯 trying to even understand what they meant by the questions, so I think if someone was asking me these questions verbally and they assess my answers then, this test could be used to assess but taking it on my own was overwhelming bc I did what you did for every question
I scored 33. My mind is racing and thinking back to so many childhood things. Pulling my eyelashes out. Social mute stuff. Painful shyness. Not fitting in. Feeling like an alien. refusing any article of clothing that had uncomfortable sleeves or was itchy. And the stuff that effects me the most as an adult, all of the sensory stuff. Light and sound can cause me so much discomfort - and stress attacks! Still can't wear anything uncomfortable. Still overthink way too many scenarios about what people meant or what they're thinking. And making a phone call is almost impossible for me! It never crossed my mind that any of this could be related to autism. I have chronic pain and chronic fatigue and had put all the adult things down to this.
My 4 yr old son was diagnosed when he was 2. I realized through all the questionnaires that I might be even "more autistic" then him. I mentioned it to his pediatrician and he quickly said... "No, you can't be, because you're looking me in the eye." And I was just thinking in my head "wtf you mean" but too polite to say anything and just smiled and said "oh okay." I guess he's unaware of the possibility that I've worked very hard for many years to get myself to look at people normal haha.
bahahahahaha! "you're looking at me in the eye." what a piece of work! that guy is a tool. i would have started crying at some point, but ... totally wtf
Ah! Thank you for that. I sm 54 and only in the last 5 years has looking someone been "easy". Rather I am more at ease doing it but I still have to be sure I make the effort. The only exception is family members I am comfortable with like my husband, my son and recently, my mom.
This happened to me too! When I was really young my parents took me to a therapist or someone to see if I was autistic and the doctor told them that I wasn't bc I looked him in the eye. Funny enough, eye contact is something I really struggle with
i heard that exact phrase before, this is so eerie. do they not realize how incompetent this sounds?
Or grew up in a family where it was drilled into you to "look them in the eye when youre talking to them".
“Other people often tell me” Pfft. People can’t tell us anything often when we avoid talking with them. 😎
YESSS !!!!! thank you !! i've practically been a recluse for the past decade, but even from a logical point of view, the stereotypes on autism really clash with the idea of being exposed to very many people and opinions... i guess these are remnants from when they were testing mostly children or something...
😂😂 so true!!! 🎯🎯
I felt this in my soul
Exactly! some of those questions assume you meet people lol. And like, if I answer no it's supposed to mean I'm not autistic but that's just y'know, I don't meet enough people for it to come up let alone come up "often", and the ones I do meet are the one who I feel good with, which means they are far from the typical person you'd encounter randomly.
Yup. Then I use my self assessment instead only to then invalidate the whole questionnaire because I technically didn't answer "correctly".
The questionnaire was the reason why I thought I couldn’t be further from being autistic because it’s worded so confusingly! Thank you for sharing your thought process. I feel less daunted by it now.
These are like the personality assessments on job applications, except instead of autistic traits they measure honesty, friendliness, etc. I always have a hard time filling out job applications because of how they’re worded! I end up picking apart the questions and overthinking everything and it ends up taking forever!
I walked my fiancee through this test after we discussed the possibility of her being on the spectrum. I was diagnosed with Asperger's as a child, but took it afterwards for a fun comparison. We both scored 32. For her, the probability of autism is a relief, since it explains so much about her behaviors and struggles through the years. For me, I'm overjoyed to have fallen in love with someone who can understand me better than anyone else could...a sentiment that she gladly shares with me, as well. Our household is just as full of quirks as it is full of love, and we couldn't be any happier. 😊
So, we all did probably the same test, huh? I got a 37. Trying to figure out how to get an evaluation.
i got 34...
Hey i also got a 32! Not diagnosed tho... I am diagnosed with ADHD and social anxiety though. So I'm sitting here like..
Is it just the ADHD and anxiety making it seem like i have autism? Is it actually just autism and not ADHD or anxiety at all?? Is it a fun mix of all three?? Who knows, not me! :D
@@taylorbritt499 I’m pretty sure it’s common to have both. Personally I’m only diagnosed with asd and anxiety. I got a 34 😂I wish ya luck though 😛
@@skellycat2042 yeah asd and adhd have a lotttt of overlap (but just different enough to be categorized differently) so it wouldn't surprise me if i had both. But thank you! I'm definitely gonna bring this up at my next doctor's appt
"I don't collect information, I remember stuff" wow I relate to this so much. I've been frustrated for the longest time about people insinuating that I obsess over things or go too much into detail and you just phrased it so perfectly.
Some people _do_ actively collect trivia-information. Knowing every cameo Donald Duck has made in non-Disney cartoons is information that has to be actively searched for, since no-one else has bothered to compile it. It might not mean autism, but it is certainly an indicator. On the other hand I know a kid with an IQ of 155 who read an atlas and afterwards knew every single capital of every country on earth. He does really just remember stuff, but is neuro-atypical for a completely different reason.
yeesssssssssssssssss the same, they think that I am with that all day, but when I need to know about something I make my research and then I remember it for my whole life
Exactly I would never think about my research into topics of interest as collecting information but nevertheless I am trying to find out as much information about a specific topic as I can so...
I collect random pieces of information. Oh this stuff is interesting, guess I’ll spend the next week deep diving into it, only to end up being bored and moving on to something else
I won trivial pursuit every time lol
i am a 15 year old girl and for the longest time i just tought i was weird or i had ADHD but i saw this and i did the test (got 36 points ) and i started to look more into it and all the traits match up from childhood to this day... maybe now i know why i was such a strange kid or still am
im the exact same! 15 too and just thought i was the weird kid or something...
Oh man I love the internet. This was so help- and insightful, you have no idea.
I felt so insecure about these and seeing someone with an official diagnosis struggle even more to figure out what the questions mean, how to answer and in the end score lower than me really gives me confidence in my suspicion to be on the spectrum.
It's also really nice to relate to so much of what goes into answering these questions. That usually doesn't happen for me and together with your beautiful voice, inflection and choice of words really makes me feel drawn to you and feel at home, which is even rarer.
Thank you so much for this!
As someone autistic, the funny thing to me about “things over people”, is that I actually do really like my stuff. I don’t want people to mess up my stuff, or ridicule me for what I like, and sometimes I’d rather rearrange my Legos or play piano for a couple hours than talk to anyone
I have a frying pan (a month ago was our 39th anniversary) which I value more than most people. When I lost its mate I was more distraught than, well...
I had a meltdown at school JUNIOR YEAR HIGH SCHOOL (11th grade) because I lost an eraser I was determined to use until it was gone, like finishing it. My classmates hid it, when they saw I was freaking out, they just gave it back and apologized. I still think about it.
Ps: I got to finish that eraser and I'm still happy about it
To be honest, rearranging legos or playing piano sounds like a far better use of time to me.
I fully lost my s-t as a kid when my dad cleaned up my bedroom “for me” and tossed out a foil chip bag I kept when they were switched to non-foil. 😂
I also have an extensive LEGO connection which impresses all the kids I teach. :)
"Other people frequently tell me that what I’ve said is impolite, even though I think it is polite." What if no one tells you this, but they do actually think it? "I find making up stories easy." What kind of stories? Does it have to be ANY type of story? "I notice patterns in things all the time." What are 'things' here? Fabric? Billboard? Napkins? Behavior? So vague. "I usually concentrate more on the whole picture, rather than on the small details." I have never understood what this means. "I am not very good at remembering phone numbers." Well when I was a kid and there were no cell phones I memorized phone numbers very easily. Now I don't have to, so...it seems kind of irrelevant. I hate these questions.
I notice patterns in some linguistically related things, like: the same word in different languages don't look similar at the first sight but there actually is some sort of pattern regarding consonants in them (vowels not because vowels are the part that changes easily and way too often)... Literally a pattern in anything. And I would probably be lost at that question if I havent had thought about some of those patterns over these past few days.
Yeah, and the one about enjoying social situations. Like, I don't dislike social situations, but I can find them difficult and draining, and therefore can be reluctant to get involved. The wording is so imprecise!
I wasn’t sure if the one about making up stories was about lying to cover myself, which I’m not good at so I usually just don’t, or writing fiction, which I like to do and I’ve been told by multiple people that I’m good at. As for the theater and the museum, I like them both equally, so I wasn’t sure what to pick since there wasn’t any neutral option.
@@darthbane5676 of course it's irrelevant. look at what they did to Alan Turing, he saved 14 millions lives by cracking the German Enigma and they sent him to jail and he committed suicide--after they chemically castrated him.
you score 50 get ya self a wheel chair
I love so much your autistic way of answering these questions. I'm laughing all the way through because as you go thru each question I'm answering too and we agree. thank you!!
thank you for going through these questions!! i am going through the diagnosis process right now and was sent this questionnaire to complete before i meet with the psychologists... but i was having such a hard time interpreting the questions and making sense of them! there are some that are super vague and confusing so i kept putting off the task. filling it out question by question with you is super helpful and your reasoning is almost exactly the same as mine for some questions. it's really validating and helpful to see another autistic person have similar answers to mine while i'm going through this process. thank you so much!!!!
It's like listening to myself take a test 🤣
Yes
Ya I saw the test on TAW or The Aspie World which he is a autistic adult youtuber and he had a video on it
Agreed!!! Lol
hahaha I was going.to say the same. I did the test before listening to her, not to be biased. then when i played the video i was like WOW it's like listening to my own thought process minutes ago
Haha same 😂
I disagree with questions that depend on input we've received from other people. People probably wouldn't tell me if I was rude because they don't know me well enough to feel comfortable doing that because most of my interactions are superficial. I also may not have enough social interaction to hear anything from people "frequently".
This test is so clearly not designed to be taken by autistic people, or by anyone knowledgeable in the inner workings of an autistic person's mind. Smh, society.
I had my dad take the test, and when we got to those parts he was like: "no, no one ever tells me those things." My mom was working in the next room and started laughing. I had to explain to him that we (his family) have said so many times. We have also run interference for him when we see him heading toward a cliff in a conversation with others. But most people can tell he doesn't mean anything by it, and they're too polite to tell him when he needs to chill.
Agreed. And I would make that note. I really objected to statements like "I spend too much time on my [something like a special interest]". I said well I don't judge myself negatively for spending hours on plant identification...I'm sure most people would say it's more than they would do, but...I'm not going to internalize that stigma lol.
In the end when I turned it in with my notes and questions the doctor said the standardized test isn't perfect, but that people tend to answer in their own way rather consistently. I think that neurodiverse variation comes out in the test.
Shawna Kabui Ohumay seriously. I don’t know anyone well enough for that.
Not directly, but my friends would often tell me that I am super "sincere"(like I always tell the truth, or what I'm thinking, not sure.if sincere is thy right word in english) and I was always: what? I said something wrong?
@ANGEL BABY EXACTLY 😭
I did a similar test online a few nights ago and got 39. I just did this test and scored 41. I am 43, and the last few days have been a real eye-opener.
Absolutely loved you talking through the questions. I was asking the same things in my head and kept agreeing with you.
“I would rather go to a theater than a museum” I wanna go to both!!!! I love both!!!
That one bothered me... do they mean a CINEMA, or a THEATER? Because I'm assuming they mean Cinema, as this is probably to gauge sensitivity to the film screen, flashing light/loud noises, etc that one could get over stimulated by in a cinema, but also... what KIND of museum?! I would be far more excited to go to a natural history, art or science museum than one of those "Modern Art" museums... but I'd also prefer to see a full production musical in a theater than a movie in a cinema...
I also didn't like "Do people tell you that you talk about the same subject for too long" or whatever it was... I'm just like... "Well they don't TELL me that..."
I think some people with ASD might have a thing for theaters, or i think some are interested in acting and observing others but feel like professionals would disagree with that. but a theater sounds more annoying than a museum.
i'd rather stay home though
libraries would seem more interesting without internet, but i've been to more parties than libraries. the silence of libraries might be good but i'm honestly too drunk to care about sounds during parties.
@@smievil I feel incredibly self conscious in libraries. Something about it is very off-putting to me in a way I don't quite understand. I get the same feeling in gyms, like I know no one is watching me but I feel like everyone is.
@@maxsnell3848 had some feelings like that in school, might have more to do with me not wanting to get interrupted or something.
haven't thought much about it for the past few years but circumstances are different
See idk what theater the test is referring to. I love musicals, so I’d rather go to that kind of theater than a musesum, but I wouldn’t rather want to go to a movie theater
dates: do they mean calendar, fruit, or going out with someone? these questionnaires are so stupid and now they are computerized so you cant write on them to ask "huh?"!
THIS, LITERALLY MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THE FRUIT AND I WAS LIKE "that's a very strange question, but no, I actually hate dates, they're raisins 2.0"
*yes*
I always write comments just because there's no lines for it doesn't mean I can't adjust my answer or pinpoint my answer is outside "the box" than their choises admit. The doctor/psychologist have to use little more time to go through it than just count the X.
Could also be the singular of data.
I begged for paperversion just because of that..
It's like: describe the color 🟦
Absolut red 🔲 almost red 🔲 almost yellow 🔲 absolute yellow🔲
And I love how you embrace your condition and you handle it so gracefully
Words cannot describe how useful this channel has been to help me find my sense of myself. I've considered myself autistic for a long time now, like 2 or 3 years, but I recently had to give up on a job trial because the arguably simple work sent me into what was a textbook autistic shutdown just from how many things I had to understand and remember. And to be honest, that sent me into a bit of a spiral with my mental health.
This was two months ago, or thereabouts.
At the time I looked up a bunch of stuff about autism (Which was how I found out about autistic shutdowns and realised how perfectly they described what happened with me) and as a result, the RUclips algorithm took the liberty of recommending me a few videos about autism from that point on. That's how I found your channel.
it was just generally cathartic, at first, to hear someone else talk about their own experiences with autism and see how it related to me. But then today it's changed, because thanks to this video I found out that I could try the AQ online. And... whadd'ya know? I ended up scoring a 37. And god DAMN do I feel vindicated. It's like, I've wanted to interact in autistic communities and sort of tell people that I'm self-diagnosed autistic for a while now, but it's been hard to do so because I've had this constant "doctor google" impostor syndrome. Like, despite the fact that I did extensive research about whether or not I could be autistic, it still wasn't enough and I was just trying to fit into a label I didn't belong to... or something. But to see such a strong affirmative has finally been enough to banish that impostor syndrome.
Your channel has brought me so much comfort these past couple of months as I work out just what the hell to do with myself. So, thank you. Thank you for making these videos, because I really struggled with my depression for a while after realising that my autism is causing problems in my day to day life. I floated for a while, in a constant sense of "what am I worth?" So to see the normality here. to see it talked about casually and openly has really helped.
Man, I really ended up going on a long and rambling monologue. Sorry about that, but... autism, amirite? :3
A million times yes. Very similar experiences all the way around. Especially with having to leave jobs because it was killing me, not feeling like I could say I was autistic because who the hell am I, I don't know nothing, lol. It's very validating and a lot less lonely accepting and embracing this. It's quite terrifying as well, but at least I know now and can use the tools others have created.
"Yes, I actually do [like meeting new people]... but then after 5 minutes I'm done." hahahaha same
"I get my own jokes" is totally me. I find most jokes other people tell kinda dumb even if I can see the humor in them. I'm more likely to shake my head at them than I am to laugh.
Do you 'logic' jokes? Like, if it's a joke about sailors in the desert, would you start to wonder why they're there rather than be amused by the punchline?
@@Liquessen somewhat. But one thing I hate is "puns" that aren't really puns (the two words it could be aren't actually pronounced the same)
I came up with one today at my mates, Merry Christmask. :) Good health Planet Earthee's
I'm 54 yrs old. I was diagnosed as Dyslexic in college (late 80's) but never received any support or anything. I was 'told' by a therapist about 2 years ago that I 'definitely' had ADHD (I wasn't tested though). Recently I've been reflecting back on my childhood and took this test last week and scored a 44 the first time and 41 the second time. Watching your video is helping me feel like need to take this seriously for my own benefit.
Simular here. Dyslexia at 24 after struggling my whole life and being left back. Add at 30. I took this test the other day got a 35. Now my family is making fun of me.
I took the one from Embrace Autism.
The first time I took it, I was on Reddit when I saw a post where a person asked to take the AQ and reply with the score.
The first time, I took it not expecting anything, even though I didn’t imagine the possibility of being autistic. I got a score of 34, and that’s how I discovered I was autistic. After that, I went through the official diagnosis process, and it confirmed that I’m autistic.
Scored 34, but would have scored higher when younger; masking is better and learned conversation skills. Can't tell if people like me or are faking it, so I just assume they don't like me. Safer.
i’ve been masking since i was a toddler. i scored 30
I have always been a wildcard, never questioned any of my behaviours 'til only just recently when I realized I might be on the spectrum.
@@Noor-jw2tn same here
I scored 33, and coincidentally I’m pretty good at socializing now than I used to be. Whereas before I would go almost mute or hide away, now I can ask questions and make small talk and joke around
@@Noor-jw2tn YES! I always knew something was off but couldn't tell, it wasn't until RUclips recommend me a video that realized what was "wrong"
I read literally every single visible sign or poster in any place I'm in.
Wait. Do people not do this?
Same! It's worst when I go to the doctors office and they have all the posters with the medical diagrams and different "signs and symptoms of xyz" lists and "what to do in case of xyz". I end up reading all of them when I'm waiting for the doctor to come to see me.
@@taylorbritt499 same
oh, shit, now that you've said this... ! 😅
also, if i end up waiting a long time and i'm too stressed to read an actual book, or a magazine, or draw, i end up re-reading the same stupid posters or signs ad nauseam, and i hate it, but if you'd asked me this on a test, i would have never thought of it !
it's like some sort of ptsd from any sort of test i had to take in my life, the fear of failure (manifesting at the most weird of places), but i guess my mind just goes blank !!
I remember realizing as a child that maybe I could never go back to not being able to read again due to this compulsive reading any visible thing.
I love hearing you pick these apart as that is how I deal with most questions. I get caught in certain words, descriptions, extremes and "nots". I absolutely cannot read between the lines and do not get the underlying idea or subtle cues. I definitely over analyze most things.
This was great. I have the same view and confusion around the meaning and ridiculousness of some of the questions. Recently verified my long-time autism. Indeed, I love being around other neurodivergent people. Cheers to you!
I love how you broke down the questions actually. The questions are very confusing and misleading frankly! Really love your interpretation and enjoyed getting to know more about you generally. Thank you for collabing with me, truly was a pleasure ☺️
actually, frankly, generally.
What frustrates me with these questions is when I went to my assessment I was sat on my own filling out this form to hand back to the receptionist so this outward dialogue they don't see, and I ended up writing this down but I don't even know if they considered what I'd written as part of the answers. Maybe I should have asked if I could have someone go through the questions with me? Either way I was very under prepared for the assessment, and I think I will definitely get referred for a second opinion once I've gathered more of my memories. I think these questions are definitely not specific enough.
You spelled collaborating wrong.
@@sciencetigress collabing is a word. I think that’s what he meant to write.
What if that's the whole point of the test? To see who gets stuck and desperate trying to understand the ambigous questions? Normal people just storm through the test, thinking to themselves "oh god, this is silly, let's have this bs over with" :-) An enthusiast examiner, keen to do a good job and interested in the subject under test, comes to "help with the questions", while in fact he's interested to watch the suspected autist in action / in mildly stressful circumstances, have him explain his thought process. A seasoned routineer type examiner, bored with his profession after all those years, just uses a stop-watch. The score from the test is the time elapsed.
I remember tests at school that had stupid / ambigous / not detailed enough input. Afterwards I often found out that the questions were based on some textbook and depended on context that was in that particular textbook exercise, but did not make it to the test question. That was just sloppy test authoring = the teacher was not likely interested to test my AQ. (He would often know me enough, after all.)
Heheh I've never been diagnosed or suspected, but being a veteran computer nerd, I kind of wouldn't be surprised if I was on the spectrum :-) I know my own odd ways all too well...
Watching the video, I cannot find anything wrong about Ms. Yo :-) I'm wondering based on what she got the diagnosis. Such a judgemental label for a perfectly okay gal.
"I think the fact that I'm picking these questions apart also should count as an extra point towards autism --"
I laughed out loud and I also highly agree. This kind of tests and questions seem to drive autistic people crazy.
I'm not a fan of this test either but I'm still wondering if it works as it is meant to work. BDI (Beck's depression inventory) is more familiar to me, and with that people have also pointed out similar flaws with individual questions. However, people with depression still tend to score higher than people without, and test results also tend to correlate with severity of symptoms. Maybe the AQ test is also, as imperfect as it is, an usefull enough tool to recognize most people on the autistic spectrum? If this is the case, the problem is not the test but doctors/other medical professionals who only look at the test result and ignore other evidence and patients own experience.
Agreed. If this test was all it took to get a diagnosis I would have one already. Unfortunately it isn't and I agree that other times I have been around "professionals" they don't get to see many of my traits because of the giant MASK that is on when I go out, or even at home in many cases. They don't spend enough time learning about my experiences to see what or why they were that way, nor spend the time building up any trust with me. I don't want to be labeled stupid stuff that could impact my life forever in the wrong way because they don't get the diagnosis right the first time or two or three, I want the proper diagnosis the first time and honestly the ability to talk about 100% of my experiences without fear, rather than only being able to tell less than 20% of my experiences because that is the extent of issues I can trust them to diagnose properly. Some "expert" spent less than 45 mins between giving me an IQ test, then chatted with my mother, then gave me a random test (and thought I was too good at it) to then tell me I should be seen for panic disorder and possibly anxiety disorder. The person who diagnosed me with Executive Functioning Disorder spent 8-10 hours (total) with me for testing, on 2 or 3 occasions, AFTER talking with my parents alot and getting a massive amount of info about me and my life. There is way too big of a difference between the "expert" and the person who did actual testing and wanted me to come back for further testing (unfortunately I couldn't do that back then because it wasn't feasible financially). It's people like this "expert" who spent less than 45 mins with me and my mom combined that makes me not trust my life details with people who can diagnose you with anything under the sun.
Glad alot of other people agree with me about how the questions drive me crazy! >_< evil questions!!!
YES!! lol. Also, the way she did it was so relateable
I really appreciated you going through and giving your opinions on this test. It was interesting that you feel pretty much the same way I did about it.
This is so validating. I'm not clinically diagnosed but I'm fairly certain I'm autistic and while I recognize myself in the traits I read about online (especially with the newer research that looks specifically at AFAB people) and I relate to the people I talk to on forums who are diagnosed, when I score low on assessments like this it makes me really question myself. But watching you go through and deconstruct this makes me feel less crazy. I tend to score quite low on online assessments, but my personal experiences lead me to believe that I'm actually quite sensitive to environmental stimuli, a lot more than I realized, and that I've just been pushing through for years. I thought I was having panic attacks when now I'm fairly certain they've been autistic meltdowns the whole time. But I digress.
One problem is also the fact that masking mechanism kind of become subconscious (to a degree at least), so you might want to discover them.
I dislike "would you rather" questions with choices of "library" or "party" when what they really should ask is: do you generally prefer more solitary pursuits or social pursuits with your leisure time? Asking if I'd prefer to go to the library or a party is both too specific & lacking in details. Some people would dislike both those specific choices & get stuck on that. How about a small party *at* the library? 😈 I actually enjoy that 🥳
yensid : Or how about a book club with 5 people but for the birthday of one of them they get pizza and pop? Now it’s a small house party focused on books!
@@spacewolfcub When I lived in Seattle my favorite hang out was Third Place Books, a combination new & used bookstore/coffee house-cafe. They had regular events there centering around books, literature & old fashioned DnD type games. Lots of book signings, lectures & author meetups most famously Paul McCartney(which I didn't attend due to the crowds) So yeah, bookclub meetups sound really fun & more what I was thinking regarding the library question actually :)
yensid I hate the theatre and museum one ... I LOVE museums and I LOVE movie and live performance theatres! So both ?? I don’t love parties but on a Friday night I would rather be at a party with my best friends than at the library which I would like to be at during the day... these questions 🤦🏽♀️
haha, I have't been to a library for a long time...and I go to parties for the food...
I actually hate libraries. It causes me as much anxiety, if not more anxiety, than a party because of the atmosphere. For me parties are hard mostly because of the social aspect to them, but libraries have more than just a social aspect to them, its also the silence amplifying any and all sounds, the lack of certain types of sounds, the feeling that everyone is staring at you but also that there isn't enough people there for a physical location outside of my house, etc. So yea for me that was a hard one because I have personal issues with libraries that go beyond seeing/interacting with or not seeing/interacting with people. There were a few questions where I disliked both choices and like you said got stuck on that and others where I literally didn't understand what it was asking even after watching this video and having both me and Sam in the video pick the questions apart. Like there needs to be a fill in the blank option on all of those for cases like these two. These are the things that would help psychologists understand us at a younger age, and hopefully help to get a diagnosis at a younger age, or even at all. I'm still trying to get an official diagnosis which is turning out to be a pain in the butt (before Corona was a thing, and now my one appointment was canceled because of corona) :''''''(
I scored 27. A lot of my answers would have been different when I was younger but I learnt to socialize and be ok with new situations
Same. I scored 29
@@niaranoctyrna3754 me too. im undiagnosed and very confused bc I relate to a lot of the traits of autistic girls but I also don’t exhibit a lot of the major/stereotypical autism traits so I don’t know what to think.
Same. I've been in a long long process of learning to socialize and be ok with it, but a few years ago I wouldn't be able to properly start of finish a conversation
I'm not autistic but my son's girlfriend is and I'm trying to understand the condition a bit more especially as I'm very outgoing and chatty and I worry I'll overwhelm her. We are beginning to 'trust' each other, eg: she knows I'll never turn up unannounced, or that I'm OK with her not joining in or changing her mind to do so at the last minute. And I trust her to remove herself or sit at her P.C. if she wants to even if i'm 'visiting'. In this way we both know that if she's joining in its because she wants to and not because she has to. She is amazing!! now a change of tack; OMG these questions - duh, talk about ambiguous! I'm planning a couple of trips in the new year, one to the musical Wicked, and another to Bletchley Park museum. I'm excited about both ....... equally! I need a "neither agree nor disagree" option. p.s. loved the way you articulated your though processes. Great vid.
Listening to you work out how to answer these questions is right out of my own head.
same. I'm so grateful for this video as it gave me much more confidence in my suspicion than these tests ever did no matter the score.
when they said theatre i thought, like a musical theatre or a movie theatre?
Usually people say the full movie theatre, theatre by it's self tends to mean plays.
This can be avoided by calling it a cinema lol
@@julinaonYT ..no? but also yes i'm intrigued
"but then.. people typically expect you to contribute to conversations, don't they?" i laughed at that bit haha
Thanks for all you do! I found that I relate to your videos (your perspectives) more than anyone else's in my research. I took the AQ after watching this and scored 37. Your comment about extra point is spot on, I picked the questions apart and frustrated over the ambiguity as well. Thanks again, you've helped me so much!
I'm 57, was diagnosed at 35. That question about collecting information rings true for me. I used to memorize skits from SNL, clip out comics from the newspaper, learn all the lyrics to songs, and so on. They had to be a permanent part of my internal repertoire. I had to save them for future reference. As I got older, this faded somewhat. I learned how to make my own jokes, write my own lyrics, drawing from those memorabilia. Part of it was "this is too funny to forget," and part of it was "this might come in handy some day."
Took the test before watching the video and scored 40 out of 50. I’m not diagnosed but I’m like 100% sure that I have autism. Been binge watching these video’s about autism for more than a week and I can relate so much it’s unreal. It defenitly made thing much more clear to why I am the way I am and I can also now much better understand why I did certain things as a child. I always knew I was different from a young age and it feels great to kind of know why that is. Thanks for the video’s they really help a lot of people like me
I literally feel like I wrote this reply 😂 I also scored 40, am not diagnosed, and have been binging videos all week. Such a helpful channel!
My score was mid-range but, other than that, I'm right with you.
I scored 39, and don't have a diagnosis.. This was so validating. Like, I know these are just silly quizzes, but it's validating to get a score that is comparable to someone with a diagnosis.
I've never been more at home than I have been since I've been exploring my possible autism. 💖
Took the test twice in 20 minutes and expected different scores because of trying to interpret the question just like in this video. At 50 years old I scored 36-37 and it helps to explain a lot.
I scored 33/50 only because I wasn't sure what to answer in occassions, however, I already thought there was something odd and an acquaintance with an autistic kid even wondered if I was aspie or something similar.
Awww... I feel your pain. I'm just over four minutes into the video, and feel like those questions are worded so carelessly. My brain with ADHD is going off on so many tangents.
Yeah it was funny, as I was going through the test (already fairly certain I don't have many autistic traits), there were so many spots where I was like "well, yes, but that's obviously from the ADHD". And it's weird how much the test emphasized enjoying social interaction, when a good chunk of the autistic people I know are VERY social. Bad at social cues, but a high drive to socialize, regardless. What a weird test.
I scored 37. I’m 60 y/o, self identify, will be tested in 2 weeks. I have a psych background in nursing. Your videos are quite helpful.
I did that test once (I've never been diagnosed, butmight be of I did consult a professional, I don't know. Lots of questions there at the moment.) The way you react to these questions resonates so strongly with me. Thank you for this video.
I find this test skews toward introverted personality types and ignores other important hallmarks of autism such as stimming and sensory issues. I am a (somewhat) extroverted autistic person (though I do have low social energy) who frequently stims and who has experienced my share of sensory overload and it scored me at only a 30. I have a feeling if it included more of these things the score would have come out higher.
I would definitely agree with you on that! Great point. And also, they should remove the words ‘frequently, easily’ etc. They make the questions imprecise.
I can’t tell you how comforting it is to hear you work through those questions, you sound exactly like my thoughts and I’ve always just been told that I’m “over thinking” it but I can’t not think like that!
I recently scored a 38
i had the same experience and i also scored a 38 (i retook it a few days later and tried to not think about the questions so hard and i still scored a 36)
i scored the same thing!!!
ah a fellow 38
Scored a 44 lol but I just thought what if I removed my mask and just answered like what they might want me to think like. These things usually make me question everything and maybe because I am so drained today that I just didn't really question much and just answered as blunt as possible while making a lot of mistakes because simple instructions are freaking hard to follow!
I love your insight. My 7 year old is Autistic and I find that your perspective helps me understand her a bit more. You also give me a glimpse into the type of things that she may encounter as she gets older.
Good for you on doing some research to better help her! Clinical advice is good and helpful, but honestly getting an “insider’s perspective” is absolutely invaluable, especially since each individual’s experience can vary so much from the clinical cookie-cutter mold of what autism is.
You're so right about the phrasing of questions. I think the meta is strong here. The conversation one has with oneself when trying to answer the questions probably says as much about ASD traits as the answers themselves.
I scored 35 before finding you. That's actually how I found you, after scoring so much higher than I expected. I'm 39. I've been diagnosed with everything *but* autism. The older I get, the harder it is to function and live the way other people do. When I was younger I was just kind of weird, but now that I'm supposed to be like a real adult I am lost.
"A real adult" hits home.
I'm 45 and got my diagnosis recently. I've read up on it a lot, the high executive function demands/autistic burnout that we can encounter as adults can be what brings us to the discovery
I feel like a child. Only the mirror reminds me
That's how I feel as well. I am now 27 and am looking around myself to realize I don't act anything like adults my age. I still act how I did as a child. Before I was just a weird kid, but now it seems like something is off.
I scored 40, and I'm a 40 year old womanchild, LoL. It was difficult for me since childhood to my 30s, because I feel like I'm inadequate in everything to my (narcissistic and abusive) parents' high expectations. I had depression and attempted suicide 3x. But now I can accept my shortcomings, make peace with myself, and learned to be grateful about the smallest things I've been blessed with, because I know now that nobody is perfect. We're all perfectly imperfect. All we need to do is respect, both to each other and to ourselves. ❤
maybe we aspies should write the test and standardize it...?
Theres been a test. An aspie guy made it. Its called the RDOS. You can find it googling.
Such a good idea.
Yes,especially with the tests for the female version of autism which doesn't seem to have been recorded very well.
@@BVenge-pe4wi I took the RDOS one, too, and got that I am on the spectrum on both this quiz and the one from the video. I wasn't aware that the RDOS was made my someone on the spectrum. That is cool. I hope to get diagnosed when I can afford a diagnosis and when I am not so anxious to drive on my own. :)
That's a terrific idea!!
I did this (and two others) and the wording of the questions made me “slightly” agree or disagree for almost all of them 😂
One of your videos was randomly suggested to me. I've always suspected something was different about me. The way you describe your experience had me in tears. After taking the AQ I'm finally feeling like I may have the answer to this puzzle. 🙌 Thank you for the education and information you are providing.
Hi, I’m Xicanx( of indigenous descent from Mexico) and I also think another factor regarding testing and diagnoses is cultural. Our critical thinking and cognitive abilities are largely Influenced by our experiences In the culture we grow up in. I’ve tried to dig for information on indigenous ppl with autism and I haven’t found anything. It makes me think of how many of us remain undiagnosed because of cultural biases and racism. Love your videos 💕
Wow, eso es muy interesante, también soy mexicana y desde que me di cuenta que podría estar en el espectro, he hecho análisis con respecto al tema desde el punto de vista de una persona mexicana, que viene de una familia de bajos recursos. Mis abuelos no sabían ni qué era un psicólogo, todo terminaba en barrerme con un huevo.
Btw i'm sorry, i'm not really good writing in english so i did it in spanish :( i'm sorry
I completely agree. so much of life is so eurocentric it really bothers me as it's so ingrained it's mostly invisible to white people, and we're the ones with the position to effect change. white supremacy is a cunning beast.
@@discordmuch It really takes time. Practice not overthinking your actions, or their reactions. Remain transparent. And take them at their word. If they really are trustworthy then they'll be willing to explain, or let you explain a misunderstanding without overreacting. It sounds oxymoronic, but for many of us (especially those of us diagnosed as adults) authenticity takes practice
@@discordmuch 🤗
I agree that an inability to understand, and a desire to find the “ real” meaning behind, the questions in these types of questionnaires and to be side tracked into “does this mean, why have they used these terms” and finding “I can’t answer this” is the truest test of being on the spectrum.
Yes, I always look for "hidden" meaning and end up tripping myself up.
Every time I take these I’m always like: “well I can’t answer that, it’s not specific enough!!” Anyways, psychiatrist said she thinks I have autism this morning. Haha.
For me it's not so much discovering the "real" meaning so much as it is the "actual" meaning, if that makes sense? It's more like - what the hell does this even mean?? The questions are apparently so poorly-worded that they are just unanswerable. Like someone wrote about liking "dates". Someone says ONE question - but I hear SIX possible choices - and all with different, and often mutually exclusive, answers. I just always thought it was a sign of my intelligent quick-thinking and their lack of control/facility with the language and with knowing what they want.
Exactly. There's always a few questions where I need to think it over and one question that leave me thinking "I have NO idea how to answer that".
I'm going to disagree with you there, because I'm not autistic and I feel the same about these kind of questions. How frequently is "frequently"? Does "fascinated" literally mean fascinated? What kind of situation is this question even referring to? N/A. N/A. N/A... The truth is I can answer any such questionnaire "correctly" to get whichever result I'm aiming for.
I was cleaning the kitchen while listening and gave you a range of 32-36. I have only watched one other video from you, which led me to your page and then this video.
Most or many comments are like us, sorta over-thinking but giving the best effort for accuracy. But for all the time I will dwell on a question, I am still usually one of if not the first one done. That blows my mind.
FWIW, the video before this was about 5 signs that we might have both ADHD and ASD. I was 5 for 5 on that video. I have known I am ASD for 15 yrs but only just discovered or realized the ADHD this last May. So you were late to be my revelation, but I appreciated another voice of commiseration. I like the folks like us that carry both traits, the relatedness is golden and the resultant personalities are interesting and often INFORMATIVE. So thank you again.
I scored 36 / 50 as well. Your ADHD / Autism video hit home for me. So much you say is how I am. I dont think anyone who knows me would disagree that I have ADHD, but the autism bit I'm actually intrigued by now.
I got 42. I’m both relieved and terrified. I’m almost 40 and just now starting to understand what has plagued me and my relationships with people my entire life. Thank you for your videos! They’re a spot of comfort on an otherwise turbulent ocean.
I'm 18 and got 41 on the test. Was diagnosed last year.
When I was first recommended this test as an indicator I was told "try not to think about the questions too deeply, go with more of a gut feeling"
hahahahaha
Wich is about the silliest thing to say about it.
Yeah that's not how our brains work. I had a vicious 30 minute argument with my dad the other night over the meaning of a single sentence in my carpentry apprenticeship assessment guide, which I argued was ambiguous. I'm not diagnosed, but come on.... I must be autistic, I have no other explanation for why I feel like an alien lifeform, and have to manually learn to do things that are instinctual for others. Why is it that I am physically incapable of making eye contact? Why do I have weird and sometimes gross compulsive habits that I can't stop myself from doing? Why do I talk nonstop around others when there's one or two people, but I shut down when there's more people? Why is it that I find myself getting stuck and having to physically fight to keep sentences down that I know will sound weird and why does that effort take all of my concentration as I try to figure out if I should or shouldn't say it? I don't have sensory issues that I'm aware of, although some random annoyances can make me lose my shit.
I hate that as a response. I always want to say my gut told me to ask for clarification.
If given directions that included ‘drive a while, make a left, then after a tic make another, after a bit you’ll reach it, can’t miss it’, I doubt they’d find their ‘gut’ as an adequate response for clarification.
I love your response to the wording of these questions. I have such a hard time with these types of questionars because they never leave room for subtilty and specifics. I usually find that either no answer or all answers seem to apply to me.
I took this test with you and him and I scored a 42 on it. I think each time I have taken a test that I have come across I begin to understand the questions better and strangely enough my score also reflects what I knew all along, just had no idea what it was that made me different for most of my life. I do not know why most of the autism videos seem to be with British people and I totally relate and yet I live here in the USA. I like all of these videos, and am learning more and more, but it just makes that much more aware that I have always been, just did not understand. It is like I have been living a life in my own little world. Thank you for your videos.
I’ve been questioning if I might be autistic for the longest time and then always convinced myself I’m just making it up, but this video reallyyyy makes me think there’s something to it. Seeing your thought process in how you talked about each question, analyzing them in the same way I do when I take the tests, and almost all your answers were the same as mine (including the caveats you added). It’s super validating to know that my experiences match up so closely to a person who already knows they’re autistic. Thank you for this!!!
Same here.
Ditto.
I scored a 37. I’m 56 and just finding this out. It explains much of my childhood To bad they didn’t know about this back then in the 60ies. Thank you.
Same! I'm 59 and just scored 34.
@@hibiscusfreak I'm 56, with a score of 34
I just got 37 and I'm 51, not diagnosed though!
I was in my mid fifties when I scored a 42 - finally consulted with a psychiatrist relative (not a formal office visit - so no insurance recorded dx) I’ll be 70 next month - I must say knowing I’m autistic has helped me a lot and that I feel so much better about myself now.
I'm 54 and I scored a 37 this time. My 22-year-old niece was recently diagnosed, and I had just been talking to my sister about how she and I have such similar personalities, and so that (and other things) made me wonder about myself enough to seek out a test (or actually 3 different online tests, just to get other opinions). I'm considering talking to a therapist about it.
my entire family and I engage test taking this exact same way you did this one, we were all talking about it the other day - we are all incredibly insightful but think about things in a weird way that makes multiple choice test taking borderline impossible. It's like the people making the tests did not take into consideration all of the ways their wording can be taken. and if you're on the spectrum, the last thing you are doing is thinking about things in obvious and conventional ways. So as a result you get misdiagnosed and/or make terrible grades throughout schooling years.
I was recently diagnosed with ADHD, at 48 years old. Mt step son moved in last year and he is autistic/ADHD, and I have been completely surprised at how similarly we behave. I liked this list that you have put out here, as I ticked off almost every single one. Thank you for representing women and for being so open.
Can I just say I found it extremely satisfying to listen to you analyse these questions, as it is exactly like what goes through my mind when doing these sort of tests. It was like hearing your inner monologue out-loud. I was diagnosed with ADHD less than a year ago at 27, but since also looked into ASD in women and...I can definitely relate a lot.
This is exactly how I'm feeling watching this! I've been diagnosed (with significant effort from myself, most people I know assume I'm quite neurotypical) with add, mdd, anxiety disorder but I still don't feel like I have a real grasp of how my brain works. I'm starting to open up to the idea that I'm possibly on the spectrum, at 29.
Hey! I'm in the same boat! Mid 20s, just got diagnosed adhd, now wondering if autism might also be a label that describes me. Good luck in your journey!
The questions are difficult to answer if you're at all intelligent. Your running assessment of the test has given me more insight into my possible neurology than that test alone would have. And yes, I've also noticed the tone of the test, as I do when people condescend to me for my endearing oddness. I find this video helpful, so, thank you!
If someone is struggling to socialize, they can process their discomfort in a number of ways. They can attribute it to the situation or blame themselves.
Person A: "That was boring and awkward. I really hate making small talk. I'm such an introvert."
Person B: "That was boring and awkward. If only I'd thought of something interesting to say! Now they probably think I'm boring."
I made it my responsibility from a young age to eliminate small talk because based on what I read in books/heard from others, I assumed nobody else liked it either! But that made me come off to some people as inappropriate in a "crazy" way rather than an "awkward" way.
33 points on this one, today, thank you for talking about this. Currently in process of investigation of my anxiety, and been talking to psychologist and been doing a lot of tests like these last years because of that, and I have felt they are difficult to answer on too, and sitting at home being anxious about me complicating all questions and answers and ending up getting wrong result on this investigation because of maybe not answering how it really is because it depends and all of that, no matter what result it actually will be, both alternatives scares me they when they might be wrong. I don't want a diagnose if I am not, but if I am I believe it would probably be best to have one. This is so stressful. But watching this was helping me feeling a bit calmer about it for some reason. Like things was making more sense.
I can really relate to this
As someone who got 3/50 and has been formally diagnosed with autism, I find this test quite funny. Additionally, I tricked my mom into taking the test (although she did guess halfway through that it was autism related) and she got 13/50, and she isn't even diagnosed with autism. It did work for another friend I have though, who is also autistic and tested 28/50, so who really knows how reliable this test is. My mom had the audacity to accuse me of flubbing answers, but I'm probably the most (brutally) honest member of this family.
I have an autism diagnosis (and very likely ADHD too, undiagnosed) and I have taken this test many times because I often struggle to relate to "being autistic." I consistently score in the range of "unlikely" to "possibly," never "likely." I'm still not really sure whether I have autism but these kind of videos (and the comments on them) make me believe much more that I do, specifically with all the more obscure but very consistent behaviors that I relate to. Now that I understand that I probably also have ADHD, it means I understand a lot of the things that I always felt didn't make me autistic, because of the way they interact with each other.
I am doubting the reliability of the quiz a bit as well because I scored 43, like I suspected that I have some degree of autism but I thought it was more unobtrusive, and I haven't even been formally diagnosed yet (waiting on an assessment) 😭✋
i think when i did it the test said that even if you get a low score you may still be autistic. and that the only thing it can do is confirm those that get a certain score are probably autistic. which is just a bad way of testing for something
I got 34/50 when I took the test last month.
I read a suggestion that you should answer the questions based on what you *think* they're asking, rather than what they actually say. For instance; the party Vs library question and the theatre Vs museum question are essentially the same, i think. Questioning if you'd prefer to experience things in a group/social setting, or do your own thing in peace. But we're likely to pick it apart, ie: "well there's no library near where I live, so I guess I don't prefer going because I simply don't go". They're so vague and confusing 😅
I didn't realise focusing on a specific part (like the word "frequently") was also an autistic thing 😅 It took a hugely long time to do the quiz after picking apart and reinterpreting the questions in many ways
Rebekah Unsworth I now understand why I require extended time on exams.
I am always trying to figure out what they mean. I actually like being included in a group, and I don't mind listening to chit chat, but I am terrible at small talk. I like going to the cinema, but I don't like big crowds, so if it's really crowded, it's overwhelming and uncomfortable. It's not that I don't like being around people, it's just easier and less painful to be by myself. I'm not in fear of doing things wrong.
Does this questionnaire originate in the USA in which case Theater means cinema (in which case no for me) or U.K. in which case theatre means to see a play in which case I cannot choose between theatre and museum since I really like both a lot ?? Who knows....?
I also got 34/50 and I´m wondering for quite a while now, if I am autistic or not... It would explain why I feel so drained out and why I don't enjoy going in public places and so on... It would also explain all my difficulties as a child and why I find it so easy to draw and paint for hours, but am not able to keep my room clean or have a "relaxed" phone call...
So yeah... Maybe I'll ask a doctor, what he thinks, when my exhaustion gets worse...
@@tracik1277 probably I dunno what the us be smoking but yea theater = Cinema
Great video, thank you. I have my assessment coming up in two weeks. I scored 45 on the test. I enjoyed listening to your comments on the AQ. The first ASD assessment questionnaire I had to fill in was a set of printed pages. I scrawled all over them, between the answer boxes, in the margins, trying to explain why I couldn't answer in a straightforward way. I also pointed out errors in spelling and grammar! You are quite right to suggest awarding points for this type of response! I also enjoyed hearing you speak. It helps to see and hear people who have been diagnosed.
Your responses were so enlightening. I ask all those types of questions regarding questions!
It takes me forever to fill out questionnaires!
Glad I'm not the only one who struggled with the grey areas of these questions!
I have some very strong feelings about this test! I think it's a pile of crap! Having been made to do it a number of times and arguing about the questions because WTF do you prefer going to the library or a party?????!!!? Or are you fascinated by numbers or dates!!!???? I have questions for the person who created this test. I am autistic but I don't like numbers but I am very interested in other things. It's not about what you are interested in i.e numbers, trains, dates. It's the level of the interest you have among many other things. Rant over!
Laura Jaine I agree, for the most part. But I think the tests are written by people from the outside looking in, or “observing” autistic people, so the questions are going to tend to be more stereotypical and not from a first person perspective. I do think that they could consult autistic people or autistic professionals... that would help a great deal, I believe.
But on the library vs. party question, I break it down like this - what do those things tend to represent? A library typically represents quiet, study, reading, solitude, etc. whereas a party would most often represent a loud, crowded, chaotic environment. So forgetting the particular examples or buildings for a moment, which would be preferred? For me, it’s the library environment. I do happen to like the library anyway, but still, in what they represent, I am more of a library type person too.
I agree that for the interests question, they should ask if we have a level of interest in particular things that tends to be more intense than other people, but they could still give examples - but definitely not just give the example as the actual question.
The trains one really irritated me cause that’s SUCH a stereotype
I love this answer. "I have questions for the person who created this test." was such a brilliant line. I just imagine them surrounded by a crowd of annoyed autistic people (especially women) demanding explanations for every single question.
Them seeing you struggling with the questions like that probably also is diagnostic. Kinda like in healthcare when we want to count your breaths we say, "now I'm going to listen to your heart" otherwise you change your breathing pattern. Heh
The numbers part makes me so angry! I hate numbers, they stress me out, but I LOVE anything related to learning languages, I learned 4 by myself (5-ish if you count the one I'm learning now), that's my special interest. I always get low scores on these tests 'cause they always focus on numbers, it's dumb
I did this test before with a psychologist and scored significant. I did the same thing as you did now, questioning the questions and explaining the two sides and asking clarification on them...never thought the barrage of questions and blabbering I did could count as an autistic trait on its own.
This was one of the tests the psychologist gave me in November-still waiting for the results.
And when I told him most of the tests looked familiar, he looked startled, and asked, "Why didn't you tell me that?"
"I just did!" I replied.
I think there is one definite thing they should erase from this test and it's the hearing sensitivity question. First of all some people are deaf or have hearing impairment so that's not fair to them, and secondly why focus on one sense? They should make it an overall question like "I get easily annoyed by sound, texture, colours, lights, taste...etc" I'm so annoyed when I see hearing question cause I have an hearing impairment so therefore, no I do not hear sounds that other people can't hear.. But I can easily get annoyed with sounds even though technically I hear less of it ...so that question should be asked differently in my opinion.
I found this question relatable as I have a visual impairment and found the questions related to sight difficult to answer, for example the questions about reading facial expressions.
An overall question is also problematic since some people have certain senses which are more sensitive than others. Like I'm not a picky eater (besides being vegan) and I don't have a problem with different textures, but I do hate loud noises.
yes! it also doesn’t recognize how some people with autism can be under sensitive to sensory input
They would not give me enough days to take the test.
Same for me with other sense related questions.
Noticing details?
Well yes, if we are talking about smells or sounds or taste. But visual details? I might somtetimes stumble upon some funny detail that nobody else noticed, but thats more of a fluke really. Most days you could put a naked person in front of me and I wouldnt notice, unless I smelled or heard them.
Same with picturing something in your head.
If we are talking actual visual picutes, no.
But I can imagine all kinds of smells and recall almost every smell I ever encountered. Im also really good imagining, remembering and mimicking sounds, almost like a parrot.
But I have a hard time actually imagining a picture and I cant remember a face even if my life depends on it.
Spending one’s life trying to find a way of saying things without unexpectedly offending people.
This. I cannot overemphasize how much I agree with this... Feeling? Experience? Situation?
The older I get, the less I worry about offending people. Not in a vulgar way, I'm talking about being honest. I think that comes with age and/or experience. I find it a challenge to talk to children sometimes. It is important to be honest, but not a good idea to be blunt or exceptionally graphic when talking with children.
@spacewolfcub - but that may have to do with what kind of people are around you. If someone's just waiting for a slightest hint on your part to ignite theatrically, arguably that's not a sign of your lack of sensitivity :-)
@@cward1954 Have an upvote from me :-) Absolutely true. Just speaking of children, some are tough from a young age. I have one example around - who knew what the word "irony" meant before he could pronounce it properly (aged 3-4 I guess). At the moment he's thirteen, watching the Simpsons in a loop, and never missing a chance to cast a playfully, affectionately offensive remark my way. He has yet to learn to be more subtle, but he's often "killing" already. He's a great young lad...
I find these tests really hard/frustrating because of the ambiguity that you mention! im so glad to find that other people do too
I found your analysis of the test questions most interesting and most helpful in getting at actual autistic traits. When I took the test I looked at the questions like you did, almost as if we were comparing notes.
I found most intelligence tests like this. First you have to assess what the questioner might be thinking, then answer accordingly. But you have to guess since the questioners are typically out of their league, yet don’t realize it.
My daughter was Diagnosed with level 1 ASD it took 7 months , she is 30 years old. When she was younger the doctors said she might have adhd. She was in a special ed class at school . I had no idea there were different levels of autism. I have learned so much from your videos you are a very kind. When she was a child and had problems, I could relate to what she was going through I told her many times that she was just like me when I was growing up. She is high functioning has a house, son , car a good job. She has some bad melt downs. She does not like talking to people . so she's not getting help . I have told her about your videos . She is sure I have it too. So I talked to a psychiatrist. She said since I function she does not think I have Autism. I think I do without a doubt. After my daughters was diagnosed with autism it has brought us closer. It has answered all these questions I have had for many years. I really thought I was bat shit crazy my whole life . It was very nice to find out I'm not. You and her have so much in common. You are close in age. Diagnosed close to the same age. both pretty and blond. Your videos are very helpful. Thank you
My psychiatrist almost misdiagnosed me because I didn't have enough criteria but I was with almost every question: Umm... what? but it depends, those are open questions with multiple answers!
I love the way you concider each question!! 😎