Asperger’s Syndrome
Posted in News/Info on 11/21/2006 02:12 pm by enjanerdI just took a quiz to find my Autism Spectrum Quotient. Score: 34.
I told Sonny a while back that he probably had Asperger’s but didn’t even consider that I might. This is what DSM-IV has to say about Asperger’s:
A.Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:
(1) marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction
(2) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
(3) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people)
(4) lack of social or emotional reciprocityB.Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:
(1) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
(2) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
(3) stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)
(4) persistent preoccupation with parts of objectsC.The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
I always felt like I had some kind of social deficiency. I had considered social anxiety, but I was never nervous about social situations and meeting new people. I was mostly apathetic and uninterested in making smalltalk with strangers.
11/21/2006 at 3:34 pm
crap. This sounds like me too(and your sister). Maybe that explains why me and slumlord are friends. We’re both screwed up.
11/21/2006 at 3:39 pm
can’t edit comments. I got a 37. woe is me
11/21/2006 at 4:20 pm
*Awesome*
This really explains a lot about my life. No wonder we all get along so well. It’s ok when we’re rude to each other because none of us have feelings. And then we can be friends again later when there are video games to be played.
11/21/2006 at 5:23 pm
hrm.. this whole thing is very interesting. For example, I can’t hold grudges. I can be angry and wish bad things to happen to someone but it never lasts more than 24 hours. I’ve tried to hold grudges but I just can’t. I wonder if I can get officially tested somewhere? Maybe get some tips on how not to be rude and apathetic when people talk to me.
11/21/2006 at 10:20 pm
A few years ago, I did a few some freelance editing for the Autism Society of America. After reading through the booklets and materials I was working on, I was convinced I feel somewhere less than reassuring on the autism spectrum. I was then told by one of my contacts there that when you break it down, pretty much every one of us is autistic to one degree or another. I’m not sure she made me feel better with that comment …
11/22/2006 at 7:46 pm
Yeah, some of the sites I read about autism made it sound like everyone is autistic to some degree. But I thought this quiz was kind of showing people where they were on the autism bell curve.