I think it varies a lot. I went to a neuropsychologist in the USA and had four appointments total. First there was a one hour interview to present my case, so to speak (tell him how I self-diagnosed). Then there were two appointments for actual testing, with intelligence tests, a personality test, and god knows what else, which took five hours. After all the tests were evaluated, there was a follow-up interview where he told me the results and diagnosis ("mild Asperger's). I've yet to receive the written report.
I'll PM you the answer to that Theory of Mind question!
(kidding)
... there might be a ToM question though, I got one.
When I was being evaluated, the guy asked me about the meanings of several metaphors. I don't think I understood a single one of them. I think he thought my eye-contact/attention issues were worse than they really are, because I kept looking around at all the diagrams/posters he had on his walls about brain anatomy and stuff like that.
When I went back for another appointment to review the testing, the main doctor said that I had AS, but he didn't want to write it down in the report because I am not significantly disabled (i.e., the written diagnosis could potentially be more "disabling" than the actual condition). When I got my written report back a week or two ago, it says I have Nonverbal Learning Disorder. As far as I know NLD and AS are basically the same thing, so I don't know why he was more willing to write down one than the other.
When I was being evaluated, the guy asked me about the meanings of several metaphors. I don't think I understood a single one of them. I think he thought my eye-contact/attention issues were worse than they really are, because I kept looking around at all the diagrams/posters he had on his walls about brain anatomy and stuff like that.
When I went back for another appointment to review the testing, the main doctor said that I had AS, but he didn't want to write it down in the report because I am not significantly disabled (i.e., the written diagnosis could potentially be more "disabling" than the actual condition). When I got my written report back a week or two ago, it says I have Nonverbal Learning Disorder. As far as I know NLD and AS are basically the same thing, so I don't know why he was more willing to write down one than the other.
Rest assured they would have written down "AS" in the written report, if you had strong math skills.
This NVLD instead of AS thing, really pisses me off. NVLD should be a comorbid, not a substitute for AS, in any case.
When I was being evaluated, the guy asked me about the meanings of several metaphors. I don't think I understood a single one of them. I think he thought my eye-contact/attention issues were worse than they really are, because I kept looking around at all the diagrams/posters he had on his walls about brain anatomy and stuff like that.
When I went back for another appointment to review the testing, the main doctor said that I had AS, but he didn't want to write it down in the report because I am not significantly disabled (i.e., the written diagnosis could potentially be more "disabling" than the actual condition). When I got my written report back a week or two ago, it says I have Nonverbal Learning Disorder. As far as I know NLD and AS are basically the same thing, so I don't know why he was more willing to write down one than the other.
Rest assured they would have written down "AS" in the written report, if you had strong math skills.
I don't think so. I feel it is because I am female.
I've read up a bit on NVLD vs. AS and though they do seem nearly identical, the one glaring difference to me is that NVLD'ers are great auditory learners, and will remember what they hear, whereas Aspies tend to be more visual learners, and remember what they see. I'm female, good at math, definitely a visual learner, can't remember what I hear worth a damn (unless I write it down, at which point I'm converting it to visual form) and I'm diagnosed as an Aspie. FWIW.
I have superior auditory learning skills, but my visual learning abilities are also very strong. I am horrible at math (calculus mainly) because my abstract/theoretical thinking abilities are below average, as is my working memory.
I've read up a bit on NVLD vs. AS and though they do seem nearly identical, the one glaring difference to me is that NVLD'ers are great auditory learners, and will remember what they hear, whereas Aspies tend to be more visual learners, and remember what they see. I'm female, good at math, definitely a visual learner, can't remember what I hear worth a damn (unless I write it down, at which point I'm converting it to visual form) and I'm diagnosed as an Aspie. FWIW.
Maybe that takes me out of the NVLD category and puts me more in the AS category, then. I'm a horrible auditory learner--no exaggerations there. But I am a good visual learner.
However, here's the kicker, I'm terrible at Math.
2. Interview and IQ test. The IQ test also involved stuff on explaining metaphors and 'if X did Y to Z, what would Z do?" type questions which I think were Theory of Mind tests. The results from that basically came back that I was definitely SOMETHING, but not conclusive as to what. So then...
I had an IQ test 10 years ago that had these "picture boards" where you were shown pictures of people doing things--out of sequence--and you had to choose the right sequence of events, and I guess also explain what was happening in the pictures.
To do this--as I now think--you need to understand the motivations of the people depicted in the picture boards. And for that you need some Theory of Mind.
If I recall, I only got 2 out of 10 right, or something. It was pathetic.
I wonder if these "X did Y to Z" questions are along the same lines??
When I was being evaluated, the guy asked me about the meanings of several metaphors. I don't think I understood a single one of them. I think he thought my eye-contact/attention issues were worse than they really are, because I kept looking around at all the diagrams/posters he had on his walls about brain anatomy and stuff like that.
When I went back for another appointment to review the testing, the main doctor said that I had AS, but he didn't want to write it down in the report because I am not significantly disabled (i.e., the written diagnosis could potentially be more "disabling" than the actual condition). When I got my written report back a week or two ago, it says I have Nonverbal Learning Disorder. As far as I know NLD and AS are basically the same thing, so I don't know why he was more willing to write down one than the other.
Rest assured they would have written down "AS" in the written report, if you had strong math skills.
This NVLD instead of AS thing, really pisses me off. NVLD should be a comorbid, not a substitute for AS, in any case.
At least she was diagnosed as having NVLD. I'm pretty sure I have Asperger's after meeting two such people in real life and reading lots of material on it online, yet the psychologist in question told me there was nothing found in the test and I'm just "gifted" (IQ of 137). Even though she knows that I tend to hyperfocus (put your mind temporarilly in a special mode where you can perform better than usual), she somehow doesn't seem to see the possibility that this hyperfocussing in combination with years of practice and algorythmic logics (I do have a talent for maths) can mask many of my limitations IN SPITE OF my telling her about my suspicions of Asperger's and explaining how all knowledge of social behavior was learned algorythmically and didn't come instinctively. Somehow my behavior and past illustrate Asperger's but not my test results.
I don't think a talent for Math would make you better at socializing than those of us--like me--who are learning disabled in that area.
All people with Asperger's, irrespective of talent areas, have to learn socializing analytically--through observation of patterns.
I don't think a talent for Math would make you better at socializing than those of us--like me--who are learning disabled in that area.
Not maths in general, but a talent for mathelatical/algorythmic logic can ease the analysis and processing of social behavior.
All people with Asperger's, irrespective of talent areas, have to learn socializing analytically--through observation of patterns.
Correct. However, the more logically you think the better you can analyse the situation and recognise the patterns. Mathematical/algorythmic logic is the purest and most abstract form of logic.
I don't even know what algorthymic logic is.
I'm still disgusted that you think Aspies "gifted" in logic/math areas are better able to socialize than those who are not--like me.
I'm not very appreciative of your "Aspiecentric" thinking, to be blunt.
I'm sorry. I did not wish to offend you or anyone else.
You don't offend me, but if I can be honest, people like you make me jealous. Which is not your fault.
I've been trying to figure out why I have this constant urge to compare myself to other people. And when I compare myself to a gifted person, I seem to tell myself "I'm defective crap." Then, I sometimes react in a negative way. So this is why I haven't been that "nice" to you. Although, I am in the wrong.
This is something I really need to get to the bottom of.
There are kids of 10 years old with more experience than that. Still, it is a world where I feel comfortable in
Is it that these 10 year old kids with such precocious experience have superior brain wiring, or... what's behind it, really?
Everyone tends to feel a tad jealous with regards to people who can do some things better. I used to get jealous about those guys who could get every girl they want or those people who could make it through university without studying. In my opinion, a part of growing up is accepting your own flaws and focussing on your strengths. We all have our strengths.
It's not a problem of being a "tad jealous." My problem is extreme. I have punished myself in self-destructive ways because of my perceived (and at least partly real) inability across many "areas."
The deal with me is that learning problems (and actual learning disability, although people around me can't tell if it's a specific LD, or executive dysfunction that's acting like LD) control my life and I cannot do anything about it. I can't say "go away, learning disability. Come to me, giftedness." I have no such option.
And, essentially, nobody in this rat-race of society gives two craps about my profound inability. As long as I don't interfere in their quest for a college degree, a pretty girlfriend, a $50k+ job, and an expensive car... they do not care, they go about their day planning "what to do about the GREAT ME with MY academic gifts and MY GREAT POTENTIAL" and they thank God that there are cognitively disabled people like me they can trample over. It makes it easier for them. In the rat race, the learning disabled are definitely the kind that gets smashed at the bottom of the herd--and discarded by the society, as we have no valuable skills.
That's the problem. There's no place to put someone like me... well, expect some rather unsavory places. Like s**t jobs. We get stuck with crap jobs that pay almost nothing, and are expected to form a self-image that essentially says "I cannot do anything, society does not value me, and yet, I'll still be happy because we are all made in God's image."
What if, as a learning disabled human being, I choose NOT to form that positive self-image? Is there a way out from that? Is there a way to become gifted and get rid of this "I can't do anything but I'm still special because every human being is special" stuff?
Do I ask for too much? Am I unrealistic in that desire?