Oh, hey there, do you remember last year when all everybody did all day was take quizzes on Facebook, and it clogged up your News Feed and was super-annoying?And then suddenly, one day, everyone just stopped doing that and it was like the rain stopped and there was a rainbow and Noah released a couple of doves.
Then suddenly, late Sunday night, it started again. A quiz spread among our friends like a zombie virus: the "Autism Spectrum Quotient Test."
We had to know two things: 1) Oooh! Ooooh! What's our score?! And 2) Just how accurate is this thing anyway?
So we decided to contact an expert: Dr. Bob Sears, pediatrician and author of "The Autism Book: What Every Parent Needs to Know About Early Detection, Treatment, Recovery and Prevention."
According to Dr. Sears, the quiz is more than just a silly Facebook quiz (e.g., "Would You Survive a Zombie Apocalypse?").
"As a pediatrician, I routinely screen every baby at 18 months and 2 years of age using a questionnaire similar to the Autism Spectrum Quotient Test," he told Lemondrop. "In fact, the test I use for children in my office was also created by Baron-Cohen [the author of the adult test]." So, there is some credence to the quiz but, of course, there's more ...
Dr. Sears says that the questionnaire written by Simon Baron-Cohen is just a screening test and is not meant for diagnosis. Screening tests are meant to catch anyone who may have a problem. According to Sears, "Most people who fail such tests won't actually have autism. They may be a little quirky, but when they move on to full diagnostic testing, most people won't actually be found to have autism." So, just because maybe the author of this article scored a 37 doesn't necessarily mean she has Asperger's, for example. She might just be very good with numbers, have an excellent memory and experience panic attacks at social gatherings. Big whoop.
According to the notes about the quiz itself, which probably don't get read too often, "This questionnaire does not claim to tell you whether you are or are not autistic. The reason for its use on Facebook is to raise awareness of the Autism Spectrum Quotient and to demonstrate the complexity of the issue."
That's a sentiment Dr. Sears echoed: "I believe that this adult screening test will remind some of us adults that we are a little odd, have some quirky habits, are maybe a little introverted, have a little bit of OCD, have a little bit of OCD and have a little bit of OCD. But this test should not be viewed as an indicator of autism."
And now you know. As for why people are compelled to take such a quiz, we're guessing it's because it's fun to click on stuff on the Internet.













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Thursday 28 October
By Angie
Putting this on facebook as a little quiz is so disrespectful for people dealing with Autism on a daily basis. All this does is make people that dont know much about autism think that it is nothing. The spectrum is so wide from Asperger syndrome, High functioning Autism to classic Autism ( severe Autism ). My grandson has classic Autism he can not talk and has loads of sensory issues. He can not be left alone at any time he does not understand dangers within the home or in the outside world. People can be so cruel with the glares, and false judgement. Life in this world is scary enough without this type of rubbish getting put out. next you may decide to put one out about epilepsy as they have no difficulty functioning in their everyday lives. ( as long as they take their tablets ) Its just easier to pick on an already vulnerable group. They should be all seperated instead of clumping Asperger syndrome, High functioning Autism & classic Autism together as one on a massive spectrum.
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Saturday 30 October
By c
SHUT UP, THIS IS WHY AMERICA IS GOING DOWN THE DRAIN...PEOPLE LIKE YOU! OH YOU HURT MY FEELINGS, OH YOU CAN DO THIS, OH YOU CANT DO THAT...JUST SHUT UP!
Saturday 30 October
By tina
I disagree. This test makes more people aware of autism. Autism Awareness??? The autism spectrum is broad. Many people may not be aware they are even on it. This may help them. Get over yourself and stop playing victim everytime you hear the word.
Saturday 30 October
By Okakopa
Angie, You are so right the idea that they would even consider this so called test is a slap in the face to those on the spectrum. I have two grands on it. Both are high functioning but still have problems. The one was not diagnosed until she was 12 years old and the other at about age 5. Would that there were a simple single test and as simple an answer and help. The other thing that irritates me is those that claim they have "cured" their children...how do you cure a problem like this...you don't you learn to adjust and live with it. Ineed tos top now or I will be writing all day. I jsut wish that people really understood the condition.
Saturday 30 October
By Angie
My Autism Spectrum Quotient is 23.
I've calculated my Autism Spectrum Quotient as 23, which is above average. Most women score about 15 and most men about 17. Most people with Asperger Syndrome or high-functioning autism score about 35. However, many who score above 32 and even meet the diagnostic criter...ia for mild autism or Asperger's have no difficulty functioning in their everyday lives.
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Thursday at 7:36pm via The Autism Spectrum Quotient Test · Comment · LikeUnlike · Calculate your Autism Spe
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Saturday 30 October
By megatalker
I think the quiz is a good thing. I am a speech-language pathologist and I work with children with autism everyday. I find that many people have heard the word "autism" before, but they don't know what it means. This quiz shows people the kinds of characteristics persons on the spectrum exhibit. I agree with family members who say the quiz seems to make light of their struggles (which are HUGE). However, I think the fact that the quiz informs people about autism and creates a curiosity that may not have been there before, is very important. Families impacted by autism need compassion and understanding from the communities in which they live. This quiz is a tiny first step in that direction.
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Saturday 30 October
By BDR
As a Mom of a 19 year old with autism, I totally agree. We are not offended by the survey. I agree that it just helps awareness of the many characteristics of the spectrum. I scored and 11, but I think it's because I knew what they were fishin' for! ;0
Saturday 30 October
By Angie
above is the results a facebook freind got from the QUIZ.
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Saturday 30 October
By Angie
above are the results of a facebook friend who took the QUIZ
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Saturday 30 October
By Alice
i thought it was a nice quiz. i don't see how it can be disrespectful. i got a score of 30. i thought it was a great, now people might be more interested in it after taking the test and might get more understanding.
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Saturday 30 October
By zenangel924
As a person with autistic spectrum disorder, I knew this quiz was acurate, cause it's what I was diagnosed with. All my fellow autistic friends on facebook have had fun taking it too.
Personally I think a lot of people taking it on facebook might be a useful thing because I was not diagnosed early enough in life to cope with certain AS issues, so at least some people might manage to check themselves over earlier, something I wish happened to me. Also it might help people gain a bit more awareness of AS and perhaps learn not to mock autistics they might see in life, just cause they're a bit ecentric and 'weird'.
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Saturday 30 October
By Courtney
This quiz is extremely hurtful and disrespectful to those of us that live with Autism everyday. It marginalizes the enormity that Autism has on the individual and families dealing with this life long neurological disoreder. If you are curious about Autism, spend some time with 1 in the 110 families diagnosed with this....because let's face it 2 minutes after you finish the quiz you go on with your life Autism free and we are still living it for real.
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Saturday 30 October
By Mrs Tate
I don't hink that anyone who took the quiz thought anything negative. It is a curiousity that we all have. If anything, I thought it brought more attention and awareness to the condition. Don't take it personally. I suppose we can compare it to a quiz that ask family history questions about breast cancer. There is no name calling or derogatory remarks. Maybe just one person taking the quiz can have some insight of something undiagnosed that they have been struggling with and can raise questions to their doctor.
Saturday 30 October
By CB luke
the Quiz??? good or bad I think most people know very little about autisim until it hits someone you love-awareness is more important than any thing- take some time do some research-learn about it talk about it-my son with autism is so smart it just took us some time to get the doors unlocked-If this is away to get people to take some time and try to understand something that hits 1 in 130 kids- it is a good thing. thank you!!!!!
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Saturday 30 October
By chinoloco23
Did a 12 yr old write this? who writes in this manner? "do you remember last year when all everybody did all day was take quizzes on Facebook, and it clogged up your News Feed and was super-annoying?" wow aol.... you really need to get some adults to write your stories!
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Saturday 30 October
By Ross
This test is actually accurate. I took it and it diagnosed my Aspgergers Syndrome. So I believe that whoever made this test actually knew what they were doing.
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Saturday 30 October
By Sarah
The author and a lot of people posting are acting pretty self-righteous about such a small issue. It's a quiz on Facebook. Is Facebook meant to change the world or produce the cure for cancer? No. It's a social networking site meant to connect people and allow said people to vent, complain, joke, and basically waste time. The idea that anyone is judging people for taking a quiz on Facebook is ridiculous.
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Saturday 30 October
By Bull head
Smkall issue? Perhaps to you but to those of us with family that have been diagnosed for real and not from some idiot quiz on the internet really know and feel the pain of life with someone on the spectrum. As a grandmother of two on the spectrum daily life for our girls is so hard and misunderstood. The spectrum is no small thing as it is a way of life for the girls and will be so until they die.
Saturday 30 October
By angel
i think it is great that we live in a time when children can be diagnosed at an early enough age that thereapies, meds, can really be beneficial. However, i have noticed that so many people have a child, or know someone with a child, that has been diagnosed as autistic. So many people I have heard have said about a child "he/she is a little bit autistic". A little bit? you either are or you aren't. I think that people have really gone overboard and the med companies and mental health people are making a killing off of people's fears. i think some teachers dont know how to handle a child who is a "little differant from the norm" and label the child. Sometimes a kid is just being a kid, and will eventually grow up and out of the behavior(s). I am not making light of autism but feel too many people are going overboard to label a child and that does not do a child any good either.
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Saturday 30 October
By tfarnon
I scored a 40. I know that I land somewhere on the spectrum between uber-geek/super-nerd and high-functioning Asperger's. I always have. But it doesn't mean much to me, it doesn't change my mental landscape, and it doesn't change anything in my life. It doesn't even have any explanatory power beyond that which I already knew: that this is who and what I am.
I was fortunate in that I had parents who simply allowed me to simply be the odd person I have been since birth, rather than get all wound up and try to change me into a very socially-oriented, huggy-kissy, glad-handing person. My parents allowed me to spend hours with my chemistry set and my rock collection. And my brother and I spent hours building stuff with Erector and Lego sets and inventing things because we are both rather odd individuals.
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