Do I possess a "Deviant Style of Gaze"??????

I have just been emailed this questionnaire to fill in on in relation to a student that I teach.  If you have a moment... read the questions.  Would you score yourself 20/27 or more?

The thread subject relates to Question 14!!

deviant
ˈdiːvɪənt/
adjective
  1. 1.
    departing from usual or accepted standards, especially in social or sexual behaviour.
    "deviant behaviour"
    synonyms: aberrantdeviating, divergentabnormalatypicaluntypicalnon-typicalanomalousdigressiveirregularnon-standard; More

Appendix II The High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ)

 

 (A score over 20 would indicate that the patient should be referred for detailed assessment).

This child stands out from other children of his/her age in the following way;

1      is old-fashioned or precocious

No

 

Somewhat

 

Yes

 

 

 

 

2      is regarded as an ‘eccentric professor’ by the other children

 

 

 

3      lives somewhat in a world of his/her own with restricted idiosyncratic intellectual interests

 

 

 

4      accumulates facts on certain subjects (good rote memory) but does not really understand the meaning

 

 

 

5      has a literal understanding of ambiguous and metaphoric language

 

 

 

6      has a deviant style of communication with a formal, fussy, ‘old-fashioned’ or ‘robot- like’ language

 

 

 

7      invents idiosyncratic words and expressions

 

 

 

8      has a different voice or speech

 

 

 

9      expresses sounds involuntarily; clears throat, grunts, smacks, cries or screams

 

 

 

10    is surprisingly good at some things and surprisingly poor at others

 

 

 

11    uses language freely but fails to make adjustments to fit social contexts or the needs of different listeners

 

 

 

12    lacks empathy

 

 

 

13    makes naïve and embarrassing remarks

 

 

 

14    has a deviant style of gaze

 

 

 

15    wishes to be sociable but fails to make relationships with peers

 

 

 

16    can be with other children but only on his/her terms

 

 

 

17    lacks best friend

 

 

 

18    lacks common sense

 

 

 

19    is poor at games; no idea of cooperating in a team, scores ‘own goals’

 

 

 

20    has clumsy, ill coordinated, ungainly, awkward movements or gestures

 

 

 

21    has involuntary face or body movements

 

 

 

22    has difficulties in completing simple daily activities because of compulsory repetition of certain actions or thoughts

 

 

 

23    has special routines; insists on no change

 

 

 

24    shows idiosyncratic attachment to objects

 

 

 

25    is bullied by other children

 

 

 

26    has markedly unusual facial expression

 

 

 

27    has markedly unusual posture

 

 

 

Specify reasons other than above:

Parents
  • I'm sorry to hear that you had a negative experience...

    I'm reading the list, saying Yes to each point (about myself), remembering the events which led to me losing my previous job and wishing I'd had the formal diagnosis earlier than this year.

    My line manager started asking me whether I'd read the company's policy on "Staring" and, on reflection and with the help of friends' explanations, I now realise 1. I was staring a lot without being aware of that, 2. People felt uncomfortable with the way I was staring, 3. Nobody at work was aware that I had Autism, so they didn't make any special allowances for my difference in social interaction/gazing etc, 4. I had no idea that the company didn't have a policy on "Staring" because I tend to take what others say very literally... I spent about 3 days searching the company's intranet for the Staring policy, I asked my peers, then asked other managers, before finally asking the manager who had raised the subject. (After all that, he simply said that there probably wasn't one, which confused me further... I was just trying to follow corporate procedure and carry out my line manager's instructions.)

    Things went downhill very quickly, as per usual when I start a new job, and I was not offered the position when my probation came to an end.... thank goodness for my diagnosis! I'm learning to express myself, explain my 'differences' and generally receive less judgmental, more understanding responses from people these days :-)

  • Thats terrible that you lost your job over staring. I think sometimes NTs just can't handle our differences and feel very uncomfortable with anyone that doesn't 'fit in' and often find the flimsiest excuses to reject us be it in the workplace or anywhere else. Glad things have been better for you since getting your diagnosis. I got mine recently (10 months ago) too but have only told a few select people. I'm a househusband so don't have to deal with ignorant bosses anymore but if I ever had a change in circumstances and had to return to the world of work I'd be quite worried about experiences like you have described.

Reply
  • Thats terrible that you lost your job over staring. I think sometimes NTs just can't handle our differences and feel very uncomfortable with anyone that doesn't 'fit in' and often find the flimsiest excuses to reject us be it in the workplace or anywhere else. Glad things have been better for you since getting your diagnosis. I got mine recently (10 months ago) too but have only told a few select people. I'm a househusband so don't have to deal with ignorant bosses anymore but if I ever had a change in circumstances and had to return to the world of work I'd be quite worried about experiences like you have described.

Children
  • Thanks Jonesy...

    Ironically, I felt quite shocked when I first received my diagnosis...(much better for it now!)

    How was it for you? 10 months is a relatively short time... I hope you're getting the support you deserve :-)

    I think it was a combination of things which led to me ending up on Mole Valley Council's scrap-heap, but I feel much more positive and confident in my current (temp) job and optimistic about future opportunities too...

  • I hope you're getting the support you deserve

    Sadly there are no services for adult aspies in Staffordshire at all unless you count Stoke on Trent which is the best part of an hours drive away. So all my support has to come from my family and a couple of friends whom I've told.  

    How was it for you?

    The process of getting a diagnosis was drawn out (although not as bad as some here have described) by them splitting it into 3 x 1 hour assessments which were stretched across 5 months so I was very relieved and elated to get my diagnosis. However once the initial euphoria of having been correct in my self diagnosis had worn off, I started to go through some quite depressive periods, something I am still experiencing now. I think I'm mourning for the normal me I have always wanted to be and tried to bend myself into but who now I know I can never be.

    Other than the work side how's it been for you Anna? 

  • Thanks Jonesy...

    I can relate to the ups and downs following diagnosis, but it was a relief not to have to kill myself trying to "fit in" or assimilate, pretend to be capable, pretend to understand, laugh when others laugh even though I didn't understand the joke, feel ashamed or embarrassed when I behaved impulsively, feel inadequate because I'm unable to carry out some tasks which most people seem to find very easy (like using public transport, for example) etc and best of all, I've learned self compassion, self acceptance and I'm learning more about my condition and how it affects me...

    I can't help being like this ;-)

    I'm still not able to communicate verbally very easily, but I am trying to explain some of my differences (sensory/executive function/inhibition regulation/motor and verbal tics) to neuro typical people so that, hopefully, I am less likely to offend, upset or confuse people who don't understand my (sometimes unusual) speech or behaviour...

    It's a journey!