Autism Spectrum Quotient - imposter syndrome

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a search function for this forum, so it isn't easy to see if this has been discussed. If it has, I'm sorry, please point me to an appropriate thread, and I'll go there.

I've taken the ASQ test  ( https://embraceasd.com/autism-spectrum-quotient-asq/ ) several times over the past decade or so, and score between 22 and 26 - which puts me well below the level at which it is likely for there to be a diagnosis of ASD. Hence my mention of 'imposter syndrome' in the title - I don't think that I am high enough on the scale to belong here.

However, the reason I am writing is that I'm interested in where I can find discussions, and recommendations for people who are sub-clinical. Quite a lot of technical people, scientists, mathematicians and similar, score in this range. Quite a lot of people I interact with at work score in this range.

There doesn't seem to be anywhere for such people to discuss what is not a pathological problem, but is an unusual, possibly atypical, maybe even neuroatypical, response to, and interaction with, the world.

Please could you let me know if there is such a place. 

  • yes, some of the big things (diagnostic criterion) with autistic folk is lack of self awareness, not comprehending things fully so it's entirely possible and probable that you may not be answering the question quite as accurately as you believe ansd thus not receiving and appropriate score. For what it is worth I had no idea I was autistic for most of my life, and had got so used to trying to conceal myself and not be revealed that most of my responses geared around what i thought I should I should answer< It wasn't until I read the book by Tony Attwood, The Complete Guide to ... that it all fitted together.

  • You really need to get a second opinion on this. I used to think I had no sensory issues, and I still think I don't have very many. However, I have begun to realise that I do have some. I certainly have some features which are not stereotypical e.g. I am not very mathematical or "logical".

  • Admittedly, I left doing the various online tests until rather late in life; but I was still overwhelmed by the evidence I started to accumulate after doing the ASQ a few times. Each time I do the ASQ, I try to be just a little more critical of my own previous responses; but the result still doesn't seem to change very much. Three years after diagnosis, and four since self-identification, I'm still dredging up some highly-significant events in my life. I initially examined very early events in my life. And I'm still seeing further evidence from that time. AND at each time of my life since.

    I also find much to agree with, with the other posters here. And yet I remain skeptical on a daily basis. The cycle of rejection and acceptance hasn't gone away just yet. But as someone else said around here recently, people rarely go looking for answers unless there are numerous questions on their mind. By the end of each day, I have always come around to the realisation that there is an issue that cannot be ignored. And acceptance is a positive force. But that doesn't stop you from continuing to examine whether you are on quite the right track. You can always modify your acceptance, as you go along, if different sorts of evidence eventually turn up. But there is usually no real need to do a complete U-turn.

  • One thing to bear in mind is that you may be "masking". I scored 26 (from memory) when I first did the test, but now have an autism diagnosis and generally score around 39 if I do the test now. Try to answer questions according to what you would genuinely, in your heart of hearts, without interference from societal norms, prefer to do. If you can do that honestly (perhaps thinking back to how you would have behaved as a young child) you may be surprised.

  • Fustbarication - do the potential differences in interacting with the world affect you adversely? I think almost everyone could identify with some characteristics that can be associated with autism, but the issue for me is whether those characteristics, or the sum of the characteristics, is making you life more difficult than it should be. I guess something is niggling at you for taking that test so often?

  • Top right, on the same level as all your account details and notifications. It's not exactly conspicious, as the SEARCH label is slightly transparent; as is also the magnifying glass icon. I did get back some results for 'imposter' eventually, but I got zero results on my first search.

    It is a subject which has arisen on this forum a few times in the last 4 years. And quite a few high-profile people have recently come out as saying that it is something that they have experienced.

    I am interested in your post, as I sometimes think my 'senior' issues might actually owe a lot to feeling almost constantly like an imposter; even when things have gone fairly well in my life.

    It's early days for your post right now. You should get a lot more replies in a few hours time.