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Theory of Mind

NAS78593

Hello all,

I have recently had three sessions with a clinical psychologist to explore whether difficulties I have had for as long as I can remember (depression, anxiety, intense social anxiety, difficulty maintaining relationships etc etc) might actually have an explanation, i.e. perhaps I am on the autistic spectrum.  

I approached this man in particular as his profile - on BUPA Finder - listed one of his specialisms as Autism Assessment.  I completed the Adult Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) and GADS questionnaires and I was told that I had 'autistic traits' but he could not go further than this - I would have to get an official assessment (which I thought I was getting but that is another story!).

The ambiguity of this has left me feeling quite confused and upset. 

However, from what I have researched, having issues around 'theory of mind' is fundamental to being autistic, and I don't think this is something I have difficulty with.  So, I was wondering if anyone would be willing to share real life examples of how difficulties with theory of mind might present itself/affect them?  

I should mention that I am a 44 year old woman.

Thank you so much.

Parents

  • speaks a lot of sense here. A recent paper by Atherton, Lummis, Day, and Cross (2019) actually found that autistic people excel in certain areas of theory of mind and that the wholesale 'deficit in theory of mind' is much too simplistic to reflect the evidence. This claim is also supported by Gernsbacher and Yergeau (2019). 

    Just like other traits of autism, we can better account for them (and do so without making value judgements) by understanding them as differences rather than deficiencies in theory of mind. Unfortunately, though, these theories will be and have been hard to dismiss considering our diagnostic criteria are pretty much based on them. 

  • in reply to SpaceOctopus
    SpaceOctopus said:
    Unfortunately, though, these theories will be and have been hard to dismiss considering our diagnostic criteria are pretty much based on them. 

    Yes I agree, the diagnostic criteria is based on neurotypical assumptions and not autistic lived experience.

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