I was never given a level. I scored 3 for social communication= classical autism level and 5 for social interaction = Asperger's level. That resulted in an Asperger's dx. In terms of 'support needs' I'd say level 1 on a good day/1.5 on an average day and 2 on a bad day.

How are you defining 'support' there though? That's the bit that's eluding me - the consensus defintion as to what comprises it. Is it formalised agency-regulated assistance? Family input when advice or emotional support is sought? Better self-care with rest? Something else? All of the above? The levels seem to leave implicated support as a nebulous concept with vague parameters.

For me it's help with daily practical tasks that the average NT takes in his/her stride. I've lost count of the number of times I've been seen in a bad light because I failed to live up to the expectation of 'You've done x well, so now you can do y well.' It's only been since moving in Sep 2017, to be near my stepdaughter and her family, that that long running boil on the butt has been lanced.

Ah, understood. I appreciate the clarification and that looks like a really interesting - and helpfully free/open access- study. 

I was putting into words . the reaction that I've had from many mental health professionals. As for average 'support' experience  I think I'm something of an 'outlier due to having a comorbid sz/sz-a diagnosis and quite a  significant adaptive functioning < IQ gap. Adaptive functioning not being up to the level that can reasonably be expected given a person's IQ is far from uncommon with ASD. It's not applicable to all autistic people though.

See https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aur.2081 '

Investigating the factors underlying adaptive functioning in autism in the EU-AIMS Longitudinal European Autism Project

But who specifically is it that's saying 'You've done x well, so...' ? - people formally assigned to help you, or just people you know like friends and family making casual commentary? If so, isn't that less support than abstract guidance and assumption/judgement? Sorry if I'm missing what should be obvious, but I'm genuinely struggling to understand what the average 'support' experience is for an 'aspererger's' person. I'm begining to relax a bit more that I still fit in here as I don't seem to be the only one not requiring an assigned professional or informal helper to do everyday things. And while I'm the first to admit I'm terrible about even beginning to organise things that arise as non-routine procedural necessities from time to time, I still ultimately am the one that overcomes the inertia and exec function challenges with effort to get there (occasionally after an advice-seeking  conversation with one of my parents, who shake their head at me lack of togetherness on these administrative/housekeeping/financial affair  things) That (being essentially independent, if inefficient and easily over-tired by clallenge) is not too uncommon an experience among people on here I hope?

But who specifically is it that's saying 'You've done x well, so...' ? - people formally assigned to help you, or just people you know like friends and family making casual commentary? If so, isn't that less support than abstract guidance and assumption/judgement? Sorry if I'm missing what should be obvious, but I'm genuinely struggling to understand what the average 'support' experience is for an 'aspererger's' person. I'm begining to relax a bit more that I still fit in here as I don't seem to be the only one not requiring an assigned professional or informal helper to do everyday things. And while I'm the first to admit I'm terrible about even beginning to organise things that arise as non-routine procedural necessities from time to time, I still ultimately am the one that overcomes the inertia and exec function challenges with effort to get there (occasionally after an advice-seeking  conversation with one of my parents, who shake their head at me lack of togetherness on these administrative/housekeeping/financial affair  things) That (being essentially independent, if inefficient and easily over-tired by clallenge) is not too uncommon an experience among people on here I hope?

Ah, understood. I appreciate the clarification and that looks like a really interesting - and helpfully free/open access- study. 

I was putting into words . the reaction that I've had from many mental health professionals. As for average 'support' experience  I think I'm something of an 'outlier due to having a comorbid sz/sz-a diagnosis and quite a  significant adaptive functioning < IQ gap. Adaptive functioning not being up to the level that can reasonably be expected given a person's IQ is far from uncommon with ASD. It's not applicable to all autistic people though.

See https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aur.2081 '

Investigating the factors underlying adaptive functioning in autism in the EU-AIMS Longitudinal European Autism Project