Autism assessment with moderately high IQ

The tests at http://antjuanfinch.com/ are quite good.

There is a confidence interval. A range within which your IQ is likely to be.

i did a example iq test... not a real one as you have to actually pay for a real one.
the example test i could barely answer a single question, they threw really complex maths questions in there. the level of maths that youd expect is beyond a advanced maths level, as if its degree university level advanced maths. they dont teach the stuff in regular school what they asked... they even seemingly made words up and asked what is a .... i forgot what it was but i never heard of the word before but a person who did advanced degree masters posh school university maths could probably tell what the word was because that stuff is only taught to the rich.

I am not good at maths yet have been given the high IQ. But you are right as people have their own type of intelligence and have so much to offer the world even if it is a lovely smile. I hate the hierarchy that is imposed in society. 

also is there a accountability for a deviation in IQ?

you say your 132 IQ.... why is that fixed like that?
if you retook the test and it had different questions you may not be able to answer them as correct or fast then you may get 120 iq... or you may answer better and faster and be 150 iq.... this is another flaw in iq tests and the concept of iq, because your iq cannot be fixed, it would be different each time. therefore it would need to be more a variable number range instead.

I have a high IQ. You might want to seek out a private assessor, which will cost, but usually they should at least give you a free chat first on the telephone or in person. You can research the private assessors available in your area and pick one that suits you. 

In my case I opted for someone that had good qualifications from a good university, I wanted a building I felt comfortable with so opted for someone taking assessments from a beautiful old fashioned building, with cafes nearby so I could get a coffee before hand and use the toilet so I could get myself ready before going to the assessment. I also planned to go to lunch after the assessment in order to make it a nice calm day, I did not choose my place for lunch before hand, but went a wander afterwards around town to walk off any stress and I went to a French style cafe, which was very nice. 

In the end, it gave me good memories of that day as, I enjoyed my coffee and then my walk around town and my nice French luncheon. I even dressed up nice to look formal for the occassion. I like to do things like that, It made the day better. 

A full assessment can be very expensive, so I told the assessor that it would be too expensive, so she agreed to a smaller amount for an hours chat and it that chat she said that I was autistic and she wrote out a very short report for me, and that was enough for me. Others may wish/need to go for a full assessment that costs much more. 

i dunno i dont believe in iq.... to me a high iq just means your really good at maths...because literally all that seems to be on iq tests is a constant barage of complicated maths questions, that are designed to make you have to work out and be pressured by the timer while having to work out a really long to work out math question.

if your bad at maths? ... then sorry cant do maths means 0 iq apparently as you may be unlucky to be hit with a hard maths question you cant answer and you dont wanna cheat by doing multiple choice selection and want to work it out yourself but you cant do it and the time runs out lol

so IQ doesnt exist anyway.

Thanks dude.

Owing to all the social f-ups i have mafe, i always considered i needed the anxiety to make me cautious. Not a healthy situation i guess.

I had the same thoughts and feelings before my assessment, which I had aged 48.

My IQ is in the 160s and I have been masking all of my life. Not always successfully masking though, which is why I eventually ended up going for assessment, as I have suffered from repeated "burn-out" which I now know is due to being autistic.

The psychologist, and then psychiatrist, both commented that my masking over the years was related to my high levels of articulation, plus the ability to analyse situations, and was what had most likely prevented diagnosis at an earlier stage. As a consequence I ended up being diagnosed as clinically depressed/anxious and have been treated as such since my late teens.

The depression/anxiety are most likely co-morbidities related to masking autism since childhood.

A good MH professional will take a detailed history and be able to make a diagnosis from that.

Catlover said:

There’s no need to mask during the assessment, and if you can turn it off, do so.

Thanks for posting ... turning it off is the challenge i suppose.

I am massively effective at masking too, as many of us are. Hence why from the outside, I sailed through school, college and worked full time jobs, had relationships, was married, had children etc all without being noticed. 
I was worried I might not be ‘seen’ during my assessment, but due to high levels of anxiety at the first appointment, my mask slipped several times.

By the time I had my in depth face to face interview I’d given up on trying to pretend. I was awkward. I hardly gave eye contact. I didn’t remove my coat. I fiddled with my hands, kept shifting in my seat etc etc. I even told them I was keen to drop my masking behaviour, so as to give myself a break and some acceptance. It was the first time I’d been brave enough to be just be me as much as possible without worrying what people would think, if they thought I was rude etc. I was asked how I felt, and I said it felt strange, but was a relief. I’m still doing it.

An assessment isn’t just about them seeing through masking behaviour. There’s a lot more to it. Just be as much ‘you’ as you can be. There’s no need to mask during the assessment, and if you can turn it off, do so.

You are not a *****, but I do think you have conflated IQ and masking in an inappropriate way.  Some of our autistic tribe have mind-blowing IQs, but would not be able to mask if their life depended on it.  I have little doubt that the reverse condition exists too.

I share your reservations about finding an assessor who would be able to empower me enough to unmask in a "formal" assessment setting.

Perhaps, both you and I are ******?  I'm content with that, if you are!  My assessment took over 6 years and cost hundreds of thousands......others here would call it a mega burnout.

There are no parameters for intelligence in the relevant autism diagnosis manuals. Therefore, intelligence should not impact on an assessment.. If your assessor is competent, they will take far more note of your history of autistic traits and associated difficulties than of your presentation, or their observation. I have never taken a formal IQ test, but I have answered MENSA questions aimed at an IQ in the 150+ bracket and have a PhD in molecular biology. I had no trouble getting a diagnosis. I was, however, diagnosed by a psychiatrist, and personally believe their approach to assessment is more suited to people good at masking than that taken by psychologists, or teams of clinicians.

Touay said:

I have to think that the way I will present is vastly different to someone without the good fortune to have an IQ like mine.

I'm not sure that's correct.

I think the differentiation should be between people with learning difficulties and without.

I've masked for a long time - 61 now - and I don't know my IQ.

Intelligence varies but I honestly don't see it as a masking factor if you are without learning difficulties.

Learning to fit in with society is just a natural thing to do and I did it subconsciously until last year without being aware that it had a name.

Thanks.  I am in the process of getting assessed having tried about ten years ago. i had an initial assessment with a psychiatrist, who (incorrectly) said i wasn't autistic.  seems like it really is pot-luck who you get to see.

Just under a week ago, I approached my GP, about having an assessment, as I had scored well over the threshold on a number of tests.

After some discussion, she stated that I was on the spectrum, and to take that as a diagnosis, and be prepared to wait 4 years for a formal assessment. She was concerned at the stress I had been under for my whole life due to masking. I'm 66 years old and female, so that's a lot of experience of masking. My IQ is comfortably MENSA level. If a GP can "see through" masking, if you get an even half competent autism aware Psych. you should be OK.

Thanks for the reply Catlover.

I don't understand why it wold make a difference to being assessed.  That I at least have the capacity to be massively more effective at masking, would, I assume, make it much more difficult to to accurately gauge my autism.  

But I take your point that it is pot-luck.  I think I need to do some serious prep-work.

thanks again.

Having a higher IQ makes no difference when it comes to being assessed. You will be assessed by a psychologist or psychiatrist, though it’s best to find tone that specialise in autism.

Many people mask whether unintentionally or intentionally, and they mask in different ways. Some don’t say what they want, some suppress stims, others monitor their behaviour and expression, and some dress like and copy others to blend in, adopting their interests or mannerisms.

Theres no advice. Some people can spot Autism, some can’t, and some do but don’t think you are ‘bothered by it enough’ or you might just be another diagnosis candidate they don’t have the budget for. It’s pot luck depending on whether is NHS funded or private, and where you are in the country.