What information do professionals have?

Thanks Anil A - Mod.

I am continuing to explore this myself and have just looked at an interview checklist used by psychologists. It is by CETC produced by Royal Society of Psychologists in 2011, entitled "An Interview Guide for Adults with ASD".

It is clearly based on the questions in the triad of impairments used for children, and divided into sections with Triad Headings. It comprises questions that could be asked of a third party, questions that the individual could be asked, and observations for the clinician. I recognise some of the questions I was asked when being diagnosed 8 or 9 years ago, so I suspect the 2011 date is an edition not a sign of progress.

The adherence to the Triad, as openheart suggests is to avoid cross-over symptoms, means only such questions are asked. So most of the experiences of an adult are not considered, and evidently no change has been assumed to take place since childhood.

They just consider whether there is eye contact. There's nothing about adults compensating by looking at other parts of the face such as the mouth, so presumably if an adult looks like he/she has eye contact, that's all there is to it. There's a question how far the individual uses their eyes to convey meaning - like how do they gauge this and would the individual understand?

There's nothing at all about the day to day stresses experienced, nothing about sensory sensitivity or overload. There's nothing about things an individual finds uncomfortable.There's a brief question about what an individual gets anxious about. But beyond the purely diagnostic framework there's no new knowledge about what adults on the spectrum go through.

The fact that workplace, college or university are referred to there's no difference to what might be asked of a child at primary school, the questions thus being very simplistic and superficial. Individuals are asked to comment about whether they had language delay or were too literal, but surely there are parameters appropriate to adults. There's a question about bullying at school - what about the workplace?

It asks what happens at parties, which might be apt for a child, but no questions more relevant to an adult, or even whether the adult avoids parties. Questions about how people show affection are equally vague and naiive.

This superficial adaptation of an interview for children to fit adult needs is grossly inadequate, totally unscientific, and a gross failure to address important issues for many adults. I have to question the professionalism of the people who designed this.

I'm shocked....not altogether surprised because it explains what we all see happening....but this is an interview guide supposedly designed by professionals. Surely we have a right to expect vastly better than this?

Thanks Anil A - Mod.

I am continuing to explore this myself and have just looked at an interview checklist used by psychologists. It is by CETC produced by Royal Society of Psychologists in 2011, entitled "An Interview Guide for Adults with ASD".

It is clearly based on the questions in the triad of impairments used for children, and divided into sections with Triad Headings. It comprises questions that could be asked of a third party, questions that the individual could be asked, and observations for the clinician. I recognise some of the questions I was asked when being diagnosed 8 or 9 years ago, so I suspect the 2011 date is an edition not a sign of progress.

The adherence to the Triad, as openheart suggests is to avoid cross-over symptoms, means only such questions are asked. So most of the experiences of an adult are not considered, and evidently no change has been assumed to take place since childhood.

They just consider whether there is eye contact. There's nothing about adults compensating by looking at other parts of the face such as the mouth, so presumably if an adult looks like he/she has eye contact, that's all there is to it. There's a question how far the individual uses their eyes to convey meaning - like how do they gauge this and would the individual understand?

There's nothing at all about the day to day stresses experienced, nothing about sensory sensitivity or overload. There's nothing about things an individual finds uncomfortable.There's a brief question about what an individual gets anxious about. But beyond the purely diagnostic framework there's no new knowledge about what adults on the spectrum go through.

The fact that workplace, college or university are referred to there's no difference to what might be asked of a child at primary school, the questions thus being very simplistic and superficial. Individuals are asked to comment about whether they had language delay or were too literal, but surely there are parameters appropriate to adults. There's a question about bullying at school - what about the workplace?

It asks what happens at parties, which might be apt for a child, but no questions more relevant to an adult, or even whether the adult avoids parties. Questions about how people show affection are equally vague and naiive.

This superficial adaptation of an interview for children to fit adult needs is grossly inadequate, totally unscientific, and a gross failure to address important issues for many adults. I have to question the professionalism of the people who designed this.

I'm shocked....not altogether surprised because it explains what we all see happening....but this is an interview guide supposedly designed by professionals. Surely we have a right to expect vastly better than this?