Asd assessment

Welshgirl87 said:

I have an upcoming assessment an im absolutely terrified

It really isn't that bad so long as you know what to expect ( see https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/diagnosis/assessment-and-diagnosis/what-happens-during-an-autism-assessment ) and have prepared some notes on what your autistic experiences have been through life so you have talking points if asked.

One failing many have is they "mask" and downplay their autistic experiences because that has been a defencive technique that has worked for us in life. It is best to be brutaly honest and just give them the facts.

A good source for working out what autistic traits are is https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/diagnosis/before-diagnosis/signs-that-a-child-or-adult-may-be-autistic

I would suggest writing down which of these you can identify with and maybe add a sentence beside each one saying how it affects you. Keep it brief so it is easy to refer to and it can be used more as a prompt to remind you than anything else so it needs to be concise.

With autism being a spectrum condition then chances are you will have some of the traits at different levels of impact. No 2 of us are the same so don't worry if you are not the same as another autist.

You may also find it helpful to take one of the many free online AQ-50 tests which are just multiple choice tests and will be similar to parts of the assessment. This should help familiarise yourself with the types of questions and the multiple test format.

Remember that there are no wrong answers - it is all about helping identify how autism affects you so being truthful is the most effective way of dealing with it.

The assessors are trained to do this process and should be able to out you at ease so don't worry about them being mean or what if you don't reach the criteria for a diagnosis. In some ways not getting a diagnosis could be considered a good thing as it means autism is not causing you major issues with life, but if you do get the diagnosis then it helps you on the path to understanding it and being able to manage it better.

All outcomes are good in that respect.

Welshgirl87 said:

I have an upcoming assessment an im absolutely terrified

It really isn't that bad so long as you know what to expect ( see https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/diagnosis/assessment-and-diagnosis/what-happens-during-an-autism-assessment ) and have prepared some notes on what your autistic experiences have been through life so you have talking points if asked.

One failing many have is they "mask" and downplay their autistic experiences because that has been a defencive technique that has worked for us in life. It is best to be brutaly honest and just give them the facts.

A good source for working out what autistic traits are is https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/diagnosis/before-diagnosis/signs-that-a-child-or-adult-may-be-autistic

I would suggest writing down which of these you can identify with and maybe add a sentence beside each one saying how it affects you. Keep it brief so it is easy to refer to and it can be used more as a prompt to remind you than anything else so it needs to be concise.

With autism being a spectrum condition then chances are you will have some of the traits at different levels of impact. No 2 of us are the same so don't worry if you are not the same as another autist.

You may also find it helpful to take one of the many free online AQ-50 tests which are just multiple choice tests and will be similar to parts of the assessment. This should help familiarise yourself with the types of questions and the multiple test format.

Remember that there are no wrong answers - it is all about helping identify how autism affects you so being truthful is the most effective way of dealing with it.

The assessors are trained to do this process and should be able to out you at ease so don't worry about them being mean or what if you don't reach the criteria for a diagnosis. In some ways not getting a diagnosis could be considered a good thing as it means autism is not causing you major issues with life, but if you do get the diagnosis then it helps you on the path to understanding it and being able to manage it better.

All outcomes are good in that respect.