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Are you autistic - The Inquest

Trainspotter

The channel four programme had a pretty good go at showing autism, more specifically what used to be referred to as Aspergers.

But where were the more mature autistic people. Those over 45? Those over 60? And I know I may have dropped off a bit during the programme so will have to watch it again,but there didn't seem to be a 'control' for the tasks. Just saying they had problems when presented with change. I would like to have seen how a neurotypical  behaved and coped in these circumstances. To me, as someone autistic, I still don't know how a NT picks up when interrupted, when I take ten or 15 minutes to get my thoughts focused again.

There also was an over representation of females although I know part of the raisin debtor was to show women are under represented in diagnosis. The speed dating bit I didn't get at all apart from to show that autistic people don't have green skin.I can make a good job of pretending I'm something I'm not for ten minutes if I keep to a script but sooner or later the script will vary to another play for which I haven't learned the lines and then the problems will start..

Yes, generally we do look like everyone else. However until people are not judged on appearance and superficial traits we will always have a problem in society. A society that supposedly welcomes truthfulness and open speech is greatly phased by someone autistic who tells it as it is.  And until this can be addressed we will always have a problem in the NT mind.

Parents
    • Professor Baron-Cohen talked about the recent survey on the programme, which showed that of the 750,000 people who responded, 87,000 got results which indicated autism - which I calculated to be 11.6% I understand that previous studies indicated that only 1.1% of the UK population might be on the autism spectrum. He also said that of those showing as autistic, slightly more were women than men, however it has been thought that the ratio of autistic males to females was 4:1.. So does anyone how they found participants? If it was open to anyone to take part, did mainly people who thought they were autistic take part, and were there more women than men? I'd really like to see the full analysis of this survey, so if anyone knows where to access it on the internet, please let me know.
Reply
    • Professor Baron-Cohen talked about the recent survey on the programme, which showed that of the 750,000 people who responded, 87,000 got results which indicated autism - which I calculated to be 11.6% I understand that previous studies indicated that only 1.1% of the UK population might be on the autism spectrum. He also said that of those showing as autistic, slightly more were women than men, however it has been thought that the ratio of autistic males to females was 4:1.. So does anyone how they found participants? If it was open to anyone to take part, did mainly people who thought they were autistic take part, and were there more women than men? I'd really like to see the full analysis of this survey, so if anyone knows where to access it on the internet, please let me know.
Children
  • in reply to Lotus

    I saw an article in either the Guardian or the Independent.

    The percentages are bound to be skewed as the participants were self-selecting. The avereage person on the street, with no knowledge of ASD, may not be interested in taking the test.  Someone with relatives or friends diagnosed with ASD, diagnosed themselves, or thinking they may have it, are more likely to have taken it.

    In the show there was no suggestion (that I remember) that the current 1 in 100 is incorrect.  Although women being less likely to get a diagnosis (or referred for diagnosis) certainly was mentioned.