New study finds online self-reports may not accurately reflect clinical autism diagnoses. Adults who report high levels of autistic traits through online surveys may not reflect the same social behaviors or clinical profiles as those who have been formally diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

[u/mvea]

https://www.psypost.org/new-study-finds-online-self-reports-may-not-accurately-reflect-clinical-autism-diagnoses/

[u/princesssoturi]

The questions shouldn’t be anything like that. It’s a long questionnaire and it asks the same questions repeatedly in different ways to catch inconsistencies.

[u/DragonBitsRedux → u/princesssoturi]

But the questions themselves still don't make sense. A test can be 'well constructed' statistically speaking but if the primary assumptions of what criteria determines if a person is autistic or not are based almost entirely on *definitions* made by neurotypical doctors ... what could go wrong?

This is a well known health issue across the board. Historically more men were used in many trials skewing results.

The tests have *some* value and can be helpful but between not actually asking autistic folks for their own mental experiences and being 'objective' they effing missed the boat.

I'm 60m and a huge empirical science nut. My skill is 'debugging complex technical systems with unreliable reporting from bosses and workers' ... I find out what or who is causing a system to not behave the way it is expected.

Over the past 10 years I kept trying to get diagnosed and told "you can't be autistic" because I'm *not* stereotypical. Like many other folks on the spectrum, I love loud rock concerts, crowds, flashing lights and such. I feel totally anonymous and *free* to be my autistic self in those situations without having to 'explain myself' constantly.

Diagnostic criteria aren't asking the right questions.