Diagnostic Assessment UK

[buttercuplols]

Hi

My letter came through for my diagnosis. It's in 10 days. What do I expect? I feel terrified and have no one to talk to.

Thanks

Lx

 

[Astroganga]

I'm not sure as I have not had it yet, and it varies between different areas. Are they doing the observational assessment, or just a 'talking' one?

 

[buttercuplols]

I have no idea. It's an all dayer. It just says 'diagnostic assessment' on it. It is with Outlook South West.

 

[NothingToSeeHere]

It might be different in your area, but my assessment happened in two parts.

The first appointment was an unstructured interview, where I basically just chatted to the assessor for 2 hours. He asked questions about various subject related to aspergers (various traits and such), about my childhood and family, my career and education, mental health history etc. Finally we talked about how a diagnosis might affect me.

The second part was an ADOS assessment (with a different person), which is a structured assessment with activities and questions. Activities included: telling a story from a picture book, miming brushing my teeth, choosing a few objects and making up a story with them. Subjects discussed included: emotions, organisation and planning abilities, stimming, interests and so on, basically all the traits indicative of autism were covered. During this process the assessor also pays close attention to body language, facial expression, conversational abilities and so on.

My advise is:
Firstly, go armed with a list of traits you identify with to be sure that everything is covered.
Secondly, try not to worry about it. The assessors will expect you to be anxious and will do their best to help you be at ease, it was quite a relaxed and informal process in my experience, and really nothing to stress about. This is one situation where you really don't have to worry about seeming odd or awkward. I tried to think of it as an opportunity to truly be myself without any pretence (although it is very difficult to 'drop the mask').

I hope it goes well for you and you find it to be an enlightening experience, whatever the result

 

[buttercuplols]

It might be different in your area, but my assessment happened in two parts.

The first appointment was an unstructured interview, where I basically just chatted to the assessor for 2 hours. He asked questions about various subject related to aspergers (various traits and such), about my childhood and family, my career and education, mental health history etc. Finally we talked about how a diagnosis might affect me.

The second part was an ADOS assessment (with a different person), which is a structured assessment with activities and questions. Activities included: telling a story from a picture book, miming brushing my teeth, choosing a few objects and making up a story with them. Subjects discussed included: emotions, organisation and planning abilities, stimming, interests and so on, basically all the traits indicative of autism were covered. During this process the assessor also pays close attention to body language, facial expression, conversational abilities and so on.

My advise is:
Firstly, go armed with a list of traits you identify with to be sure that everything is covered.
Secondly, try not to worry about it. The assessors will expect you to be anxious and will do their best to help you be at ease, it was quite a relaxed and informal process in my experience, and really nothing to stress about. This is one situation where you really don't have to worry about seeming odd or awkward. I tried to think of it as an opportunity to truly be myself without any pretence (although it is very difficult to 'drop the mask').

I hope it goes well for you and you find it to be an enlightening experience, whatever the result

This was exactly what I needed to know. It was very unspecific on the phone when I asked them. Thank you.

I feel sure that I am an aspie without being told by a professional but I'm worried I've passed for so long I may fool them. Anyone else?

Really appreciating the feedback more than I can explain. I'm a nervous wreck at the moment!

 

[Astroganga]

With the ADOS, I was told that they are deliberately vague as to what it involves as they feel that if you prepare too much for it and know exactly what to expect, this could lead to misleading outcomes (either someone putting on autistic traits or inadvertently covering up their traits). In my area it is as Nothingtoseehere described but you have to have the first assessment twice, with two different specialists as there is a local policy requirement that you have to be assessed by two professionals. Then they usually have the ADOS but not always, if they feel it is clear enough from the first assessment.

 

[buttercuplols]

With the ADOS, I was told that they are deliberately vague as to what it involves as they feel that if you prepare too much for it and know exactly what to expect, this could lead to misleading outcomes (either someone putting on autistic traits or inadvertently covering up their traits). In my area it is as Nothingtoseehere described but you have to have the first assessment twice, with two different specialists as there is a local policy requirement that you have to be assessed by two professionals. Then they usually have the ADOS but not always, if they feel it is clear enough from the first assessment.

I figured that was why they were vague but WHAAAAT?! Do these 'specialists' not realise how anxiety producing that is for us stereotypical aspies to not know 'the plan', as I call it (my daily organising of my mind before I head out for the day). If I don't have 'the plan' in my head, it ain't gonna happen!!!!

 

[garnetflower13]

I had my counselor at the time suspect that I was autistic. She sent me for a preliminary referral, to see a psychiatrist. He actually insulted me by thinking that I was seeking an autistic diagnoses in order to qualify for disability payments. When I told him that I was already receiving disability he was puzzled and wanted to know why I was concerned about being autistic! What an idiot. I told him I just wanted to know. Anyway, I reported back to my counselor, and she then referred me for formal testing. This second psychiatrist idiot said that I had PTSD but was not on the spectrum. She didn't even do the testing herself, but had some college student administer all the tests. A year or two later, I tried again with a psychologist. She chose to have me come in once a week for a few weeks, and asked a lot of questions about my childhood. She also observed me a lot. She said that I was definitely on the spectrum, and that she couldn't understand why those two others couldn't see it.