Autism test - 4 to 11 year olds

[GOD]

This is an interesting article; basically it shows the test methodology for assessing autistic traits for the 4-11 age range.

http://www.autismresearchcentre.com/...al_ChildAQ.pdf

One of the reasons I find it interesting is I see a correlation with Jung type. Take the 4 sections of questions. Mind reading - Feeling? Attention to detail - Thinking? Social skills - Introversion? Imagination - Intuition?

I see ISTJ, and if I believe correctly this has the highest incidence in Autism? With High functioning being INTJ or INTP? (Sorry, I'm just putting some spin on it, you'll need to read it all in depth and get a way better handle on all this before jumping to conclusions....) (However, if you do flex one of those 4 categories, being say imagination then you would have an imaginative child with attention to detail, big picture, small picture and the ability to develop creative representations called analogies).

There's a test for adults so that will require some digging....

Mind-reading

Keeps going on and on about the same thing
Finds it difficult to work out people’s intentions
Does not let others to get a word in edgeways
Often the last to understand a joke.
Knows how to tell if someone bored
Can switch back after an interruption
Gets strongly absorbed in one thing
Finds it easy to read between the lines
Finds it easy to work out feelings by looking at faces
Prefers to do things the same way
Is impolite, even though s/he thinks it is polite
Can easily keep track of several conversations
Finds it easy to do more than one thing at once
Finds it difficult to imagine being someone else
Does not know when it is their turn on the phone
Is a good diplomat

Attention to detail

Notices numbers or strings of information
Notices patterns
Fascinated by dates
Fascinated by numbers
Notices details that others do not
Notices small sounds when others do not
Likes to collect information
Likes to plan activities carefully
Tends to have very strong interests

Social skills

Enjoys social occasions
Good at social chit-chat
Enjoys meeting new people
Enjoys social chit-chat
Finds social situations easy
Finds it hard to make new friends
Prefers to do things with others
Finds it hard to make new friends
Does not know how to keep up a conversation
Would rather go to a library than a party
New situations make him/her anxious
Enjoys doing things spontaneously
Gets upset when daily routine is disturbed
Would rather go to the theatre than the library
Concentrates on the whole picture rather than details

Imagination

Finds making up stories easy
Can easily imagine what story characters look like
Finds it very easy to create a mental picture
Does not particularly enjoy reading fiction
Finds it to easy to play games that involve pretending
Finds it difficult to work out the characters’ intentions in a story
Enjoyed playing games involving pretending

[GOD]

What does worry me about the above sorts of tests is that children are often a reflection of their parents. Lets assume that 50% of their makeup is nature, in effective pre-programmed not to be a "feeler" or have "Extraversion" (Sociability), however, if in their household the parents are introverted and not feelers and given that the child is introverted then its obvious they will simply be more introverted and far less "feeling" in the Jung type of way.

In my life I believe I have met 2 properly Autistic children (both boys), 1 was diagnosed and the other had all the hallmarks and I believe was institutionalised in his late teens (depressive breakdown I believe). One thing that has always struck me is that they always appeared beyond reach. If you can imagine an extraverted person being right at the front row of a theatre, then the introverts 4 rows back.... these kids were in the darkness of the back row, possibly hoping they were forgotten. Worst of all, marginalised, excluded and picked on by the other kids for being different. Its sort of a self fulfilling cycle.

Anyway, in the case of these 2 kids when you really parachuted down into their world and started talking about what made them tick you could see everything they were about. Lots of logic, lots of thinking and they were generating their own "social structures" which didn't include people as connectors and interfaces. Structures without people.

Quite possibly it would seem that these 2 kids were both high functioning, as they were very bright. But to me all as they needed was more socialisation, because no matter what, we all have to interact with society and they were being alienated to the point where it could become ingrained almost permanently.

As with the concept of managing schizoid behaviour the focus should be on where conceivably you or that person is, and where you would like to be (In terms of functioning social interaction) and understand where you currently are... and then take small steps along that path. As an example, let’s say you give them a pet. It gives them a form of bonding connection (an allowable expression) other kids become interested in that pet, they come round, and you incentivise it etc. In effect the pet is the conduit to social interaction, inclusiveness and bonding. It is a bridge.