Best List of Symptoms of AS I've Seen Online

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CentralFLM
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22 Apr 2011, 2:27 am

Hi guys, the below link from Autism World is the most thorough and in my opinion best list of symptoms of Asperger Syndrome. They list about a hundred. Very good

http://www.autism-world.com/index.php/2 ... teristics/



Cognitive Characteristics?of Asperger’s Syndrome:
Susceptibility to distraction
Difficulty in expressing emotions
Resistance to or failure to respond to talk therapy
Mental shutdown response to conflicting demands and multi-tasking
Generalized confusion during periods of stress
Low understanding of the reciprocal rules of conversation: interrupting, dominating, minimum participation, difficult in shifting topics, problem with initiating or terminating conversation, subject perseveration
Insensitivity to the non-verbal cues of others (stance, posture, facial expressions)
Perseveration best characterized by the term “bulldog tenacity”
Literal interpretation of instructions (failure to read between the lines)
Interpreting words and phrases literally (problem with colloquialisms, cliches, neologism, turns of phrase, common humorous expressions)
Preference for visually oriented instruction and training
Dependence on step-by-step learning procedures (disorientation occurs when a step is assumed, deleted, or otherwise overlooked in instruction)
Difficulty in generalizing
Preference for repetitive, often simple routines
Difficulty in understanding rules for games of social entertainment
Missing or misconstruing others’ agendas, priorities, preferences
Impulsiveness
Compelling need to finish one task completely before starting another
Rigid adherence to rules and routines
Difficulty in interpreting meaning to others’ activities; difficulty in drawing relationships between an activity or event and ideas
Exquisite attention to detail, principally visual, or details which can be visualized (”Thinking in Pictures”) or cognitive details (often those learned by rote)
Concrete thinking
Distractibility due to focus on external or internal sensations, thoughts, and/or sensory input (appearing to be in a world of one’s own or day-dreaming)
Difficulty in assessing relative importance of details (an aspect o the trees/forest problem)
Poor judgment of when a task is finished (often attributable to perfectionism or an apparent unwillingness to follow differential standards for quality)
Difficulty in imagining others’ thoughts in a similar or identical event or circumstance that are different from one’s own (”Theory of Mind” issues)
Difficulty with organizing and sequencing (planning and execution; successful performance of tasks in a logical, functional order)
Difficulty in assessing cause and effect relationships (behaviors and consequences)
An apparent lack of “common sense”
Relaxation techniques and developing recreational “release” interest may require formal instruction
Rage, tantrum, shutdown, self-isolating reactions appearing “out of nowhere”
Substantial hidden self-anger, anger towards others, and resentment
Difficulty in estimating time to complete tasks
Difficulty in learning self-monitoring techniques
Disinclination to produce expected results in an orthodox manner
Psychometric testing shows great deviance between verbal and performance results
Extreme reaction to changes in routine, surroundings, people
Stilted, pedantic conversational style (”The Professor”)

Social Characteristics?of Asperger’s Syndrome:
Difficulty in accepting criticism or correction
Difficulty in offering correction or criticism without appearing harsh, pedantic or insensitive
Difficulty in perceiving and applying unwritten social rules or protocols
“Immature” manners
Failure to distinguish between private and public personal care habits: i.e., brushing, public attention to skin problems, nose picking, teeth picking, ear canal cleaning, clothing arrangement
Lack of?trust in others
Shyness
Low or no conversational participation in group meetings or conferences
Constant anxiety about performance and acceptance, despite recognition and commendation
Scrupulous honesty, often expressed in an apparently disarming or inappropriate manner or setting
Bluntness in emotional expression
“Flat affect”
Discomfort manipulating or “playing games” with others
Unmodulated reaction in being manipulated, patronized, or “handled” by others
Low to medium level of paranoia
Low to no apparent sense of humor; bizarre sense of humor (often stemming from a “private” internal thread of humor being inserted in public conversation without preparation or warming others up to the reason for the “punchline”)
Difficulty with reciprocal displays of pleasantries and greetings
Problems expressing empathy or comfort to/with others: sadness, condolence, congratulations, etc.
Pouting,, ruminating, fixating on bad experiences with people or events for an inordinate length of time
Difficulty with adopting a social mask to obscure real feelings, moods, reactions
Using social masks inappropriately (you are “xv” while everyone else is ????)
Abrupt and strong expression of likes and dislikes
Rigid adherence to rules and social conventions where flexibility is desirable
Apparent absence of relaxation, recreational, or “time out” activities
“Serious” all the time
Known for single-mindedness
Flash temper
Tantrums
Excessive talk
Difficulty in forming friendships and intimate relationships; difficulty in distinguishing between acquaintance and friendship
Social isolation and intense concern for privacy
Limited clothing preference; discomfort with formal attire or uniforms
Preference for bland or bare environments in living arrangements
Difficulty judging others’ personal space
Limited by intensely pursued interests
Often perceived as “being in their own world”
Work Characteristics of Asperger’s Syndrome:

Many of the manifestations found in the categories above can immediately translate into work behaviors or preferences. Here are some additional ones:
Difficulty with “teamwork”
Deliberate withholding of peak performance due to belief that one’s best efforts may remain unrecognized, unrewarded, or appropriated by others
Intense pride in expertise or performance, often perceived by others as “flouting behavior”
Sarcasm, negativism, criticism
Difficulty in accepting compliments, often responding with quizzical or self-deprecatory language
Tendency to “lose it” during sensory overload, multitask demands, or when contradictory and confusing priorities have been set
Difficult in starting project
Discomfort with competition, out of scale reactions to losing
Low motivation to perform tasks of no immediate personal interest
Oversight or forgetting of tasks without formal reminders such as lists or schedules
Great concern about order and appearance of personal work area
Slow performance
Perfectionism
Difficult with unstructured time
Reluctance to ask for help or seek comfort
Excessive questions
Low sensitivity to risks in the environment to self and/or others
Difficulty with writing and reports
Reliance on internal speech process to “talk” oneself through a task or procedure
Stress, frustration and anger reaction to interruptions
Difficulty in negotiating either in conflict situations or as a self-advocate
Ver low level of assertiveness
Reluctance to accept positions of authority or supervision
Strong desire to coach or mentor newcomers
Difficulty in handling relationships with authority figures
Often viewed as vulnerable or less able to resist harassment and badgering by others
Punctual and conscientious
Avoids socializing, “hanging out,” or small talk on and off the job

Physical Manifestations of Asperger’s Syndrome:
Strong sensory sensitivities: touch and tactile sensations, sounds, lighting and colors, odors, taste
Clumsiness
Balance difficulties
Difficulty in judging distances, height, depth
Difficulty in recognizing others’ faces (prosopagnosia)
Stims (self-stimulatory behavior serving to reduce anxiety, stress, or to express pleasure)
Self-injurious or disfiguring behaviors
Nail-biting
Unusual gait, stance, posture
Gross or fine motor coordination problems
Low apparent sexual interest
Depression
Anxiety
Sleep difficulties
Verbosity
Difficulty expressing anger (excessive or “bottled up”)
Flat or monotone vocal expression; limited range of inflection
Difficulty with initiating or maintaining eye contact
Elevated voice volume during periods of stress and frustration
Strong food preferences and aversions
Unusual and rigidly adhered to eating behaviors
Bad or unusual personal hygiene



Ai_Ling
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22 Apr 2011, 3:11 am

I have majority of the symptoms of the 1st 2 catagories. Smaller percentage of the symptoms in the last 2 catagories. Id say I got approx 2/3 of the symptoms



nilescrane
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22 Apr 2011, 3:16 am

Good list. What I liked most is the "bizarre sense of humor." I have a sense of humor that my family gets, especially my brother, because we're close, but in the real world doesn't really apply.

As for the work symptoms...I can't really say if any of those apply to me, because any kind of work can lead to a breakdown...sometimes even things that aren't work (like going to a sporting event or being in the same place for too much time.)



Phonic
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22 Apr 2011, 3:40 am

facinating, i think many of the work symptoms can be translated as school symptoms aswell


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Aimless
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22 Apr 2011, 4:25 am

For most of this, bada bing bada boom.



jamesongerbil
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22 Apr 2011, 7:40 am

Indeed. well done!



bumble
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22 Apr 2011, 8:19 am

I really do have to ask my therapist for an assessment..I have so many of those symptoms its like reading about myself.

Actually I may print that out and take it with me when I see my therapist. Is the source reliable?



Ellytoad
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22 Apr 2011, 8:29 am

A refreshing break from the annoying "you must have five out of seven of these symptoms" lists.



gen-ph
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22 Apr 2011, 8:50 am

There was a huge majority in all of the lists for me. So...okay, whose been peeking in on my life?

*looks around suspiciously* :lol:

(just in case my presentation of humour fails over the internet due to my own bad typing abilities, I was kidding)

I'm also wondering about the validity of this list- if it comes from a strong source, I would be highly interested in taking it, bolding the parts that apply to me, and then giving it to the person assessing me.


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Currently: I'm about to go into the track to get an Asperger's syndrome diagnosis. I'm suspected of having Aspergers by a professional right now, though.

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Aspie Quiz// AS: 168/200 NT: 46/200


wavefreak58
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22 Apr 2011, 8:55 am

These do NOT apply do me. I guess the list describes me pretty well.


CentralFLM wrote:

Preference for repetitive, often simple routines
Compelling need to finish one task completely before starting another
Rigid adherence to rules and routines
(not sure) Psychometric testing shows great deviance between verbal and performance results
Extreme reaction to changes in routine, surroundings, people
Pouting, ruminating, fixating on bad experiences with people or events for an inordinate length of time
Abrupt and strong expression of likes and dislikes
Apparent absence of relaxation, recreational, or “time out” activities
Tantrums
Deliberate withholding of peak performance due to belief that one’s best efforts may remain unrecognized, unrewarded, or appropriated by others
Intense pride in expertise or performance, often perceived by others as “flouting behavior”
Great concern about order and appearance of personal work area
Low sensitivity to risks in the environment to self and/or others
Reliance on internal speech process to “talk” oneself through a task or procedure
Strong desire to coach or mentor newcomers
(mild issues) Strong sensory sensitivities: touch and tactile sensations, sounds, lighting and colors, odors, taste
(sometimes) Clumsiness
Self-injurious or disfiguring behaviors
Strong food preferences and aversions
Unusual and rigidly adhered to eating behaviors


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ruveyn
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22 Apr 2011, 10:20 am

after the reading that list of symptoms I wonder who ISN'T an Aspie.

ruveyn



Zen
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22 Apr 2011, 10:29 am

Aren't some of them contradictory? Like Impulsiveness and Rigid adherence to rules and routine?

I guess it can manifest in different ways though, the same issue causing different people to react in different ways.



wavefreak58
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22 Apr 2011, 11:01 am

ruveyn wrote:
after the reading that list of symptoms I wonder who ISN'T an Aspie.

ruveyn


I'm assuming that an aspie would have a lot of these traits while an NT might have only a few. Like me - I show all but a handful.


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anbuend
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22 Apr 2011, 11:03 am

Yes autistic traits are often contradictory. This is because we can tend towards both extremes in an area, but miss the middle ground. They did a study once where they rated people from 1 (never/rarely) to 3 (usually/always) on various traits, both autistic and nonautistic people. They did this trying to determine which traits were autistic traits. They were surprised when the result was that autistic people were more likely to be 1 or 3 on any given trait, and nonautistic people were likely to be 2 more often.


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22 Apr 2011, 11:09 am

For some reason it's very hard for me to read lists like these, my eyes wander all over them and even when my eyes are in the right place, the words turn into just squiggles and I forget they could have language attached. Then I bring out the language again and within seconds to minutes it's gone again.


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manlyadam
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22 Apr 2011, 12:26 pm

Looks good however it is very misleading as it says "Asperger's Syndrome Characteristics" when it should say "Negative Characteristics of Asperger's Syndrome". I have many positive characteristics as well and someone reading this may think it's a completely negative thing in my life I would want removed which is not true at all.

Also many lists like these in addition to mentioning the fact that they are purely focusing on the negatives should also stress that most people would only have some not all of the characteristics listed.



Last edited by manlyadam on 22 Apr 2011, 12:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.