Autism IQ Test

[Sheila]

True or False?

This month, we start our series with an "Autism IQ Test." Answer each question True or False, and find the answers, below:

1. If a child is not functionally fluent by their 5th birthday, they will remain mute, so it is critical that developing speech be the first goal for a non-verbal child.

2. If you teach a child enough words, he or she will be able to have reciprocal conversations.

3. It is important to teach eye contact to children with autism so they can be successful in social relationships.

4. ABA (Lovaas, Discrete Trials) and other interventions have been proven effective for treating autism, and children who have undergone these treatments have been followed to see how they do as teens & adults.

5. If a child can be taught to “fit in� and superficially appear normal, he or she will be able to make friends.

6. Social skills groups are effective in teaching people on the spectrum to have relationships.

7. Individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome have a better prognosis for quality of life than people with Autism.

8. Mainstreaming & academic progress are signs of a good prognosis and if a child can get into college, he or she can go on to have a pretty normal life.

9. If a child spends most of his time focused on developing his computer skills, someone will want to hire him someday, regardless of his ability to collaborate & work as part of a team.

10. People with autism may not have the same emotional or social needs as everyone else. They might be happy living a life without friendships and intimate emotional relationships.

Answers are +/- 1/3 down the screen at http://www.rdiconnect.com/archive/ne...05/default.htm .

[Kim]

I was not surprised to see the answers. [img]/importthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[MidwestMom]

Where are the answers??? I can't find them [img]/importthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[Sheila]

Here you go

The answers:

1. False. Without an interest in coordinating actions and perceptions with a partner, or learning about others’ internal experiences, speech alone without a solid foundation in non-verbal communication becomes a vehicle for chaos, or a means to control others.

2. False. Language without communicative intent can actually be a major obstacle in developing reciprocal conversations, so it is critical to work on speech and language development only within the context of genuine emotion-sharing and social referencing.

3. False. While eye contact can be taught as a rote skill, this would be like teaching a severely dyslexic child to pretend to read. If we just work on eye contact, the child doesn't learn to reference. Instead the child just learns to look, without intent to use the facial information that’s being presented. However, children on the autism spectrum can learn to reference quite naturally, if we start by providing them the motivations for doing so.

4. False. Studies on ABA or other early interventions have not used core deficits of autism as outcome measures and there have been no teenage or adult outcome studies of children treated with those methods.

5. False. Friendship skills are actually a highly advanced form of social communication, requiring a solid foundation of emotion-sharing, referencing, and co-regulation, all of which are core deficits of those with autism. However, individuals on the autism spectrum can actually learn all these skills and can go far beyond “fitting in,� if given the opportunity to do so with a competent guide.

6. False. A number of studies have shown social skills groups are ineffective in teaching people on the spectrum to have relationships or to generalize Theory of Mind skills outside the treatment setting.

7. False. While it is a common belief that individuals who have Asperger’s Syndrome, (those with no language delays and an average to high IQ) enjoy a better prognosis for quality of life, all three major outcome studies to date have shown this to be false.

8. False. The outcome studies showed that academic ability to participate in post-secondary education did not result in higher levels of independent living. In fact, one of Howlin’s studies showed that adults on the spectrum with IQs over 100 were actually less successful in quality of life than people with IQs between 70 and 100.

9. False. Computer skills alone have little value in the marketplace. Robert Bailey, President and CEO of PMC-Sierra, says hi-tech employers look for employees with teamwork and communication skills, plus the ability to solve problems quickly and creatively in extremely fast-paced environments where change is constant.

10. False. Adults on the autism spectrum are not “aliens� with different needs. Many have said they desire the same things we all do: Joy. Friendships. True allies. Marriage. Comfortable work environments. Confidence in managing their worlds. By stopping, slowing down and becoming competent guides, we can help individuals on the spectrum make the amazing discoveries which will allow these needs to be met.

Download the Autism IQ Test
If you're familiar with the RDI® Program, this True or False Quiz was probably very easy for you. Download the"Autism IQ Test" now to share with others and to help them understand some of the newest information about the Autism Spectrum Disorders. Invite them to sign up for our newsletters themselves to receive the rest of our series for Autism Awareness Month.

[MidwestMom]

Thank you SO MUCH, Alisha. This is precious information, at least to me. I wonder why autistic kid with lower IQ's do better, but I guess it didn't explain. Thanks again!

[Fran]

Thanks Alisha, [img]/importthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] the prognosis isn't ever very rosy for our kids.
We keep trying though.
Thanks.

[Stressed_yet_blessed]

[img]/importthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] Are these facts really true? I'm especially stumped about the prognosis of our Aspie GFG's as opposed to those lower on the spectrum. There werea few of those questions I thought would be true... [img]/importthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[sameold, sameold]

I am not at all surprised by these answers. Unfortunately we have not made alot of progress over the years, but we also have some mental health issues involved here also. It can all be so discouraging some days.

[MidwestMom]

I have a friend who actually works for disability and she told me that she has many Aspies on her caseload. Apparently many just don't "get" how to deal with people, can be easily swindled, and often can't handle the workforce, although they are often very intelligent. There was some really mean lady (when I heard the story, it galled me) who was telling Aspie adults she'd give them a place to live if they handed over their social security checks. She had six Aspie adults living with her under wretched conditions, was caught, and prosecuted. Some Aspies, however, do live independently, depending on the degree of impairment. Kids like my son with PDD-NOS, rarely can live independently because they are more impaired, and I don't expect it of my son and have accepted it. We have some great group homes for adults like he will be one day, where his freedom is considerable, but he still gets the care he needs. Nothing here surprised me except that Autistic kids with lower IQs are happier than those with higher ones. However, so far my son (IQ 107) does seem to be a pretty happy kid. I think they are all different and there is no point in worrying. This survey will spur me on to keep trying to teach my child how to interact. He actually can do it (PDD-NOS kids tend to be more social than other forms of autism and my son knows how to act). He just doesn't seem to want to interact that often. He truly is a loner, turning kids away at the door by saying, "My mom says I can't play" when I never said that. These are complicated kids to say the least.

[OTE]

stressed yet blessed... there are studies behind all of these questions... I believe there's an article in general archives about long term prognosis for aspies.

A... thanks so much for this... will be sending it to my SD for my mtg next week...they sure wouldn't get the right answers! They think that if they throw him on the playground at recess that counts as social skills work!!! :Hot Head: