I originally looked at the poll but didn’t answer until now.
I fit two of the Gillberg diagnostic criteria and scored 19 on the wired test. I would’ve definitely scored much higher a few years back when I suspected I might have asperger’s. My social skills have developed a lot since then and I’m now more inclined to attribute my social deficiencies to lack of practice than anything else.
For what it’s worth, I do seem to follow a pattern of intense pursuit of relatively few interests that change over time.
Huh. It is interesting that you scored only 19 (almost 8 lower than me and pretty close to the mean) and still checked two of the Gillberg criteria (they seemed much too strongly put to describe me).
It becomes a bit less surprising when you consider that I attribute my low score mostly to relatively recent changes in my social skills and preferences, and the criteria I checked were the ones about all-absorbing narrow interests and imposition of routines and interests. As a matter of fact, the changes I mention came about as a result of months of near-obsessive study and accidental practice. (I did not grasp the importance of practice at the time but that’s a subject for another comment.)
Maybe I wasn’t that far toward the autism end of the spectrum to begin with but it does make me wonder just how much others could improve their social skills given the right circumstances.
As a matter of fact, the changes I mention came about as a result of months of near-obsessive study and accidental practice. (I did not grasp the importance of practice at the time but that’s a subject for another comment.)
In short, I used to believe that social skills are a talent you’re born with, not a skill to be developed. Luckily just being around people and paying attention improved my eye for social cues enough that I eventually noticed.
This relates to Carol S. Dweck’s book Mindset, which I’ve mentioned before. I’m thinking of writing more about it sometime soon.
I originally looked at the poll but didn’t answer until now.
I fit two of the Gillberg diagnostic criteria and scored 19 on the wired test. I would’ve definitely scored much higher a few years back when I suspected I might have asperger’s. My social skills have developed a lot since then and I’m now more inclined to attribute my social deficiencies to lack of practice than anything else.
For what it’s worth, I do seem to follow a pattern of intense pursuit of relatively few interests that change over time.
Huh. It is interesting that you scored only 19 (almost 8 lower than me and pretty close to the mean) and still checked two of the Gillberg criteria (they seemed much too strongly put to describe me).
It becomes a bit less surprising when you consider that I attribute my low score mostly to relatively recent changes in my social skills and preferences, and the criteria I checked were the ones about all-absorbing narrow interests and imposition of routines and interests. As a matter of fact, the changes I mention came about as a result of months of near-obsessive study and accidental practice. (I did not grasp the importance of practice at the time but that’s a subject for another comment.)
Maybe I wasn’t that far toward the autism end of the spectrum to begin with but it does make me wonder just how much others could improve their social skills given the right circumstances.
I’d love to hear more about this.
In short, I used to believe that social skills are a talent you’re born with, not a skill to be developed. Luckily just being around people and paying attention improved my eye for social cues enough that I eventually noticed.
This relates to Carol S. Dweck’s book Mindset, which I’ve mentioned before. I’m thinking of writing more about it sometime soon.