I took a test years ago to determine where I am on the Intelligence Spectrum. That test gave me a number to know where I am on that spectrum. My number was 135. I didn’t think much of it at the time but, I later learned that number put me in the top 2% of the population. But, it did give me a little more self-esteem to know that I wasn’t as dumb as I thought I was. That helped me evolve into the person I am today.

By the same token, I have discovered that I am on the Autism Spectrum. I have also found that autism is a broad spectrum, much of it twelve-foot deep. I’m pretty sure my end of the spectrum is a little higher than ankle deep. But, unlike the IQ Spectrum there is currently no quantified distinction between “ankle deep” and “over your head”. I would feel much more comfortable claiming the label autism if there were such a number.

Right now, just making your autism known, you are usually thrown into the deep end of the pool. Why would I want to take on all the negative baggage by claiming that label without some way to quantify it? Until there is, I will continue to declare that I have some Aspie traits, as I certainly do, but will usually resist calling myself autistic. One reason is I don’t want to diminish the severity of those on the deep end. Yes, I share some of the qualities of most on the spectrum but, I can’t pretend to understand what it means to be at the deep end of it, so I will quit insinuating even indirectly that I do.

I love a challenge, so I am going to try to invent my own ASQ (autism spectrum quotient). Don’t take those words too seriously. 😎 I am by no means qualified to do this, but that has never stopped me before here at RJsCorner.

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From my engineering days I learned that much in life is a bell-shaped-curve. Since I am lazy, let’s just make one of those for autism. Let’s call it the ASQ. For IQ, the low number means the lack of intelligence. For my ASQ, the lower the number means the less severe is the condition.

So, like IQ, a score of 100 on the ASQ would mean that 50% of the population with autism has more severe symptoms than you, and 50% has less. A score of 60 would mean that 98% of the people with autism have more severe symptoms than you do.

Being that scientists love bell shaped curves, I’m surprised that a bell-shaped-curve ASQ has not been invented yet! If some prominent person in the field comes across this post, feel free to use it. Just give me a little recognition in your writings. 🤓

As for me, I predict my ASQ to be around 70.