Intelligence tests and autism

IQ tests are regularly used during the process of an autism diagnosis. However, this is controversial. Many people believe intelligence tests are designed to test the intellectual abilities in neurotypicals and are therefore inappropriate for autistics. Some people believe separate intelligence tests need to be designed, specifically with autistics in mind. In addition, there has long been controversy over IQ tests in general. Some people don't believe intelligence is testable at all, and others believe IQ only tests a person's ability to do well on IQ tests and doesn't test anything useful.

Some people believe too much emphasis is placed on IQ within autism and that divisions between those who are classified as having high IQ scores and those who are classified as having low IQ scores are wrongly made.

Most autism rights activists would either oppose IQ testing at all, or would support the idea that new tests should be designed specifically for autistic people. This issue is controversial outside the autism rights movement as well.

Intelligence tests are sometimes used to distinguish between autism and Asperger's, and to distinguish between high and low functioning. Sometimes the distiction between high and low functioning is to classify autistic people who score over 70-80 on an IQ test as high functioning and autistic people who score an IQ under 70-80 as low functioning. A common way to distinguish between Asperger's and autism is to use verbal IQ. This is discussed in more detail in the article on controversies about functioning labels in the autism spectrum

IQ score is sometimes used to determine an autistic person's eligability for services. Many autistic people with high intelligence believe this is problematic because they assert they still need services despite a high IQ.

Intelligence tests and autism

See also