ParagonProtege comments on How well defined is ADHD? - Less Wrong

8 Post author: jsalvatier 15 November 2012 11:34PM

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Comment author: [deleted] 16 November 2012 01:17:14AM *  0 points [-]

Be wary of self-diagnosis. As you probably already know, it's really easy to introduce bias into self-analysis.

Is there a way respondents can code their answers so that jsalvatier can perform an analysis while blinded? For example, don't just say which behaviors are associated with ADHD. Instead, ask a question about whether he exhibits certain behaviors which may be correlated (or negatively correlated, or not at all correlated) with ADHD. But only include which it is in a rot13'd paragraph.

He can first answer that question and then decode the rot13 "answer." This would give him much clearer, unbiased evidence.

EDIT: An (obviously untrue) example for clarity...

Do you like popcorn?

Fhpu naq fhpu n fghql sbhaq gung n yvxvat bs cbcpbea jnf fgebatyl cerqvpgvir bs fbzrbar univat NQUQ.

Comment author: jsalvatier 16 November 2012 06:39:31AM 0 points [-]

Yes, that's clearly a concern. I wasn't planning on self diagnosing, but going to a psychiatrist to be evaluated. That's one thing I wondered about questionnaires used for evaluation, do they include questions which are not related to ADHD?

Comment author: [deleted] 16 November 2012 02:44:31PM -1 points [-]

I think so, but I don't want to generalize from anecdotal evidence.

Comment author: ewang 16 November 2012 01:55:55AM 0 points [-]

Just wait until "fgebatyl cerqvpgvir" starts working its way into the back of the subject's brain.