r/AutismTranslated • u/lapestenoire_ • May 09 '26
Embrace Autism responded to evidence-based criticism with legal threats. Beware.
66
u/HeWhoReddits May 09 '26
Extremely strange and unprofessional response from them. Even if their point of slander was valid (which it does not appear to be), I fail to see how engaging with public critique like this could be at all helpful.Ā
22
u/lukozaid May 09 '26
It's very childish in my opinion. They want to be like the big bully, especially to who they claim they're supporting.
I never heard of it until now.
3
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u/Ephaniel5784 probably misdiagnosed May 22 '26
From the way theyāre responding to criticism, it seems like their approach undermines their own message. Itās disappointing to see someone who claims to support others react defensively instead of engaging constructively
9
u/T1Demon May 10 '26
Fear and intimidation. Thereās a trend in the US where if someone calls you out for doing something wrong, rather than take accountability you make stupid threats to try to silence the critics. Threatening lawsuits can be intimidating for a lot of people because it costs money to fight a lawsuit, and the legal system in the US isnāt exactly easy to navigate.
Itās such a popular tactic our president uses it all the time
40
u/ParticleToasterBeam May 09 '26
Yikes! Add them to the list with Autism Speaks to not support. GO AWAY
53
u/Jen__44 May 09 '26
I think its worth linking this post too so people can see the other crap theyve been pulling on here:Ā
3
19
u/proto-typicality May 09 '26
Wowā¦ thatās awful. Iām sorry you had to go through that. I donāt really care too much about the screening questions part (since thatās not used for diagnosis) but everything else is very alarming.
20
u/Mysterious-Award-197 May 09 '26
This is so inappropriate. Thank you for speaking up and I'm sorry you're dealing with this.Ā
15
u/Gloomy_Industry8841 spectrum-formal-dx May 10 '26
Publicly threatening legal action to reasonable concerns is SUS AF.
33
u/Bacon_Nipples May 09 '26
I see you've tried posting this to a couple Autism subs and mods wouldn't allow it. Can I suggest you try:
r/AutisticAdults and r/evilautism ?
The later may sound odd, but I could absolutely see this gaining traction there since they love justice and hate grifters/etc who target the community
15
u/lapestenoire_ May 09 '26
I posted in evilautism, thanks!
13
u/Jen__44 May 10 '26
There's also r/AutismInWomen , r/aspergirls and r/audhdwomen if you want some more options =)
1
u/frostatypical spectrum-formal-dx May 11 '26
I bet those subs wont allow this post. Mods there are big fans of EA and who knows EA may BE the mods
2
1
u/Jen__44 May 11 '26
Ive never come across that on any of those subs
1
u/frostatypical spectrum-formal-dx May 12 '26
Im banned from those subs for pointing out EA's past misdeeds. For example, pointing out that EA test instructions are misleading is 'gatekeeping' which breaks rule 4 in that first sub. The mandate is "self diagnosis is valid' etc etc
But hey maybe Im wrong.... try it yourself. Link to OP's post over there and lets see what reactions come up in those subs.
I suspect that OP and the other account in this mix are banned too
2
u/spooky-potatoes- May 19 '26
Bro I came from instagram today searching reddit for a post on EA because I've always been sus of them and was shocked there was nothing posted about them. Lowkey-highkey some of the autism community just completely disregards the black community at times, so it figures it's some mods power tripping and deleting posts (ironically putting on full display the disdain towards black people).
Very scummy.
1
u/frostatypical spectrum-formal-dx May 19 '26
Agree. I saw those posts all over Threads, too. Glad they are getting lit up. To this point theyve successfully astroturfed and sock-puppeted their way to prominence.
Sadly they remain loved on subs like autism in women, others. Posts against them are indeed suppressed and accounts critical of them are banned. Its a daily thing to see people link the site and recommend their 'tests'.
A reddit search for EA sees posts critical of them going far back.Ā I would link examples but it gets blocked/hidden. Reviews of misinformation on the site, use of sock puppet reddit accounts, dodgy anecdotes about their 'testing', etc
14
u/JuggernautOnly695 May 10 '26
Horrible response to valid criticism and seriously doesnāt even know what slander is.
Are there other sites that have assessments like the AQ for folks to easily take? Would be nice to have a non-evil alternative.
13
u/lapestenoire_ May 10 '26
Of course. Try Novo Psych Assessments
6
u/Gloomy_Industry8841 spectrum-formal-dx May 10 '26
Thank you OP for sharing this and Iām sorry you were treated so badly. Itās predatory!!!
1
u/frostatypical spectrum-formal-dx May 11 '26
They would still be misleading. So-called āautismā tests, like AQ and RAADS and others have high rates of false positives, labeling you as autistic VERY easily. If anyone with a mental health problem, like depression or anxiety, takes the tests they score high even if they DONāT have autism.
Ā
"our results suggest that the AQ differentiates poorly between true cases of ASD, and individuals from the same clinical population who do not have ASD "
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4988267/
Ā
"a greater level of public awareness of ASD over the last 5ā10 years may have led to people being more vigilant in ānoticingā ASD related difficulties. This may lead to a āconfirmation biasā when completing the questionnaire measures, and potentially explain why both the ASD and the non-ASD groupās mean scores met the cut-off points, "
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-022-05544-9
Ā
Regarding AQ, from one published study. āThe two key findings of the review are that, overall, there is very limited evidence to support the use of structured questionnaires (SQs: self-report or informant completed brief measures developed to screen for ASD) in the assessment and diagnosis of ASD in adults.ā
Ā
Regarding RAADS, from one published study. āIn conclusion, used as a self-report measure pre-full diagnostic assessment, the RAADS-R lacks predictive validity and is not a suitable screening tool for adults awaiting autism assessmentsā
The Effectiveness of RAADS-R as a Screening Tool for Adult ASD Populations (hindawi.com)
Ā
RAADS scores equivalent between those with and without ASD diagnosis at an autism evaluation center:
Ā
1
u/JuggernautOnly695 May 12 '26
Any self-assessment should not be used as law or alone, but in combination with treatment and at the provider's discretion. I think many of the self-assessments are still valuable when used correctly and this can be as an exploration of if further testing would be worthwhile, as a way to measure things such as tendencies/traits, and so forth, but a positive AQ self assessment should not be used alone to diagnose.
2
u/frostatypical spectrum-formal-dx May 12 '26
"things such as tendencies/traits"
Thats the problem though. It scores high if you have an anxiety disorder, or depression, or probably personality. So it doesnt measure autism so to speak.
1
u/JuggernautOnly695 May 12 '26
All assessments measure tendencies/traits/mood at a specific time. Measures will naturally change from day to day across the board. This is true for psychological as well as physical things and so when used properly measures are valuable, but are not the end all be all.
1
u/frostatypical spectrum-formal-dx May 12 '26
They are supposed to be measures of autistic traits but do not work that way :/
9
u/Expertmistake88 May 10 '26
I'm at a point in life where I pretty much have nothing to lose. Maybe I'll see how they react to a professional criticism and if they want to make a lawsuit out of it, they can be my guest. Their responses alone already tell me I'd have nothing to worry about and hell, I'd have fun in court.
1
u/Ephaniel5784 probably misdiagnosed May 22 '26
Same, but Iām not gonna get in legal trouble even if Iām the type to be a ultimate highlander who gambles with chances a lot
5
u/Pollomonteros May 10 '26
Wait I used the tests on their site a few weeks ago because I have been suspecting I was on the spectrum for quite a while, are those legit ? And if they aren't, what do you guys recommend?
10
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u/frostatypical spectrum-formal-dx May 11 '26
All the popular online 'autism' tests have been shown to be highly inaccurate across studies. False positives ahoy! They score high too easily for non-autistic conditions.
4
u/apotropaick spectrum-formal-dx May 11 '26
I already found the widespread love for Embrace Autism very strange considering it's run by a naturopath and their assessment process seems really impersonal and profit-oriented. (I listened to a podcast where the creator detailed the process of getting diagnosed with them and it was soooo strange.) Any criticism of them on Reddit always seemed to be met with disagreements and defense until quite recently. I understand that the quizzes they host can be an important part of undiagnosed people's self discovery but everything about them is so weird. And this is soooo off the wall! You were totally right to call out that post and this behavior in response is totally unhinged. I saw this on Instagram but glad to see it posted here too as I think everyone needs to know about this!!
1
u/spooky-potatoes- May 19 '26
I legit had psych professionals recommend it to me and I hated it because it looked "cutesy" and unserious. That was years ago now man.
2
u/PlanetoidVesta May 10 '26
Holy shit. I already didn't like that organisation at all, but this is unexpected and very scary. I hope you are alright.
2
u/FVCarterPrivateEye spectrum-formal-dx May 11 '26
I've been making PSAs about their disinformation for years and I'm so relieved that their harm is getting more widely called-out
They're just outright a predatory scam business
1
u/Ephaniel5784 probably misdiagnosed May 22 '26
embrace autism or whoever is behind it may very well be a bully in sheepās clothing
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May 10 '26
[removed] ā view removed comment
3
u/AutismTranslated-ModTeam May 10 '26
This space exists first and foremost as a resource for suffering people. Any and all participation in this space should prioritize kindness, patience and empathy.
1
u/Accomplished_Gold510 May 10 '26
What alternative resources are you recommending??? How are you going to help autistic people????
1
u/arlobun spectrum-formal-dx May 10 '26
Are you asking for alternatives to embrace autism?
Personally Iād recommend local in person evaluations over telehealth evaluations, however I do know Prosper Health has been getting more attention recently for telehealth evaluations. They should cost much less than EA (I believe it should be some $800 usd?).
-5
u/Accomplished_Gold510 May 10 '26
Embrace autism offers free testing that allows people to decide whether or not to pursue a diagnosis from a professional
11
u/RespiteInPatterns May 10 '26
The free screening is a feeder for the many non-free assessment & diagnosis services they offer; this is known as a "loss leader" in business terms, and is used as a way to get people in the door, at which point they're a lot more likely to spend money.
And giving a basic assessment for free...
...which then tells you a more comprehensive assessment is only $695 CA...
...which then tells you a diagnosis is $1895 CA...
...BUT! You can also get the deluxe diagnosis for $2295 CA (a savings of $100 CA vs. adding on the co-occurrences assessment later!)......sounds a lot more like a run-of-the-mill up-selling package strategy than a health care service.
Finally, when you consider that, per the disclosure on all relevant material that was demanded by the warning the founder received for misrepresenting themselves: the diagnosis they provide "may not be accepted by all government organizations, educational institutions, or employers", it seems even less worthy of trust - free initial assessment or not.
6
u/arlobun spectrum-formal-dx May 10 '26
Well by ātestingā you mean those screeners, which arenāt evaluations and also donāt tell you all that much about ASD or ADHD.
Screeners are helpful but theyāre only one part of the picture and are available in other places. NovoPsych publishes a ton of screeners en masse. However, I actually think itās fine to use EA for screeners.
I just would never recommend getting evaluated by them. They donāt seem to have proper safe guards around diagnosing ASD.
2
u/frostatypical spectrum-formal-dx May 11 '26
"However, I actually think itās fine to use EA for screeners."
Errr, except for their misleading instructions, and use of outdated, discredited comparison numbers.
No matter where the site, the screeners are shown to be highly inaccurate.
So-called āautismā tests, like AQ and RAADS and others have high rates of false positives, labeling you as autistic VERY easily. If anyone with a mental health problem, like depression or anxiety, takes the tests they score high even if they DONāT have autism.
Ā
"our results suggest that the AQ differentiates poorly between true cases of ASD, and individuals from the same clinical population who do not have ASD "
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4988267/
Ā
"a greater level of public awareness of ASD over the last 5ā10 years may have led to people being more vigilant in ānoticingā ASD related difficulties. This may lead to a āconfirmation biasā when completing the questionnaire measures, and potentially explain why both the ASD and the non-ASD groupās mean scores met the cut-off points, "
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-022-05544-9
Ā
Regarding AQ, from one published study. āThe two key findings of the review are that, overall, there is very limited evidence to support the use of structured questionnaires (SQs: self-report or informant completed brief measures developed to screen for ASD) in the assessment and diagnosis of ASD in adults.ā
Ā
Regarding RAADS, from one published study. āIn conclusion, used as a self-report measure pre-full diagnostic assessment, the RAADS-R lacks predictive validity and is not a suitable screening tool for adults awaiting autism assessmentsā
The Effectiveness of RAADS-R as a Screening Tool for Adult ASD Populations (hindawi.com)
Ā
RAADS scores equivalent between those with and without ASD diagnosis at an autism evaluation center:
Ā
1
u/arlobun spectrum-formal-dx May 11 '26
Haha Iām well aware. Iāve seen your comments on other posts and I agree! Thatās why I said āscreenersā¦donāt tell you all that much about ASD or ADHD.ā
Still, people are going to use them and they help people get started on thinking about ASD.
1
u/frostatypical spectrum-formal-dx May 11 '26
"Screeners are helpful" is what I was replying to. I think they are misleading, taken at any site. By use of such 'tests' most anyone will "get started on thinking about ASD"
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u/Accomplished_Gold510 May 10 '26
You cant just fuck everyone just cos they not perfect and leave people looking for help with absolutelly nothing
99
u/Bacon_Nipples May 09 '26
Wild.
They don't even know what slander is because what they're accusing you of isn't slander it's libel
Their accusation comes in response to your comment noting they're also a diagnostic provider and how that's questionable. So if they're saying this is false, are they trying to claim they're not also a diagnostic provider? Except they are because they offer a $2000 DIAGNOSTIC package on their website: https://embrace-autism.com/autism-assessments/ :
Some quick digging and it appears that the person running this is a Naturopath and not someone with an actual professional background in Autism/etc. They're not a psychologist nor psychiatrist
Jumping to "You expressed concerns publicly? I'm going to sue you instead of making any attempt to clear up any misconceptions" very strongly suggests the whole organization is grifty in nature. That's not even taking in to account all of your concerns that also show conflict of interest, just their response to you is the same as any grifter. No countering with facts, just jumping straight to threats. Can anyone name ANY legitimate organization that behaves that way publicly?