Autism,autism spectrum disorder
Reading File
Finding Sources
Finding Sources
Reading File
Reading File
Reading File
Reading File
Essential criteria
Based on the textbook content already retrieved, here are the essential diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder (DSM-5):
Essential Diagnostic Criteria for ASD (DSM-5)
Domain 1 — Persistent Deficits in Social Communication & Interaction
(All three must be present)
| Feature | Examples |
|---|---|
| Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity | Abnormal social approach, failure of back-and-forth conversation, reduced sharing of interests/emotions |
| Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors | Poor eye contact, abnormal body language, limited facial expression, lack of gesturing |
| Deficits in developing/maintaining relationships | Difficulty adjusting behavior to social contexts, absence of interest in peers, lack of imaginative play |
Domain 2 — Restricted, Repetitive Behaviors, Interests, or Activities
(At least 2 of the following)
- Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements — hand-flapping, toe-walking, echolalia, lining up objects
- Insistence on sameness / inflexible routines — extreme distress at small changes, rigid rituals
- Highly restricted, fixated interests — abnormal intensity or focus (e.g., idiosyncratic preoccupations)
- Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input — indifference to pain/temperature, adverse response to sounds or textures
Additional Requirements
| Criterion | Detail |
|---|---|
| Onset | Symptoms present in the early developmental period (may not fully manifest until social demands exceed capacity) |
| Functional impairment | Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other areas |
| Not better explained by | Intellectual disability or global developmental delay alone |
DSM-5 Severity Specifiers
Rated separately for each domain (social communication & restricted/repetitive behaviors):
- Level 1 — Requires support
- Level 2 — Requires substantial support
- Level 3 — Requires very substantial support
Additional Specifiers
- With or without intellectual impairment
- With or without language impairment
- Associated with a known medical/genetic condition
- With catatonia
Note: DSM-5 collapsed the previous subtypes (Autistic Disorder, Asperger Disorder, PDD-NOS, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, Rett Syndrome) into a single spectrum diagnosis. Aberrant language development is no longer a core criterion — it is an associated feature in some individuals.
— Kaplan and Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry
Autism vs autism spectrum disorder
Short answer: in current clinical use, they usually mean the same diagnosis.
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the formal DSM-5 diagnosis.
- Autism is commonly used shorthand for ASD.
Historical difference:
- Older systems separated conditions (autistic disorder, Asperger disorder, PDD-NOS, childhood disintegrative disorder, Rett syndrome).
- DSM-5 combined these into one spectrum: ASD, with specifiers for language, intellectual function, severity, and associated conditions.
So:
- If someone says autism today, they usually mean ASD.
- ASD emphasizes that symptoms vary in type and severity across individuals.
This is a shared conversation. Sign in to Orris to start your own chat.