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Official Criteria
for Asperger
Syndrome
The
official definition
for Asperger
Syndrome can be
found in the 1994
edition of the
Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual
of Mental Disorders
(DSM) (4th
edition), as
prepared by the
American Psychiatric
Association. This
is also knows at the
DSM-IV. Prior to
1994 Asperger
Syndrome was not
even included in the
DSM, which is the
“handbook” for all
doctors in the
United States.
Although this is
more of a checklist
than a discussion,
by reading over this
information you
should understand
the identifying
characteristics for
this disorder. The
summary listed here
was taken from
Pediatricneurology, so it may
sound rather stilted
and formal, but so
is the DSM-IV.
(A)
Qualitative
impairment in
social interaction,
as manifested by at
least two of the
following:
1.
marked impairment in
the use of multiple
nonverbal behaviors
such as eye-to-eye
gaze, facial
expression, body
postures, and
gestures to regulate
social interaction
2.
failure to develop
peer relationships
appropriate to
developmental level
3.
a lack of
spontaneous seeking
to share enjoyment,
interests, or
achievements with
other people (e.g.,
by a lack of
showing, bringing,
or pointing out
objects of interest
to other people)
4.
lack of social or
emotional
reciprocity.
(B)
Restricted
repetitive and
stereotyped patterns
of behavior,
interests, and
activities, as
manifested by at
least one of the
following:
1.
encompassing
preoccupation with
one or more
stereotyped and
restricted patterns
of interest that is
abnormal either in
intensity or focus
2.
apparently
inflexible
adherences to
specific,
non-functional
routines or rituals
3.
stereotyped and
repetitive motor
mannerisms (e.g.,
hand or finger
flapping or
twisting, or complex
whole-body
movements)
4.
persistent
preoccupation with
parts of objects
(C)
The disturbance
causes clinically
significant
impairment in
social,
occupational, or
other important
areas of
functioning.
(D)
There is no
clinically
significant general
delay in language
(e.g., single words
used by age 2 years,
communicative
phrases used by age
3 years)
(E)
There is no
clinically
significant delay in
cognitive
development or in
the development of
age-appropriate
self-help skills,
adaptive behavior
(other than in
social interaction),
and curiosity about
the environment in
childhood.
What is AS
Official
Criteria for Asperger Syndrome
Basic
Characteristics
Traits by Age
Truth and AS
Family and AS
Should You
Seek a Diagnosis?
Reason and Support for BRASS
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"I know of nobody who is purely Autistic or purely neurotypical.
Even God had some Autistic moments, which is why the planets all spin."
~ Jerry Newport