All,
In the light of recent theories and findings about Autism and "Asperger", and due to the fact that some people really don't fit in one of those groups, but for sure present significant threats of "autism", I think we are getting to know a new subgroup of the autistic spectrum.
Some characteristics, like mind blindness or lack of theory of mind, are central to the definition of Asperger. A new theory, about a "Intense World Syndrome"
(Look for "a-radical-new-autism-theory"), does describe some key autistic features, like elevated sensibility and self-awareness, but does not require mind blindness or lack of theory of mind. In fact, some characteristics associated with hypersensibility or overexcitability may go against that. If you read about
Dabrowski's Intellectual Overexcitability (this site does not trust me and does not allow me to post links!! !!), you notice some examples:
- Strategic thinking, instead of focus on details;
- Interest for change, experimentation and new discoveries, instead of need of routine and difficulty with changes;
Another thing not explicit, that I would add:
- Despite of introspectiveness and shyness, there can be intense interest for social contact.
From my own case, I can tell, I agree 100% with IWS, and 100% with all Dabrowski's Intellectual Overexcitabilities, I also present an autistic endocrinological pattern (Like low cortisol levels in the morning, and more response to the environment than to the biological clock), and I also present (maybe mild) social interaction problems, but I do not present the two key characteristics mentioned on the top, which are currently major criteria for AS.
Therefore I challenge if ASD and IWS are the same or one is a subgroup of the other, and if Asperger is a subgroup of IWS, or both are two distinct groups.
Last edited by Arroyo on 20 Jan 2010, 7:23 am, edited 4 times in total.