Aspies to be demoted to Autistics.

Post Reply New Topic

Just a note of clarification, the new final revised standards have not been released or published so no one outside of those privy to it, knows exactly what the new criteria are now, as one change has already been reported by the New York Times that was not noted in the last public revision. I don't think it is likely the rest of the criteria has changed significantly, but there is the potential that there are additional changes in the criteria.



Each criterion is described more broadly; that in part is because the more restricted number and selection of criterion mandatory to meet a diagnosis includes elements of other criterion that were dropped from Autistic Disorder to restrict the number and selection of criterion mandatory for a diagnosis.

However as described in my last post there was no mandatory requirement for a person to exhibit any element of the non-verbal impairments criterion or any element of the impairments in forming and maintaing peer appropriate friendships criterion in the DSMIV-TR social interaction criteria section, neither for Autistic Disorder or Asperger's Disorder.

Meeting elements in both those criterion are now mandatory in the DSM5 Social-Communication Criteria Section, per the last published revision. It stands to reason it would be more likely that, overall, those diagnosed with Autistic Disorder would be more likely to meet elements for all four criterion in the social interaction criteria section than those diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, if for no other reason than the potential bias of assessing someone observed meeting more criterion in the same described social interaction criteria section, in the disorder considered as overall more severe.

This is likely part of why some people currently diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome meeting more than the minimal requirements technically can meet the current minimal requirements of DSMIV-TR Autistic Disorder as long as they meet 2 RRSBI criterion elements, match one of the communication criteria section criterion elements from Autistic Disorder, such as an impairment in initiating a conversation in social interaction that was morphed into the Social-Emotional reciprocity Criterion as an impairment element in the DSM5 ASD, and a delay of the development of social interaction before age 3 that was allowed in a diagnoses of Asperger's syndrome but was one of the optional criterion elements that must be met to fulfill the criteria section for delays or abnormal areas of functioning before age 3 in DSMIV-TR Autistic Disorder.

Repetitive behavioral impairments were optional criterion elements in meeting the 2 of 4 or 1 of 4 elements respectively in Autistic Disorder and Asperger's Disorder in the Restrictive Repetitive Stereotypical Behaviors and interests criteria section and part of elements from that overall criteria section described as an optional requirement in PDDNOS, but Repetitive Behavioral impairments were not a mandatory requirement to meet a diagnosis of any of the disorders, as one could meet them with the criterion element of encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity and/or the criterion element of persistent preoccupation with parts of objects, depending on whether 2 of 4, 1 of 4, or elements from the optional generally described criteria section of RRSBI's in PDD NOS were required.

In the most recent publicly released revised DSM5 definition of Autistic Spectrum Disorder, repetitive behavioral impairments are also an optional but not a mandatory requirement to meet the Restrictive Repetitive Behavioral Interests and Activities Criteria section. A person can meet the requirement with only elements of the criterion of highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity OR elements of the criterion of focus and Hyper-or hypo-reactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of environment.





I made the point in my post where this was quoted that the concern expressed, by some, that their children with intellectual disability would lose their diagnoses over the wording of the latest released DSM5 ASD revision was not fully justified by the research done in that area that actually identifies fewer people losing their diagnoses with assessed co-morbid intellectual disability than those individuals without assessed co-morbid intellectual disability. But, never the less, what remains of the basic criteria, excluding the severity levels, in the DSM5 latest publicly released revision of ASD, is more reflective of the described criterion in the DSMIV-TR for Asperger's Syndrome than Autistic Disorder.

While potentially not as likely there was the potential for those diagnosed with Autistic Disorder to be diagnosed without any non-verbal impairments and/or impairments in developing and maintaining friendships in the social interaction criteria section as described above in Asperger's Disorder, and there have also been some studies that have shown some would have lost their diagnosis of Autistic Disorder with the new DSM5 criteria with some additional individuals meeting the new requirements that otherwise might not have met them.

So, while it may potentially be easier for some individuals to meet the DSM5 ASD who might not have otherwise met the criteria for Autistic Disorder as some mandatory requirements have been eliminated and as easy for some that would have met the old requirement, I would reserve judgement on what may or may not be easy for those on a case by case basis to meet a diagnosis under the DSM5 definition of ASD, because there are also new mandatory criterion that were previously optionally required and because the new ASD definition was constructed with the intention to reduce the identified potential for over/miss-diagnosis in all DSMIV-TR defined Autism Spectrum Disorders.

And, also as a note per research done in the US and Sweden, at least one autistic trait/criterion was identified in up to 30% of the population, so coming across a person with some autistic traits, is very common for those with or without assessed intellectual disability/MR. For example, although not specifically identified in those two studies, the "stimming" behavior of Rocking is pretty common in the general population either to reduce anxiety or some would describe it just makes them feel good..

I think OOM was being sarcastic about the asylum part. It be dumb to assume that is what will happen to all of us.

Yep, that was sarcasm.

To be honest, I don't think it really matters what we call it, as long as it's recognized and support is given and treatment when needed.