Similarities & Differences: Why the DSM-V Makes Sense

Post Reply New Topic

I feel the most important aspect of the new criteria is the elimination arbitrary distinction between high-functionning autism and Asperger's syndrome. From what I have read, there was no methodologically valid distinction between the two conditions.

The ASD diagnosis basically says: "Welcome to the spectrum! Ask for the help you need, and don't receive that which you don't want." In the old one, it plainly means that if you had no speech delay, then you don't have "autism proper", which means you have Asperger's or something else, which seems to be understood as "mild" -- just because you could speak at the same age as the others. I don't think that makes sense.

The idea of the spectrum existed before DSM-V. I mean... the banner here says "The online resource and community for Autism and Asperger's". The assimilation of high-functionning autism and Asperger's syndrome was already something that was discussed.

From what I have seen, for all disorder categories I have checked (of which there are few, but anyway), the new DSM seems to be much more adaptable to clinical situations. There are fewer tags and labels, but leave more space to particularities of every case, of every patient. Go check the personality disorders: they cut half of them out and replaced them with a trait system. I am obviously not an expert, but it seems more comprehensive and flexible, prima facie.

For the "perception by others" aspect, "multiple personality disorder" is dead and burried in the DSM, and people still say that. I don't believe a treatment that works will be changed just because the criteria have changed. I doubt the publication of the new edition will be have far-reaching consequences, for better or for worse, to anyone but academics and searchers.

It doesn't need to take level of impairment into account insofar as just meeting the threshold of symptoms and severity (which is level of impairment in reality). The point is that you need to be disabled in the ways outlined; it's not a competition, so if you meet what is outlined, you have that. Someone may be better or worst than you, but that's really of no concern as far as a diagnosable entity is concerned (take for example any mental disorder and you have the same thing).

Somewhat, yes, the symptoms overlap as of AS and AD, though each criterion has a different manifestation as per the the expanded text; problems with reciprocal interaction are two different things for AS and AD, as it points out in the text, for example. They're removing this, probably because people often ignored the expanded text (this is professionals), and went with their own subjective clinical experience with labels.

Your problem with various levels of severity is the point of the "spectrum", though as defined, the mildest diagnosable end needs considerable disability in the ways outlined (DSM-IV-TR and the proposed DSM-V), so it's moot in regards to reality. If you have it, you have it, and comparing yourself to others isn't going to help anything. It's not a club where people go into their little respective corners and hang together.

On what points precisely? It is a half-informed opinion, so if you want to give me the other half that might make me fully informed, you may.

Yes, I had read it. I found it very informative, but I don't think it adressed what I was saying.