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{{Short description|Formerly recognized subtype of autism}} | |||
{{DiseaseDisorder infobox | | |||
{{redirect|Asperger's|other uses|Asperger (disambiguation)}} | |||
Name = Asperger syndrome | |||
{{pp-semi-indef}} | |||
| ICD10 = F84.5 | |||
{{pp-move}} | |||
| ICD9 = {{ICD9|299.80}} | |||
{{use dmy dates|date=November 2019}} | |||
{{use American English|date=July 2020}} | |||
{{Infobox medical condition (new) | |||
| name = Asperger syndrome | |||
| pronounce = {{IPAc-en|ˈ|æ|s|p|ɜːr|ɡ|ər|z}},<ref name=collinsuk>{{cite web|title=Asperger syndrome definition and meaning|url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/asperger-syndrome|website=Collins English Dictionary|access-date=16 May 2018}}</ref> {{IPAc-en|-|dʒ|ər|z}}<ref name=oeduk>{{cite web|title=Asperger's syndrome|url=https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/Asperger%27s_syndrome|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161003025728/https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/asperger%27s_syndrome|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 October 2016|website=Oxford Dictionaries|access-date=16 May 2018}}</ref> | |||
| image = Riboflavin penicillinamide.jpg | |||
| alt = A boy with Asperger's playing with magnetic toys. | |||
| caption = Restricted interests or repetitive behavior may be features of Asperger syndrome; this boy is playing with a magnetic construction toy. | |||
| field = ], ], ], ] | |||
| synonyms = Asperger's syndrome, Asperger disorder (AD), Asperger's, Sukhareva's syndrome,<ref name="urn.kb.se">{{cite journal | vauthors = Manouilenko I, Bejerot S | title = Sukhareva – Prior to Asperger and Kanner | journal = Nordic Journal of Psychiatry | volume = 69 | issue = 6 | pages = 479–82 | date = August 2015 | pmid = 25826582 | doi = 10.3109/08039488.2015.1005022 | s2cid = 207473133 | publication-date = 31 March 2015 | type = Report | url = http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-47358 | issn=0803-9488 }}</ref> schizoid disorder of childhood,<ref name="ICD-10-web-EN">{{cite web |author=World Health Organization |url=http://apps.who.int/classifications/icd10/browse/2016/en#/F84.5 |title=International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision (ICD-10): F84.5 Asperger syndrome |date=2016 |access-date=2 November 2018|author-link=World Health Organization}}</ref> autistic psychopathy<ref name="ICD-10-web-EN"/> | |||
| symptoms = Problems with social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and the presence of repetitive behavior and restricted interests<ref name=NIH2015 /> | |||
| complications = Social isolation, employment problems, family stress, ], ]<ref>{{cite web |title=Autism spectrum disorder – Symptoms and causes |url=https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/autism-spectrum-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20352928 |website=Mayo Clinic |access-date=13 July 2019}}</ref> | |||
| onset = Before two years old<ref name=NIH2015 /> | |||
| duration = Lifelong<ref name=NIH2015 /> | |||
| causes = Inconclusive<ref name=NIH2015 /> | |||
| risks = | |||
| diagnosis = Based on the symptoms<ref name=Mer2019>{{cite web |title=Autism Spectrum Disorders – Pediatrics |url=https://www.merckmanuals.com/en-ca/professional/pediatrics/learning-and-developmental-disorders/autism-spectrum-disorders |website=Merck Manuals Professional Edition |access-date=26 January 2019}}</ref> | |||
| differential = | |||
| prevention = | |||
| management = Social skills training, ], ], ], parent training<ref name=NINDS /> | |||
| medication = For associated conditions<ref name=NINDS /> | |||
| prognosis = | |||
| frequency = 37.2 million globally (0.5%) (2015)<ref name=GBD2015Pre/> | |||
| deaths = | |||
| treatment = | |||
| named after = ] | |||
}} | }} | ||
<!-- Definition and symptoms --><!-- Please do not change "condition" to "disorder", as it is inherently POV. --> | |||
'''Asperger syndrome''' ('''AS'''), also known as '''Asperger's syndrome''' or '''Asperger's''', was a diagnosis used to describe a ] characterized by significant difficulties in ] and ], along with ].<ref name="NIH2015" /> Asperger syndrome has been merged with other conditions into ] (ASD) and is no longer a diagnosis in the ]'s ] or the ]'s ].<ref>{{cite book |title=Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR) |title-link=DSM-5-TR |chapter=Neurodevelopmental Disorders |publisher=American Psychiatric Association |place=Washington, DC |date=18 March 2022 |lccn=2021051782 |isbn=9780890425770 <!-- ebook version; it doesn't have page numbers. -->|ref={{harvid|DSM-5-TR}}}}</ref><ref>{{cite encyclopedia |title=6A02 Autism spectrum disorder |date=February 2022<!-- The most recent update as of the access date --> |orig-date=adopted in 2019<!-- This is when it was adopted by the World Health Assembly --> |url=https://icd.who.int/browse11/l-m/en#/http://id.who.int/icd/entity/437815624 |encyclopedia=International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11) |publisher=World Health Organization |access-date=14 May 2022 |id={{ICD11|6A02|437815624}} |ref={{harvid|ICD-11}}}}</ref><ref name="GARD">{{cite web |title=Asperger syndrome |url=https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/5855/asperger-syndrome |access-date=26 January 2019 |website=Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD) – an NCATS Program}}</ref> It was considered<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Rosen NE, Lord C, Volkmar FR | title = The Diagnosis of Autism: From Kanner to DSM-III to DSM-5 and Beyond | journal = Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | volume = 51 | issue = 12 | pages = 4253–4270 | date = December 2021 | pmid = 33624215 | pmc = 8531066 | doi = 10.1007/s10803-021-04904-1 }}</ref> milder than other diagnoses which were merged into ASD due to relatively unimpaired ] and ].<ref name=ICD10>{{cite web|title=F84.5 Asperger syndrome|url=http://apps.who.int/classifications/icd10/browse/2015/en#/F84.5|website=World Health Organization|access-date=13 March 2016|date=2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151102042503/http://apps.who.int/classifications/icd10/browse/2015/en#/F84.5|archive-date=2 November 2015}}</ref> | |||
The syndrome was named in 1976 by English psychiatrist ] after the Austrian ] ], who, in 1944, described children in his care who struggled to form friendships, did not understand others' ] or ], ], and were clumsy.<ref name="rue1">{{cite book| vauthors = Asperger H, Frich U |year=1991 |url= https://archive.org/details/hans_20221127 |title= Autistic psychopathy in childhood|publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0521386081 |url-access=registration |via=]}}</ref> In 1990 (coming into effect in 1993), the diagnosis of Asperger syndrome was included in the tenth edition (]) of the ]'s ], and in 1994, it was also included in the fourth edition (DSM-4) of the ]'s '']''. However, with the publication of DSM-5 in 2013 the syndrome was removed, and the symptoms are now included within autism spectrum disorder along with ] and ] (PDD-NOS).<ref name=NIH2015 /><ref>{{cite web|title=Autism Spectrum Disorder|url=http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd/index.shtml|website=National Institute of Mental Health|access-date=12 March 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309015426/http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd/index.shtml|archive-date=9 March 2016}}</ref> It was similarly merged into autism spectrum disorder in the ] (]) in 2018 (published, coming into effect in 2022).<ref name=ICD11>{{cite web |title=ICD-11 |url=https://icd.who.int/browse11/l-m/en#/http://id.who.int/icd/entity/120443468 |access-date=2022-04-10 |website=icd.who.int}}</ref><ref name=ICDupdate>{{cite web |title=World Health Organisation updates classification of autism in the ICD-11 |access-date=2022-04-10 |url=https://www.autismeurope.org/blog/2018/06/21/world-health-organisation-updates-classification-of-autism-in-the-icd-11/ |website=autismeurope}}</ref> | |||
] | |||
'''Asperger syndrome''' – also called '''Asperger's syndrome''', '''AS''', or the common shorthand '''Asperger's''' – is one of five neurobiological ]s, and is characterized by normal intelligence and language development, but deficiencies in social and communication skills. | |||
The exact cause of autism, including what was formerly known as Asperger syndrome, is not well understood.<ref name=NIH2015>{{cite web|title=Autism Spectrum Disorder|url=http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/autism-spectrum-disorder-qf-15-5511/index.shtml|website=National Institute of Mental Health|access-date=12 March 2016|date=September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312130731/http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/autism-spectrum-disorder-qf-15-5511/index.shtml|archive-date=12 March 2016}}</ref> While it has ], the underlying ] have not been determined conclusively.<ref name="McPart2006">{{cite journal |vauthors=McPartland J, Klin A |date=October 2006 |title=Asperger's syndrome |journal=Adolescent Medicine Clinics |volume=17 |issue=3 |pages=771–88; abstract xiii |doi=10.1016/j.admecli.2006.06.010 |doi-broken-date=1 November 2024 |pmid=17030291}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Klauck SM | title = Genetics of autism spectrum disorder | journal = European Journal of Human Genetics | volume = 14 | issue = 6 | pages = 714–20 | date = June 2006 | pmid = 16721407 | doi = 10.1038/sj.ejhg.5201610 | s2cid = 17382203 | doi-access = free}}</ref> Environmental factors are also believed to play a role.<ref name=NIH2015 /> ] has not identified a common ].<ref name=McPart2006 /> There is no single treatment, and the UK's ] (NHS) guidelines suggest that "treatment" of any form of autism should not be a goal, since autism is not "a disease that can be removed or cured".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018 |title=Making information and the words we use accessible |url=https://www.england.nhs.uk/learning-disabilities/about/get-involved/involving-people/making-information-and-the-words-we-use-accessible/ |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=NHS England}}</ref> According to the ],<ref name="Royal College of Psychiatrists">{{Cite web |title=The psychiatric management of autism in adults (CR228) |url=https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/improving-care/campaigning-for-better-mental-health-policy/college-reports/2020-college-reports/cr228 |access-date=2022-04-12 | publisher = Royal College of Psychiatrists |language=en}}</ref> while co-occurring conditions might require treatment, "management of autism itself is chiefly about the provision of the education, training, and social support/care required to improve the person's ability to function in the everyday world". The effectiveness of particular interventions for autism is supported by only limited data.<ref name=McPart2006 /> Interventions may include social skills training, ], ], ], ], and medications for associated problems, such as mood or anxiety.<ref name=NINDS>{{cite web|author=National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)|date=31 July 2007|url=http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/asperger/detail_asperger.htm|access-date=24 August 2007|title=Asperger syndrome fact sheet|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070821112426/http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/asperger/detail_asperger.htm|archive-date=21 August 2007|url-status=live}} NIH Publication No. 05-5624.</ref> Autistic characteristics tend to become less obvious in adulthood,<ref name="Royal College of Psychiatrists" /> but social and communication difficulties usually persist.<ref name="Woodbury-Smith">{{cite journal | vauthors = Woodbury-Smith MR, Volkmar FR | title = Asperger syndrome | journal = European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry | volume = 18 | issue = 1 | pages = 2–11 | date = January 2009 | pmid = 18563474 | doi = 10.1007/s00787-008-0701-0 | s2cid = 12808995 | url = http://www.ssoar.info/ssoar/handle/document/12424 | type = Submitted manuscript}}</ref> | |||
The term "Asperger's syndrome" was coined by ] in a 1981 medical paper. She named the ] after ], an ] ] and ] who himself had used the term ''autistic psychopathy'' in describing a group of boys with Asperger's in a 1940 paper. Asperger's syndrome was added to the ] (DSM) in 1994, and has only become more widely recognized and diagnosed in recent years. | |||
<!-- Epidemiology and history --> | |||
==Definitions and diagnostic criteria== | |||
In 2015, Asperger syndrome was estimated to affect 37.2 million people globally, or about 0.5% of the population.<ref name=GBD2015Pre >{{cite journal | collaboration = GBD 2015 Disease and Injury Incidence and Prevalence Collaborators | vauthors = Vos T, Allen C, Arora M, Barber RM, Bhutta ZA, Brown A, etal | title = Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 310 diseases and injuries, 1990–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 | journal = Lancet | volume = 388 | issue = 10053 | pages = 1545–602 | date = October 2016 | pmid = 27733282 | pmc = 5055577 | doi = 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)31678-6}}</ref> The exact percentage of people affected has still not been firmly established.<ref name="McPart2006"/> Autism spectrum disorder is diagnosed in males more often than females,<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors= Lockwood Estrin G, Milner V, Spain D, Happé F, Colvert E | title = Barriers to Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis for Young Women and Girls: A Systematic Review | journal = Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | volume = 8 | pages = 454–470 | date = December 2021 | issue = 4 | doi= 10.1007/s40489-020-00225-8 | pmid = 34868805 | pmc = 8604819 }}</ref> and females are typically diagnosed at a later age.<ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Ferri FF |title=Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2015|format= E-Book|date=2014 |publisher=Elsevier Health Sciences |isbn=9780323084307 |page=162 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=icTsAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA163-IA15}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Lai MC, Baron-Cohen S | title = Identifying the lost generation of adults with autism spectrum conditions | journal = The Lancet. Psychiatry | volume = 2 | issue = 11 | pages = 1013–27 | date = November 2015 | pmid = 26544750 | doi = 10.1016/S2215-0366(15)00277-1}}</ref> The modern conception of Asperger syndrome came into existence in 1981 and went through a period of popularization.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Klin A, Pauls D, Schultz R, Volkmar F | s2cid = 19076633 | title = Three diagnostic approaches to Asperger syndrome: implications for research | journal = Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | volume = 35 | issue = 2 | pages = 221–34 | date = April 2005 | pmid = 15909408 | doi = 10.1007/s10803-004-2001-y}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism?|veditors=Schopler E, Mesibov GB, Kunce LJ|publisher=Plenum press|location=New York|year=1998|chapter=The history of Asperger syndrome|vauthors=Wing L|pages=11–25|isbn=978-0-306-45746-3|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jz_xbeWgG9AC&pg=PA11|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313123459/https://books.google.ca/books?id=jz_xbeWgG9AC&pg=PA11|archive-date=13 March 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Woodbury-Smith M, Klin A, Volkmar F | s2cid = 12417580 | title = Asperger's syndrome: a comparison of clinical diagnoses and those made according to the ICD-10 and DSM-IV | journal = Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | volume = 35 | issue = 2 | pages = 235–40 | date = April 2005 | pmid = 15909409 | doi = 10.1007/s10803-004-2002-x}}</ref> It became a standardized ] in the 1990s<ref name=Linda2004>{{cite book| vauthors = Baker L |title=Asperger's Syndrome: Intervening in Schools, Clinics, and Communities|date=2004|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-135-62414-9|page=44|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KiSRAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA44|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313125152/https://books.google.ca/books?id=KiSRAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA44|archive-date=13 March 2016}}</ref> and was merged into ASD in 2013.<ref name="GARD" /> Many questions and controversies about the condition remain.<ref name="Woodbury-Smith" /> | |||
Asperger syndrome is defined in section 299.80 of the ] (DSM-IV) (See the ].) as: | |||
#Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following: | |||
##Marked impairments in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body ], and gestures to regulate social interaction. | |||
##Failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level. | |||
##A lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interest or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people). | |||
##A lack of social or emotional reciprocity. | |||
#Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following: | |||
##Encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal in either intensity or focus. | |||
##Apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals. | |||
##Stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting or complex whole-body movements). | |||
##Persistent preoccupation with parts of objects. | |||
#The disturbance causes clinically significant impairments in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. | |||
#There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g., single words used by age two years, communicative phrases used by age three years). | |||
#There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills or adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction) and curiosity about the ] in childhood. | |||
#Criteria are not met for another specific ] or ]. | |||
{{TOC limit}} | |||
The diagnostic criteria of the ''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual'' are criticized for being vague and subjective; a condition that one psychologist might define as a significant impairment might be defined by another psychologist as merely insignificant. | |||
== Classification == | |||
In ''A Guide to Asperger Syndrome'' <ref>Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002</ref>, Christopher Gillberg also criticizes | |||
The extent of the overlap between Asperger syndrome and other forms of autism, particularly what was sometimes called ] is unclear.<ref name=Klin>{{cite journal | vauthors = Klin A | s2cid = 34035031 | title = Autismo e síndrome de Asperger: uma visão geral | trans-title = Autism and Asperger syndrome: an overview | journal = Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria | volume = 28 | issue = Suppl 1 | pages = S3–11 | date = May 2006 | language = pt-br | pmid = 16791390 | doi = 10.1590/S1516-44462006000500002 | doi-access = free}}</ref><ref name="Kasari">{{cite journal | vauthors = Kasari C, Rotheram-Fuller E | title = Current trends in psychological research on children with high-functioning autism and Asperger disorder | journal = Current Opinion in Psychiatry | volume = 18 | issue = 5 | pages = 497–501 | date = September 2005 | pmid = 16639107 | doi = 10.1097/01.yco.0000179486.47144.61 | s2cid = 20438728}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Witwer AN, Lecavalier L | s2cid = 5316399 | title = Examining the validity of autism spectrum disorder subtypes | journal = Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | volume = 38 | issue = 9 | pages = 1611–24 | date = October 2008 | pmid = 18327636 | doi = 10.1007/s10803-008-0541-2}}</ref> The ASD classification is to some extent an artifact of how autism was discovered,<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Sanders JL | s2cid = 26351778 | title = Qualitative or quantitative differences between Asperger's disorder and autism? Historical considerations | journal = Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | volume = 39 | issue = 11 | pages = 1560–67 | date = November 2009 | pmid = 19548078 | doi = 10.1007/s10803-009-0798-0}}</ref> and it may not reflect the true nature of the spectrum;<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Szatmari P | title = The classification of autism, Asperger's syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder | journal = Canadian Journal of Psychiatry | volume = 45 | issue = 8 | pages = 731–38 | date = October 2000 | pmid = 11086556 | doi = 10.1177/070674370004500806 | s2cid = 37243752 | doi-access = free}}</ref> methodological problems have beset Asperger syndrome as a valid diagnosis from the outset.<ref>{{cite book|chapter=History and development of autism spectrum disorders|year=2006|publisher=Elsevier Science|title=Early intervention for autism spectrum disorders: a critical analysis|page=21|isbn=978-0-08-044675-2|location=Amsterdam|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XonQy12xCgEC&q=Early+intervention+for+autism+spectrum+disorders:+a+critical+analysis&pg=PP2|vauthors=Matson JL, Minshawi NF}}</ref><ref name="Schopler388">{{cite book|title=Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism?|veditors=Schopler E, Mesibov GB, Kunce LJ|publisher=Plenum press|location=New York|year=1998|chapter=Premature popularization of Asperger syndrome|vauthors=Schopler E|pages=388–90|isbn=978-0-306-45746-3|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jz_xbeWgG9AC&q=Asperger+syndrome+or+high-functioning+autism}}</ref> As noted above, in the 2000s, Asperger syndrome, as a separate diagnosis, was eliminated and folded into autism spectrum disorder in the ] and the ]. Like the diagnosis of Asperger syndrome,<ref name="Ghaziuddin">{{cite journal | vauthors = Ghaziuddin M | s2cid = 7490308 | title = Should the DSM V drop Asperger syndrome? | journal = Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | volume = 40 | issue = 9 | pages = 1146–48 | date = September 2010 | pmid = 20151184 | doi = 10.1007/s10803-010-0969-z}}</ref> the change was controversial.<ref name="Ghaziuddin" /><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Faras H, Al Ateeqi N, Tidmarsh L | title = Autism spectrum disorders | journal = Annals of Saudi Medicine | volume = 30 | issue = 4 | pages = 295–300 | year = 2010 | pmid = 20622347 | pmc = 2931781 | doi = 10.4103/0256-4947.65261 | doi-access = free }}</ref> | |||
the "no significant delay" clauses of the DSM, and to a lesser extent some of the others, and argues that the clauses represent a misunderstanding or oversimplification of the syndrome. He states that although there may well be significant delay in some areas of language development, it is often combined with exceptionally high functioning in other language-related areas, and he argues that this combination superficially resembles but is in reality very different from normal development in language and adaptive behavior. | |||
The ] (WHO) previously defined Asperger syndrome (AS) as one of the ]s (PDD), which are a ] that are characterized by abnormalities of ] and communication that pervade the individual's functioning, and by restricted and repetitive interests and behavior. Like other neurodevelopmental conditions, ASD begins in infancy or childhood, has a steady course without remission or relapse, and has impairments that result from maturation-related changes in various systems of the brain.<ref name="ICD-10-F84.0">{{cite book|chapter-url=http://apps.who.int/classifications/apps/icd/icd10online/?gf80.htm+f840|year=2006|title=International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems|edition=10th (])|author=World Health Organization|chapter=F84. Pervasive developmental disorders|publisher=World Health Organization |isbn=978-92-4-154419-1}}</ref> | |||
Partly because of Asperger syndrome's recent appearance in the DSM and partly because of differences of opinion such as Gillberg's, at least three other, slightly different sets of diagnostic criteria are used in the field besides the DSM-IV definition. One is due to Gillberg himself and his wife and is also endorsed by Attwood; among other differences, this definition emphasizes the linguistic peculiarities, which go unmentioned in the DSM-IV criteria. Another definition is due to a team of Canadian researchers and is often called the Szatmari definition, after the first listed author of the paper in which these criteria first appeared. Both of these definitions were first published in 1989. The third is the ] definition; this one is similar to the DSM-IV version, and Gillberg criticizes it in much the same manner as he does the DSM-IV version. | |||
== Characteristics == | |||
Gillberg's criteria are as follows (all six criteria must be met for confirmation of diagnosis) <ref>(Gillberg and Gillberg 1989)</ref> <ref>(Attwood 195-196)</ref>, | |||
] | |||
As a ], Asperger syndrome is distinguished by a pattern of symptoms rather than a single symptom. It is characterized by qualitative impairment in social interaction, by stereotyped and restricted patterns of behavior, activities, and interests, and by no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or general delay in language.<ref name="DSM-IV-TR 299.80">{{cite book|title=Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders|edition=4th, text revision (])|author=American Psychiatric Association|year=2000|isbn=978-0-89042-025-6|chapter=Diagnostic criteria for 299.80 Asperger's Disorder (AD) |publisher=American Psychiatric Association|location=Arlington, VA}}</ref> Intense preoccupation with a narrow subject, one-sided ], restricted ], and physical clumsiness are typical of the condition, but are not required for diagnosis.<ref name=Klin /> | |||
#Severe impairment in reciprocal social interaction (at least two of the following) | |||
##inability to interact with peers | |||
##lack of desire to interact with peers | |||
##lack of appreciation of social cues | |||
##socially and emotionally inappropriate behavior | |||
#All-absorbing narrow interest (at least one of the following) | |||
##exclusion of other activities | |||
##repetitive adherence | |||
##more rote than meaning | |||
#Imposition of routines and interests (at least one of the following) | |||
##on self, in aspects of life | |||
##on others | |||
#Speech and language problems (at least three of the following) | |||
##delayed development | |||
##superficially perfect expressive language | |||
##formal, pedantic language | |||
##odd ], peculiar voice characteristics | |||
##impairment of comprehension including misinterpretations of literal/implied meanings | |||
#Non-verbal communication problems (at least one of the following) | |||
##limited use of gestures | |||
##clumsy/gauche body language | |||
##limited facial expression | |||
##inappropriate expression | |||
##peculiar, stiff gaze | |||
#Motor clumsiness: poor performance on neurodevelopmental examination | |||
Suicidal thoughts and behaviors are a serious concern within the autistic population. One study found that adults with Asperger syndrome exhibited suicidal thoughts at 9 times the rate of the general population. Of autistic study participants, 66% had experienced suicidal ideation, while 35% had planned or attempted suicide.<ref>Sarah Cassidy, Paul Bradley, Janine Robinson, Carrie Allison, Meghan McHugh, Simon Baron-Cohen. Suicidal ideation and suicide plans or attempts in adults with Asperger's syndrome attending a specialist diagnostic clinic: a clinical cohort study. The Lancet Psychiatry, 2014; DOI: 10.1016/S2215-0366(14)70248-2</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Newell V, Phillips L, Jones C, Townsend E, Richards C, Cassidy S | title = A systematic review and meta-analysis of suicidality in autistic and possibly autistic people without co-occurring intellectual disability | journal = Molecular Autism | volume = 14 | issue = 1 | pages = 12 | date = March 2023 | pmid = 36922899 | pmc = 10018918 | doi = 10.1186/s13229-023-00544-7 | doi-access = free }}</ref> | |||
For ICD-10, the phrase ''Asperger's syndrome'' is synonymous with ''Autistic psychopathy'' and ''] of childhood''. | |||
=== Social interaction === | |||
==Characteristics== | |||
{{Further|Asperger syndrome and interpersonal relationships}} | |||
The most common and important characteristics of Asperger syndrome can be divided into several broad categories: ], narrow but intense interests, and ] and ] peculiarities. Other features are commonly associated with this syndrome but not always held to be necessary for diagnosis. This section reflects mainly Attwood, Gillberg, and Wing's thinking on the most important characteristics of Asperger; the ] criteria (see below) represent a slightly different view. Asperger Syndrome is often camouflaged, and many people with the disorder often blend in with those that do not have Asperger syndrome. The effects of Asperger syndrome also depends on the individual as some deal with the characteristics differently than others with Asperger syndrome. | |||
A lack of demonstrated ] affects aspects of social relatability for persons with Asperger syndrome.<ref name="Baskin">{{cite journal |vauthors=Baskin JH, Sperber M, Price BH |year=2006 |title=Asperger syndrome revisited |journal=Reviews in Neurological Diseases |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=1–7 |pmid=16596080}}</ref> Individuals with Asperger syndrome experience difficulties in basic elements of social interaction, which may include a failure to develop friendships or to seek shared enjoyments or achievements with others (e.g., showing others objects of interest); a lack of social or emotional ]; and impaired ] in areas such as ], ], posture, and gesture.<ref name=McPart2006 /> | |||
===Social impairments=== | |||
Although there is no single feature that all people with Asperger syndrome share, difficulties with ] are nearly universal and are perhaps the most important criteria that define the condition. People with Asperger syndrome lack the natural ability to see the subtexts of social interaction (sometimes resulting in well-meaning remarks that may offend and so on, finding it hard to know what is "acceptable") and also tend to lack the ability to broadcast their own emotional state. The unwritten rules of social behavior which mystify so many with Asperger syndrome have been termed "The Hidden Curriculum" by academic researcher ]. <ref> (Myles, Brenda Smith; Trautman, Melissa; and Schelvan, Ronda (2004). The Hidden Curriculum: | |||
practical solutions for understanding unstated rules in social situations. Shawnee Mission, Kansas: Autism Asperger Publishing Co.)</ref> | |||
People with Asperger syndrome may not be as withdrawn around others, compared with those with other forms of autism; they approach others, even if awkwardly. For example, a person with Asperger syndrome may engage in a one-sided, long-winded speech about a favorite topic, while misunderstanding or not recognizing the listener's feelings or reactions, such as a wish to change the topic of talk or end the interaction.<ref name=Klin /> This social awkwardness has been called "active but odd".<ref name=McPart2006 /> Such failures to react appropriately to social interaction may appear as disregard for other people's feelings and may come across as rude or insensitive.<ref name=Klin /> However, not all individuals with Asperger syndrome will approach others. Some may even display ], not speaking at all to most people and excessively to specific others.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/912296-overview|work=Medscape eMedicine|title=Asperger's Syndrome| vauthors = Brasic JR|date=7 July 2010|access-date=25 November 2010|url-status=live|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101223170232/http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/912296-overview |archive-date=23 December 2010}}</ref> | |||
Non-]s, often called ]s, are able to gather a host of information about other people's ] and ]al states based on clues gleaned from the environment and the other person's ] and ], but people with Asperger syndrome have an impairment in this ability, sometimes called ]. To be mind-blind is to find it difficult or even impossible to figure out things a person implies but does not say directly (more ], to "read between the lines"). This is not because they cannot imagine the answer but because they cannot choose between numerous possibilities; the mind-blind person cannot reliably gather enough information to do so or does not know how to interpret the information that they do gather. | |||
The cognitive ability of children with Asperger syndrome often allows them to articulate ] in a laboratory context,<ref name=McPart2006 /> where they may be able to show a theoretical understanding of other people's emotions; however, they typically have difficulty acting on this knowledge in fluid, real-life situations.<ref name=Klin /> People with Asperger syndrome may analyze and distill their observations of social interaction into rigid behavioral guidelines and apply these rules in awkward ways, such as forced eye contact, resulting in a demeanor that appears rigid or socially naïve. A history of failed attempts to establish reciprocal social relationships can cause autistic individuals to isolate themselves and cease attempts to engage; however, autistic people overwhelmingly report a desire for social contact and friendship.<ref name=McPart2006 /> | |||
Along with this difficulty in reading the ] of others, most people with Asperger's have difficulty expressing their own emotional state via body language, facial expression, and nuances as most people do. Some such people have ] as strong as, or perhaps stronger than, those of most people, although what generates an emotional response might not always be the same; the difficulty is in expressing these feelings, although it sometimes comes across as lacking them. Some make very little eye contact because they find it overwhelming, whereas others have unmodulated, staring eye contact that can cause discomfort to other people. Similarly, the use of ]s may be almost nonexistent or may seem exaggerated and differ from what would normally be considered the most appropriate for a situation. | |||
==== Violent or criminal behavior ==== | |||
It is worth noting that because it is classified as a ], some people with Asperger syndrome are nearly normal in their ability to read and use facial expressions and other subtle forms of communication. However, this ability does not come naturally to most people with Asperger syndrome. Such people must learn ] intellectually, possibly delaying ] until later in life. | |||
The ] that individuals with Asperger syndrome are predisposed to violent or criminal behavior has been investigated but is not supported by data.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Allen D, Evans C, Hider A, Hawkins S, Peckett H, Morgan H | title = Offending behaviour in adults with Asperger syndrome | journal = Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | volume = 38 | issue = 4 | pages = 748–58 | date = April 2008 | pmid = 17805955 | doi = 10.1007/s10803-007-0442-9 | s2cid = 12999370 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=Violent behavior in autism spectrum disorders: Who's at risk? |journal=Aggression and Violent Behavior |year=2018 | vauthors = Del Pozzo J, Roché M, Silverstein S |volume=39 |pages=53–60 |doi=10.1016/j.avb.2018.01.007 }}</ref> More evidence suggests that children diagnosed with Asperger syndrome are more likely to be victims, rather than offenders.<ref name=Tsatsanis>{{cite journal | vauthors = Tsatsanis KD | title = Outcome research in Asperger syndrome and autism | journal = Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America | volume = 12 | issue = 1 | pages = 47–63, vi | date = January 2003 | pmid = 12512398 | doi = 10.1016/S1056-4993(02)00056-1 }}</ref> | |||
A 2008 review found that about 80% of reported violent criminals with Asperger syndrome also had other coexisting psychotic ] such as ]. However, it must be noted that the sample size of this review was small (''n'' = 37).<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Newman SS, Ghaziuddin M | s2cid = 207158193 | title = Violent crime in Asperger syndrome: the role of psychiatric comorbidity | journal = Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | volume = 38 | issue = 10 | pages = 1848–52 | date = November 2008 | pmid = 18449633 | doi = 10.1007/s10803-008-0580-8}}</ref> | |||
Some people feel that much of the social difficulties in Asperger Syndrome are more accurately characterized as "mutual misunderstanding", in that neither the autistic nor the neurotypical understands each other. Some autistics assert that they have a much easier time reading body language of other autistic people, and that neurotypicals have difficulties interpreting autistic body language. Comparing the nonverbal communication problems that often occur between people from different cultures is a common support given for this theory. | |||
=== |
=== Empathy === | ||
People with an Asperger profile might not be recognized for their empathetic qualities, due to variation in the ways ] is felt and expressed. Some people feel deep empathy, but do not outwardly communicate these sentiments through facial expressions or language. Some people come to empathy through intellectual processes, using logic and reasoning to arrive at the feelings. People with Asperger profiles may be bullied or excluded by peers, and might as a result be guarded around people, which could appear as lack of empathy. People with Asperger profiles can still be caring individuals; indeed, it is particularly common for those with the profile to feel and exhibit deep concern for individual rights, human welfare, animal rights, environmental protection, and other global and humanitarian causes.<ref>{{Cite news | vauthors = Rourke A |date=2019-09-02 |title=Greta Thunberg responds to Asperger's critics: 'It's a superpower' |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/sep/02/greta-thunberg-responds-to-aspergers-critics-its-a-superpower |access-date=2023-02-02 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> | |||
Asperger syndrome can involve an intense and obsessive level of focus on things of interest. For example, one person might be obsessed with 1950s professional wrestling, another with national anthems of African dictatorships, or another with building models out of matchsticks. Particularly common interests are means of transport (for example, trains), computers, mathematics, astronomy, geography, history, and dinosaurs. Note that all of these last items are normal interests in ordinary children; the difference in Asperger children is the unusual intensity of their interest. | |||
Evidence suggests that in the "] model, autistic people have a unique interaction style which is significantly more readable by other autistic people, compared to non-autistic people."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-03-29 |title=We May Have Been Wrong About Autism And Empathy |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/autism-empathy-brain-research_n_56f92575e4b014d3fe237413 |access-date=2022-04-08 |website=HuffPost UK |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-07-29 |title=Asperger Profiles: Emotions and Empathy |url=https://www.aane.org/emotions-and-empathy/ |access-date=2022-04-08 |website=The Asperger / Autism Network (AANE) |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Patil I, Melsbach J, Hennig-Fast K, Silani G | title = Divergent roles of autistic and alexithymic traits in utilitarian moral judgments in adults with autism | journal = Scientific Reports | volume = 6 | issue = 1 | pages = 23637 | date = March 2016 | pmid = 27020307 | pmc = 4810325 | doi = 10.1038/srep23637 | bibcode = 2016NatSR...623637P }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Mitchell P, Sheppard E, Cassidy S | title = Autism and the double empathy problem: Implications for development and mental health | journal = The British Journal of Developmental Psychology | volume = 39 | issue = 1 | pages = 1–18 | date = March 2021 | pmid = 33393101 | doi = 10.1111/bjdp.12350 | s2cid = 230489027 | doi-access = free }}</ref> | |||
Sometimes these interests are lifelong; in other cases, they change at unpredictable intervals. In either case, there are normally one or two at any given time. In pursuit of these interests, the person with Asperger's often manifests extremely sophisticated reason, an almost obsessive focus, and great memory for apparently trivial facts (occasionally even ]). ] called his young patients "little professors" because he thought his thirteen-year-old patients had as comprehensive and nuanced an understanding of their field of interest as university professors. | |||
=== Restricted and repetitive interests and behavior === | |||
Some clinicians would not entirely agree with this description; for example, Wing and Gillberg both argue that there is often more ] than real understanding of these areas of interest, despite occasional appearances to the contrary. However, such a limitation is not required for diagnosis, even under Gillberg's criteria. | |||
People with Asperger syndrome can display behavior, interests, and activities that are restricted and repetitive and are sometimes abnormally intense or focused. They may stick to inflexible routines, move in ] and repetitive ways, preoccupy themselves with parts of objects, or engage in compulsive behaviors like lining objects up to form patterns.<ref name="DSM-IV-TR 299.80" /> | |||
Children and adolescents with Asperger syndrome often have little patience for things outside these areas of interest. During the school years, many are perceived as highly intelligent underachievers, clearly capable of outperforming their peers in their field of interest yet persistently unmotivated to do regular homework assignments (sometimes even in their areas of interest). Others, in contrast, may be overachievers who are hypermotivated to outperform peers in school. This adds to the difficulties of diagnosing the syndrome. In more serious cases, the combination of social problems and intense interests can lead to unusual behavior, such as greeting a stranger by launching into a lengthy ] about a special interest rather than introducing oneself in the socially-accepted way. However, in many cases adults can outgrow this impatience and lack of motivation and develop more tolerance to new activities and meeting new people. | |||
The pursuit of specific and narrow areas of interest is one of the most striking among possible features of AS.<ref name=McPart2006 /> Individuals with AS may collect volumes of detailed information on a relatively narrow topic such as weather data or star names without necessarily having a genuine understanding of the broader topic.<ref name=McPart2006 /><ref name=Klin /> For example, a child might memorize camera model numbers while caring little about photography.<ref name=McPart2006 /> This behavior is usually apparent by age five or six.<ref name=McPart2006 /> Although these ] may change from time to time, they typically become more unusual and narrowly focused and often dominate social interaction so much that the entire family may become immersed. Because narrow topics often capture the interest of children, this symptom may go unrecognized.<ref name=Klin /> | |||
===Speech and language peculiarities=== | |||
People with Asperger syndrome often are noted for having a highly ] way of speaking, using language far more formal and structured than the situation normally would be thought to call for. A five-year-old child with this condition may regularly speak in language that could easily have come from a university textbook, especially on his or her special area of interest. | |||
Stereotyped and repetitive motor behaviors, called ], are a core part of the diagnosis of AS and other ASDs.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = South M, Ozonoff S, McMahon WM | s2cid = 36078197 | title = Repetitive behavior profiles in Asperger syndrome and high-functioning autism | journal = Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | volume = 35 | issue = 2 | pages = 145–58 | date = April 2005 | pmid = 15909401 | doi = 10.1007/s10803-004-1992-8}}</ref> Stims are believed to be used for self-soothing and regulate ].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Foley |first=Valerie |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FGO8S2RmckEC |title=The Autism Experience: International Perspectives on Autism Parenting |date=October 2011 |publisher=ReadHowYouWant.com |isbn=978-1-4587-9728-5 |language=en}}</ref> They include hand movements such as flapping or twisting, and complex whole-body movements.<ref name="DSM-IV-TR 299.80" /> These are typically repeated in longer bursts and look more voluntary or ritualistic than ]s, which are usually faster, less rhythmical, and less often symmetrical.<ref name=RapinTS>{{cite journal | vauthors = Rapin I | title = Autism spectrum disorders: relevance to Tourette syndrome | journal = Advances in Neurology | volume = 85 | pages = 89–101 | year = 2001 | pmid = 11530449}}</ref> Stimming may have a connection with tics, and studies have reported a consistent comorbidity between AS and ] in the range of 8–20%,<ref name=RapinTS/><ref>{{cite journal|vauthors=Steyaert JG, De la Marche W|year=2008|title=What's new in autism?|url=https://www.academia.edu/24262348|journal=Eur J Pediatr|volume=167|issue=10|pages=1091–101|doi=10.1007/s00431-008-0764-4|pmid=18597114|s2cid=11831418}}</ref><ref name="Mazzone">{{cite journal | vauthors = Mazzone L, Ruta L, Reale L | title = Psychiatric comorbidities in asperger syndrome and high functioning autism: diagnostic challenges | journal = Annals of General Psychiatry | volume = 11 | issue = 1 | pages = 16 | date = June 2012 | pmid = 22731684 | pmc = 3416662 | doi = 10.1186/1744-859X-11-16 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref name="Gillberg&Billstedt2000"/> with one figure as high as 80% for tics of some kind or another,<ref name="Gillberg&Billstedt2000" /> for which several explanations have been put forward, including common genetic factors and ], ], or ] abnormalities.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Zafeiriou DI, Ververi A, Vargiami E | title = Childhood autism and associated comorbidities | journal = Brain & Development | volume = 29 | issue = 5 | pages = 257–72 | date = June 2007 | pmid = 17084999 | doi = 10.1016/j.braindev.2006.09.003 | s2cid = 16386209}}</ref> | |||
Literal interpretation is another common but not universal hallmark of this condition. Attwood gives the example of a girl with Asperger syndrome who answered the telephone one day and was asked, "Is Paul there?" Although the Paul in question was in the house, he was not in the room with her, so after looking around to ascertain this, she simply said "no" and hung up. The person on the other end had to call back and explain to her that he meant for her to find him and get him to pick up the telephone <ref>(Attwood pg.78)</ref>. | |||
According to the Adult Asperger Assessment (AAA) diagnostic test, a lack of interest in fiction and a positive preference towards non-fiction is common among adults with AS.<ref name=ASAdulthood /> | |||
Many people with Asperger syndrome also make idiosyncratic use of words, including new ] and unusual ]s. This can develop into a rare gift for ] (especially ]s, ], ], ]) or writing. Another potential source of humor is the eventual realization that their literal interpretations can be used to amuse others. Some are so proficient with written language as to qualify as ]. Tony Attwood refers to a particular child's skill at inventing expressions, e.g. "tidying down" (the opposite of tidying up) or "broken" (when referring to a baby brother who cannot walk or talk) <ref>(Attwood, pg. 82).</ref> | |||
=== Speech and language === | |||
Another noted behavioural characteristic that may be present is ], which causes the subject to repeat words, or parts of words, when they speak, like an echo, or ] repeating one's own words.<ref>(Attwood, pg. 109)</ref> Children with Asperger's often display advanced abilities for their age in language, reading, mathematics, spatial skills, or music, sometimes into the 'gifted' range, although as noted above, they may be counterbalanced by appreciable delays in other developmental areas. | |||
Although individuals with Asperger syndrome acquire language skills without significant general delay and their speech typically lacks significant abnormalities, ] and use is often atypical.<ref name=Klin /> Abnormalities include verbosity; abrupt transitions; literal interpretations and miscomprehension of nuance; use of metaphor meaningful only to the speaker; ]; unusually ], ], or ] speech; and oddities in loudness, ], ], ], and rhythm.<ref name=McPart2006 /> ] has also been observed in individuals with AS.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Frith U | s2cid = 978233 | title = Social communication and its disorder in autism and Asperger syndrome | journal = Journal of Psychopharmacology | volume = 10 | issue = 1 | pages = 48–53 | date = January 1996 | pmid = 22302727 | doi = 10.1177/026988119601000108}}</ref> | |||
Three aspects of communication patterns are of clinical interest: poor prosody, ] and ], and marked verbosity. Although ] and intonation may be less rigid or monotonic than in classic autism, people with AS often have a limited range of intonation: speech may be unusually fast, jerky, or loud. Speech may convey a sense of ]; the conversational style often includes monologues about topics that bore the listener, fails to provide ] for comments, or fails to suppress internal thoughts. Individuals with AS may fail to detect whether the listener is interested or engaged in the conversation. The speaker's conclusion or point may never be made, and attempts by the listener to elaborate on the speech's content or logic, or to shift to related topics, are often unsuccessful.<ref name=Klin /> | |||
===Writing peculiarities=== | |||
A study conducted by Myles et. al. (2003), investigated the written language of children and youth with Asperger's syndrome. They were compared by use of a standardized test of written language skills and overall legibility of handwriting. In written language skills, no significant differences were found between standardized scores of both groups; however, in hand writing skills, the group of individuals with AS produced significantly fewer legible letters and words than the neurotypical group. Another analysis of written samples found that people with AS appear to be able to write quantitatively similar to their neurotypical peers using grammatical rules but have difficulty producing qualitative writing. The Asperger's person might meet the diagnostic criteria for ] <ref>{{cite web | |||
| url = http://www.ldinfo.com/dysgraphia.htm#top | |||
| title = Learning disabilities support and information | |||
| publisher = LDInfo | |||
| language = English | |||
| accessdate = May 31, 2006 | |||
}}</ref>. | |||
Children with AS may have a sophisticated vocabulary at a young age and such children have often been colloquially called "little professors"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/magazine/home/20000618mag-asperger.html|title=The Little Professor Syndrome | vauthors = Osborne L |work=The New York Times|date=18 June 2000}}</ref> but have difficulty understanding ] and tend to use language literally.<ref name=McPart2006 /> Children with AS appear to have particular weaknesses in areas of nonliteral language that include ], ], ], and ]. Although individuals with AS usually understand the cognitive basis of humor, they seem to lack understanding of the intent of humor to share the enjoyment with others.<ref name=Kasari /> Despite strong evidence of impaired humor appreciation, anecdotal reports of humor in individuals with AS seem to challenge some psychological theories of AS and autism.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Lyons V, Fitzgerald M | s2cid = 22187553 | title = Humor in autism and Asperger syndrome | journal = Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | volume = 34 | issue = 5 | pages = 521–31 | date = October 2004 | pmid = 15628606 | doi = 10.1007/s10803-004-2547-8}}</ref> | |||
Tony Attwood mentions that a teacher may spend considerable time interpreting and correcting the child's indecipherable scrawl. The child is also aware of the poor quality of their handwriting, and may be reluctant to engage in activities that involve extensive writing. Unfortunately for some children and adults, high school teachers and prospective employers may consider the neatness of handwriting a measure of intelligence and personality. The person with AS then becomes embarrassed or angry at their inability to write neatly. The child may require assessment by an ] and remedial exercises, but modern technology can help minimise this problem. A parent or teacher aide could also act as the child's scribe or proofreader to ensure the legibility of the child's written answers or homework.<ref>(Attwood 106)</ref> | |||
=== Motor and sensory perception === | |||
People with Asperger's are often very skilled at using computers and keyboards. This allows for the child possible special dispensation to type rather than write homework and examinations. The presentation of their work is then comparable to other children.<ref>(Attwood 106)</ref> | |||
Individuals with Asperger syndrome may have signs or symptoms that are independent of the diagnosis but can affect the individual or the family.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Filipek PA, Accardo PJ, Baranek GT, Cook EH, Dawson G, Gordon B, Gravel JS, Johnson CP, Kallen RJ, Levy SE, Minshew NJ, Ozonoff S, Prizant BM, Rapin I, Rogers SJ, Stone WL, Teplin S, Tuchman RF, Volkmar FR | s2cid = 145113684 | title = The screening and diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorders | journal = Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | volume = 29 | issue = 6 | pages = 439–84 | date = December 1999 | pmid = 10638459 | doi = 10.1023/A:1021943802493}}</ref> These include differences in perception and problems with motor skills, sleep, and emotions. | |||
Individuals with AS often have excellent ] and ].<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Frith U | title = Emanuel Miller lecture: confusions and controversies about Asperger syndrome | journal = Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines | volume = 45 | issue = 4 | pages = 672–86 | date = May 2004 | pmid = 15056300 | doi = 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.00262.x| doi-access = free }}</ref> Children with ASD often demonstrate enhanced perception of small changes in patterns such as arrangements of objects or well-known images; typically this is domain-specific and involves processing of fine-grained features.<ref>{{cite book|chapter=Psychological factors in autism |vauthors=Prior M, Ozonoff S|pages=69–128|title=Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders|edition=2nd| veditors = Volkmar FR |publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=2007|isbn=978-0-521-54957-8}}</ref> Conversely, compared with individuals with high-functioning autism, individuals with AS have deficits in some tasks involving visual-spatial perception, auditory perception, or ].<ref name=McPart2006 /> Many accounts of individuals with AS and ASD report other unusual ] and perceptual skills and experiences. They may be unusually sensitive or insensitive to sound, light, and other stimuli;<ref>{{cite book|vauthors=Bogdashina O|title=Sensory Perceptional Issues in Autism and Asperger Syndrome: Different Sensory Experiences, Different Perceptual Worlds|publisher=Jessica Kingsley|year=2003|isbn=978-1-84310-166-6}}</ref> these sensory responses are found in other developmental disorders and are not specific to AS or to ASD. There is little support for increased ] or failure of ] in autism; there is more evidence of decreased responsiveness to sensory stimuli, although several studies show no differences.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Rogers SJ, Ozonoff S | title = Annotation: what do we know about sensory dysfunction in autism? A critical review of the empirical evidence | journal = Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines | volume = 46 | issue = 12 | pages = 1255–68 | date = December 2005 | pmid = 16313426 | doi = 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2005.01431.x}}</ref> | |||
===Emotional peculiarities=== | |||
A person with Asperger syndrome may have trouble understanding the ] of other people, and the subtle messages that are sent by facial expression, eye contact and body language are often missed. They also might have trouble showing ] with other people. Because of this, a person with Asperger syndrome might be seen as egotistical, selfish or uncaring. In most cases these are unfair labels, because the affected person is neurologically unable to understand other people's emotional states. They are usually shocked, upset and remorseful when told their actions were hurtful or inappropriate. It is clear that people with Asperger's Syndrome do not lack emotions. However, the concrete nature of attachments they might have (i.e. to objects rather than to people) often seems curious, or even can be cause of concern, to people who do not share their perspective ("Neurotypicals" or NTs). | |||
Hans Asperger's initial accounts<ref name="McPart2006" /> and other diagnostic schemes<ref name="EhlGill">{{cite journal | vauthors = Ehlers S, Gillberg C | title = The epidemiology of Asperger syndrome. A total population study | journal = Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines | volume = 34 | issue = 8 | pages = 1327–50 | date = November 1993 | pmid = 8294522 | doi = 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1993.tb02094.x}}</ref> include descriptions of physical clumsiness. Children with AS may be delayed in acquiring skills requiring ], such as riding a bicycle or opening a jar, and may seem to move awkwardly or feel "uncomfortable in their own skin". They may be poorly coordinated or have an odd or bouncy gait or posture, poor handwriting, or problems with ].<ref name="McPart2006" /><ref name="Klin" /> They may show problems with ] (sensation of body position) on measures of ] (] disorder), balance, ], and finger-]. There is no evidence that these motor skills problems differentiate AS from other high-functioning ASDs.<ref name="McPart2006" /> | |||
However, not showing affection (or not doing so in conventional societally-acceptable ways) does not necessarily mean that he or she does not feel it. Understanding this can lead the significant other to feel less rejected and be more understanding. There are usually ways to work around the problems, such as being more explicit about one's needs. For instance, when describing emotions, it can be helpful to be direct and to avoid vague terms such as "upset" when the emotion being described is anger (some individuals with Asperger's would interpret "upset" as mere annoyance, or even ]). It is often effective to lay out in clear language what the problem is and to ask the partner with Asperger's to describe what emotions are being felt or ask why a certain emotion was being felt. It is very helpful if the family member or significant other reads as much as he or she can about Asperger’s syndrome and any ] disorders. In a minority of situations the opposite problem occurs; the person with Asperger's is unusually affectionate to significant others and misses or misinterprets signals from the other partner, causing the partner to get annoyed and leave the person with Asperger syndrome feeling depressed and alone. | |||
Children with AS are more likely to have sleep problems, including difficulty in falling asleep, frequent ], and early morning awakenings.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Polimeni MA, Richdale AL, Francis AJ | title = A survey of sleep problems in autism, Asperger's disorder and typically developing children | journal = Journal of Intellectual Disability Research | volume = 49 | issue = Pt 4 | pages = 260–68 | date = April 2005 | pmid = 15816813 | doi = 10.1111/j.1365-2788.2005.00642.x}}</ref><ref name=Tani /> AS is also associated with high levels of ], which is difficulty in identifying and describing one's emotions.<ref>Alexithymia and AS: | |||
===Other characteristics=== | |||
* {{cite journal | vauthors = Fitzgerald M, Bellgrove MA | title = The overlap between alexithymia and Asperger's syndrome | journal = Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | volume = 36 | issue = 4 | pages = 573–76 | date = May 2006 | pmid = 16755385 | pmc = 2092499 | doi = 10.1007/s10803-006-0096-z}} | |||
Those affected by Asperger's may also manifest a range of other ], ], and physiological anomalies. Children with Asperger's may evidence a slight delay in the development of fine ]. In some cases (although with many exceptions) people with AS may have an odd way of walking, or display compulsive finger, hand, arm or leg movements. | |||
* {{cite journal | vauthors = Hill EL, Berthoz S | s2cid = 28686022 | title = Response to "Letter to the Editor: The overlap between alexithymia and Asperger's syndrome", Fitzgerald and Bellgrove, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 36(4) | journal = Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | volume = 36 | issue = 8 | pages = 1143–45 | date = November 2006 | pmid = 17080269 | doi = 10.1007/s10803-006-0287-7}} | |||
* {{cite journal | vauthors = Lombardo MV, Barnes JL, Wheelwright SJ, Baron-Cohen S | title = Self-referential cognition and empathy in autism | journal = PLOS ONE | volume = 2 | issue = 9 | pages = e883 | date = September 2007 | pmid = 17849012 | pmc = 1964804 | doi = 10.1371/journal.pone.0000883 | veditors = Zak P | bibcode = 2007PLoSO...2..883L| doi-access = free }}</ref> Although AS, lower sleep quality, and alexithymia are associated with each other, their causal relationship is unclear.<ref name=Tani>{{cite journal | vauthors = Tani P, Lindberg N, Joukamaa M, Nieminen-von Wendt T, von Wendt L, Appelberg B, Rimón R, Porkka-Heiskanen T | s2cid = 45311366 | title = Asperger syndrome, alexithymia and perception of sleep | journal = Neuropsychobiology | volume = 49 | issue = 2 | pages = 64–70 | year = 2004 | pmid = 14981336 | doi = 10.1159/000076412}}</ref> | |||
== Causes == | |||
In general, orderly things appeal to people with Asperger's. Some researchers mention the imposition of rigid ]s (on self or others) as a criterion for diagnosing this condition. It appears that changes to their routines cause inordinate levels of ] for some people with this condition. <ref>(Attwood 100)</ref> | |||
{{Further|Causes of autism}} | |||
Hans Asperger described common traits among his patients' family members, especially fathers, and research supports this observation and suggests a genetic contribution to Asperger syndrome. Although no specific genetic factor has yet been identified, multiple factors are believed to play a role in the ] of autism, given the variability in symptoms seen in children.<ref name=McPart2006 /><ref name="Foster" /> Hundreds of genes have been linked to AS, and these genes play crucial role in a multitude of ]es, exerting influence over the maturation and functioning of the brain.<ref name=":0">{{cite journal | vauthors = Motlani V, Motlani G, Thool A | title = Asperger Syndrome (AS): A Review Article | journal = Cureus | volume = 14 | issue = 11 | pages = e31395 | date = November 2022 | pmid = 36514569 | pmc = 9742637 | doi = 10.7759/cureus.31395 | doi-access = free }}</ref> Evidence for a ] is that AS tends to run in families where more family members have limited behavioral symptoms similar to AS (for example, some problems with social interaction, or with language and reading skills).<ref name=NINDS /> Most ] research suggests that all ]<ref name="McPart2006" /> There may be shared genes in which particular ]s make an individual vulnerable, and varying combinations result in differing severity and symptoms in each person with AS.<ref name=NINDS /> | |||
Some people with Asperger's experience varying degrees of ] and are extremely sensitive to ], ]s, ], ]s, and sights. They may prefer soft clothing, familiar scents, or certain foods. Some may even be ] sensitive to loud noises (as some people with AS have ]) or strong smells or dislike being touched; for example, certain children with Asperger's exhibit a strong dislike of having their head touched or their hair disturbed while others like to be touched but dislike loud noises. Sensory overload may exacerbate problems faced by such children at school, where levels of noise in the classroom can become intolerable for them. Some are also unable to block out certain repetitive stimuli, such as the constant ticking of a clock. Whereas most children stop registering this sound after a short time and can hear it only if they consciously listen for it, the child with Asperger's can become distracted, agitated, or even (in rare cases if the child has anger problems) violent if the sound is not removed. | |||
A few ASD cases have been linked to exposure to ] (agents that cause ]s) during the first eight weeks from ]. Although this does not exclude the possibility that ASD can be initiated or affected later, it is strong evidence that ASD arises very early in development.<ref name=Arndt>{{cite journal | vauthors = Arndt TL, Stodgell CJ, Rodier PM | s2cid = 17797266 | title = The teratology of autism | journal = International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience | volume = 23 | issue = 2–3 | pages = 189–99 | year = 2005 | pmid = 15749245 | doi = 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2004.11.001}}</ref> Many ]s have been hypothesized to act after birth, but none has been confirmed by scientific investigation.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Rutter M | title = Incidence of autism spectrum disorders: changes over time and their meaning | journal = Acta Paediatrica | volume = 94 | issue = 1 | pages = 2–15 | date = January 2005 | pmid = 15858952 | doi = 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2005.tb01779.x | s2cid = 79259285 | author-link = Michael Rutter}}</ref> These environmental elements can act as independent and significant risk factors, or they can potentially influence pre-existing genetic factors in people who have a ].<ref name=":0" /> | |||
Additionally, people with Asperger's exhibiting severe symptoms may frequently be diagnosed with ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], or ]. There are also people with Asperger's who are also diagnosed with ], ], ], or ]. However, while elements from all of these conditions are associated with Asperger syndrome, the cause is usually Asperger's itself and not a separate condition. While there may be a correlation between them, the disorders are in fact distinct from one another. There is research which indicates people with Asperger's may in fact be far more likely to have the associated conditions, but for now the connection is largely one of resemblance. | |||
== Mechanism ==<!-- "Intense World Theory" links here --> | |||
Comparisons are sometimes made between Asperger Syndrome and the descriptions of some ] types, notably ] and ], but these tend to be speculative in nature and no formal studies have been carried out to establish a connection. | |||
{{Further|Autism#Mechanism}} | |||
] provides some evidence for mirror neuron theory.<ref name=Iacoboni />]] | |||
Asperger syndrome appears to result from developmental factors that affect many or all functional brain systems, as opposed to localized effects.<ref name="Mueller">{{cite journal | vauthors = Müller RA | title = The study of autism as a distributed disorder | journal = ] | volume = 13 | issue = 1 | pages = 85–95 | year = 2007 | pmid = 17326118 | pmc = 3315379 | doi = 10.1002/mrdd.20141}}</ref> | |||
==Causes and etiology== | |||
{{main|Causes of autism}} | |||
Although the specific underpinnings of AS or factors that distinguish it from other ASDs are unknown, and no clear pathology common to individuals with AS has emerged,<ref name=McPart2006 /> it is still possible that AS's mechanism is separate from other ASDs.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Rinehart NJ, Bradshaw JL, Brereton AV, Tonge BJ | s2cid = 563134 | title = A clinical and neurobehavioural review of high-functioning autism and Asperger's disorder | journal = The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry | volume = 36 | issue = 6 | pages = 762–70 | date = December 2002 | pmid = 12406118 | doi = 10.1046/j.1440-1614.2002.01097.x}}</ref> | |||
Many people think that Asperger syndrome and autism have the same cause, but some disagree. Debate on the cause of Asperger syndrome is ongoing. Various models to explain Asperger syndrome have been proposed, with some of them gaining wider acceptance than others. Theories suggesting a psychological cause were originally the most widely accepted, but the majority opinion is now that Asperger syndrome is at least partly genetic. | |||
] studies and the associations with ] strongly suggest that the mechanism includes alteration of brain development soon after conception.<ref name=Arndt /> Abnormal ] may affect the final structure and connectivity of the brain, resulting in altered neural circuits controlling thought and behavior.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Berthier ML, Starkstein SE, Leiguarda R | title = Developmental cortical anomalies in Asperger's syndrome: neuroradiological findings in two patients | journal = The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences | volume = 2 | issue = 2 | pages = 197–201 | year = 1990 | pmid = 2136076 | doi = 10.1176/jnp.2.2.197}}</ref> Several theories of mechanism are available; none are likely to provide a complete explanation.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Happé F, Ronald A, Plomin R | s2cid = 18697986 | title = Time to give up on a single explanation for autism | journal = Nature Neuroscience | volume = 9 | issue = 10 | pages = 1218–20 | date = October 2006 | pmid = 17001340 | doi = 10.1038/nn1770}}</ref> | |||
==Prevalence== | |||
A 1993 total population study carried out in ] found that, at a minimum, 36 per 10,000 school-aged children definitely meet the criteria for Asperger syndrome. If merely suspected cases are included, the prevalence becomes approximately 71 per 10,000 <ref>(Ehlers & ])</ref>. Gillberg estimates 30-50% of all Asperger's go undiagnosed <ref>(Gillberg, 2002)</ref>. It was also found that in adults with high or average ability (IQ of 100 or above) that 36 per 10,000 have Asperger's <ref>(Barnard et. al., 2001)</ref>. Adults with Asperger's appear to be at greater risk of ] and ] than the general population. | |||
===General-processing theories=== | |||
Like other conditions classified as ]s, Asperger syndrome appears to be more prevalent among males than females, with males making up approximately 75–80 percent of diagnoses. Many ]s believe that this may not reflect the actual incidence among females; well-known Asperger syndrome expert ] suggests that females learn to better compensate for their impairments because of differences in ] <ref>(Attwood, pp 151–2)</ref>. Some preliminary evidence for this is found in the Ehlers & Gillberg study, which found a 4:1 male to female ratio in the people they thought definitely had Asperger's but a much less lopsided 2.3 to 1 ratio when merely suspected or otherwise borderline cases were included. | |||
One general-processing theory is ], which hypothesizes that a limited ability to see the big picture underlies the central disturbance in ASD.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Happé F, Frith U | s2cid = 14999943 | title = The weak coherence account: detail-focused cognitive style in autism spectrum disorders | journal = Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | volume = 36 | issue = 1 | pages = 5–25 | date = January 2006 | pmid = 16450045 | doi = 10.1007/s10803-005-0039-0}}</ref> A related theory—enhanced perceptual functioning—focuses more on the superiority of locally oriented and ] operations in autistic individuals.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Mottron L, Dawson M, Soulières I, Hubert B, Burack J | s2cid = 327253 | title = Enhanced perceptual functioning in autism: an update, and eight principles of autistic perception | journal = Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | volume = 36 | issue = 1 | pages = 27–43 | date = January 2006 | pmid = 16453071 | doi = 10.1007/s10803-005-0040-7}}</ref> | |||
===Mirror neuron system (MNS) theory=== | |||
The overwhelming majority of available information on Asperger syndrome relates to children; there is currently more conjecture than hard evidence on how it affects adults. It is thought that most people with Asperger syndrome learn to cope with their ] impairments later in life. However, there is no "cure" as such, and some people, including prominent clinicians such as Attwood and some of those diagnosed with Asperger's, would strenuously argue that a cure is neither possible nor desirable (see "]" and "]" below), mainly pointing out that the syndrome is a ] and attempts to "cure" or eliminate it would be an example of ]. Organizations such as ] disagree; this remains a highly controversial area. | |||
{{Update section|date=January 2022|reason=There have been almost 4 decades since some of the material cited here was published, and current consensus in ASD is less straightforward than depicted here|inaccurate=yes}} | |||
<!-- Here are two more recent peer-reviewed reviews about MNS (DOI is open access): | |||
* {{cite journal | vauthors = Yates L, Hobson H | title = Continuing to look in the mirror: A review of neuroscientific evidence for the broken mirror hypothesis, EP-M model and STORM model of autism spectrum conditions | journal = Autism | volume = 24 | issue = 8 | pages = 1945–1959 | date = November 2020 | pmid = 32668956 | doi = 10.1177/1362361320936945 | publisher = SAGE Publications | doi-access = free }} | |||
* {{cite journal | vauthors = Khalil R, Tindle R, Boraud T, Moustafa AA, Karim AA | title = Social decision making in autism: On the impact of mirror neurons, motor control, and imitative behaviors | journal = CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics | volume = 24 | issue = 8 | pages = 669–676 | date = August 2018 | pmid = 29963752 | doi = 10.1111/cns.13001 | publisher = Wiley | doi-access = free }} | |||
Here is a more recent peer-reviewed review about ToM (DOIs are open access): | |||
==Living with Asperger syndrome== | |||
* {{cite journal | vauthors = Gernsbacher MA, Yergeau M | title = Empirical Failures of the Claim That Autistic People Lack a Theory of Mind | journal = Archives of Scientific Psychology | volume = 7 | issue = 1 | pages = 102–118 | date = 9 December 2019 | pmid = 31938672 | pmc = 69594781063909 | doi = 10.1037/arc0000067 | publisher = American Psychological Association (APA) | doi-access = free }} | |||
Asperger syndrome usually leads to problems in ] with peers. These can be severe or mild depending on the individual, especially in childhood and adolescence; children with Asperger syndrome often are the target of ] and ] at school because of their ] behavior, language, interests, and their lowered or delayed ability to perceive and respond in socially expected ways to ] cues, particularly in interpersonal conflict. Additionally, these children are extremely literal and can have difficulty interpreting sarcasm. A child or teen with Asperger syndrome often is puzzled as to the source of this mistreatment, unaware of what has been done incorrectly. Those who are aware of their condition may come to recognize such errors, but almost never immediately upon making them. Unlike other pervasive development disorders, most children with Asperger Syndrome start out wanting to be social but are extremely poor at the hidden curriculum involved in socialization. This can lead to later withdrawal and asocial behaviors, especially in adolescence. | |||
Here is a more recent peer-reviewed review about S-E: | |||
Bullying and other reasons were cited as a cause for ]'s rampage in October 2005. This type of bullying takes place partly because non-Autistic students will pretend to befriend those with Asperger's syndrome by using ] or sexual jokes and ], which many people with Asperger's syndrome may not recognize as such. The Asperger's person is unaware he or she is being bullied or used, and believes he has a true friend, while the "normal" person and his or her friends are laughing at him or her behind their backs. | |||
* {{cite journal | vauthors = Xiong H, Peterson JB, Scott S | title=Amniotic testosterone and psychological sex differences: A systematic review of the extreme male brain theory | journal=Developmental Review | publisher=Elsevier BV | volume=57 | year=2020 | issn=0273-2297 | doi=10.1016/j.dr.2020.100922 | page=100922}} | |||
* {{cite journal | vauthors = Ferri SL, Abel T, Brodkin ES | title = Sex Differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Review | journal = Current Psychiatry Reports | volume = 20 | issue = 2 | pages = 9 | date = March 2018 | pmid = 29504047 | doi = 10.1007/s11920-018-0874-2 | publisher = Springer Science and Business Media LLC }} | |||
Here is a more recent peer-reviewed critique of S-E: | |||
Children with Asperger syndrome often display advanced abilities for their age in ], ], ]s, ], and/or ], sometimes into the "gifted" range, but this may be counterbalanced by considerable delays in other developmental areas. This combination of traits can create problems with teachers and other ]s. (It may be relevant here that one of the social conventions many people with Asperger's syndrome ignore is respect for authority. Attwood notes a tendency to feel that everyone should be treated much the same regardless of what ] they occupy; the student with Asperger's syndrome may not give respect to an authority figure until he or she feels it has been earned, an attitude many teachers either do not understand or take strong exception to.) Like many other ], a child with Asperger’s might be regarded by teachers as a "problem child" or a "poor performer". The child’s extremely low tolerance for what they perceive to be ordinary and mediocre tasks (such as typical homework assignments) can easily become frustrating; the teacher may well consider the child ], spiteful, and ]. These children often exhibit problem behaviors and can be mislabeled as "disciplinary problems". Lack of supports, understanding of the syndrome, and the child's anxieties all lead to these problem behaviors . | |||
* {{cite journal | vauthors = Ridley R | title=Some difficulties behind the concept of the 'Extreme male brain' in autism research. A theoretical review | journal=Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders | publisher=Elsevier BV | volume=57 | year=2019 | issn=1750-9467 | doi=10.1016/j.rasd.2018.09.007 | pages=19–27}} | |||
--> | |||
However, Asperger syndrome does not guarantee one will have a miserable life. The intense focus and tendency to work things out logically, a characteristic of Asperger syndrome, often grants people with the syndrome a high level of ability in their fields of interest. When these special interests coincide with a materially or socially useful task, the person with Asperger's often can in fact lead a profitable life. The child obsessed with naval architecture may grow up to be an accomplished shipwright. | |||
The ] (MNS) theory hypothesizes that alterations to the development of the MNS interfere with ] and lead to Asperger syndrome's core feature of social impairment.<ref name=Iacoboni>{{cite journal | vauthors = Iacoboni M, Dapretto M | s2cid = 9463011 | title = The mirror neuron system and the consequences of its dysfunction | journal = Nature Reviews. Neuroscience | volume = 7 | issue = 12 | pages = 942–51 | date = December 2006 | pmid = 17115076 | doi = 10.1038/nrn2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Ramachandran VS, Oberman LM | title = Broken mirrors: a theory of autism | journal = Scientific American | volume = 295 | issue = 5 | pages = 62–69 | date = November 2006 | pmid = 17076085 | doi = 10.1038/scientificamerican1106-62 | url = http://cbc.ucsd.edu/pdf/brokenmirrors_asd.pdf | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090205170827/http://cbc.ucsd.edu/pdf/brokenmirrors_asd.pdf | url-status = live | archive-date = 5 February 2009 | bibcode = 2006SciAm.295e..62R}}</ref> One study found that activation is delayed in the core circuit for imitation in individuals with AS.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Nishitani N, Avikainen S, Hari R | title = Abnormal imitation-related cortical activation sequences in Asperger's syndrome | journal = Annals of Neurology | volume = 55 | issue = 4 | pages = 558–62 | date = April 2004 | pmid = 15048895 | doi = 10.1002/ana.20031 | s2cid = 43913942}}</ref> This theory maps well to ] theories like the ], which hypothesizes that autistic behavior arises from impairments in ascribing mental states to oneself and others;<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Baron-Cohen S, Leslie AM, Frith U | s2cid = 14955234 | title = Does the autistic child have a "theory of mind"? | journal = Cognition | volume = 21 | issue = 1 | pages = 37–46 | date = October 1985 | pmid = 2934210 | doi = 10.1016/0010-0277(85)90022-8| citeseerx = 10.1.1.704.4721 }} </ref> or ], which hypothesizes that autistic individuals can systematize internal operation to handle internal events but are less effective at ] when handling events generated by other agents.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Baron-Cohen S | title = The hyper-systemizing, assortative mating theory of autism | journal = Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry | volume = 30 | issue = 5 | pages = 865–72 | date = July 2006 | pmid = 16519981 | doi = 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2006.01.010 | s2cid = 13271448 | url = http://www.autismresearchcentre.com/docs/papers/2006_BC_Neuropsychophamacology.pdf | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070614091839/http://www.autismresearchcentre.com/docs/papers/2006_BC_Neuropsychophamacology.pdf | url-status = dead | archive-date = 14 June 2007}}</ref> | |||
== Diagnosis == | |||
Although many people with Asperger's are not considered socially successful by common standards — and there are many who remain alone their entire lives — it is certainly possible for them to find understanding people with whom they can have close relationships. Many autistics have children, in which case their children may or may not have an autism spectrum disorder. Also, many people with Asperger syndrome recognize that there is a problem and try to adapt to living among people without the syndrome, even if they are unaware of the term "Asperger syndrome" itself or believe it does not apply to them. It is not unusual for people with Asperger's to feel most comfortable with people much younger due to their immature social skills or older than they are due to their intelligence. | |||
Standard diagnostic criteria require impairment in social interaction and repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, activities, and interests, without significant delay in language or cognitive development. Unlike the international standard,<ref name="ICD-10-F84.0" /> the ] criteria also required significant impairment in day-to-day functioning;<ref name="DSM-IV-TR 299.80" /> As noted above, in the 2000s, Asperger syndrome, as a separate diagnosis, was eliminated and folded into autism spectrum disorder in the ] and the ]. Other sets of diagnostic criteria have been proposed by ]<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Szatmari P, Bremner R, Nagy J | s2cid = 45611340 | title = Asperger's syndrome: a review of clinical features | journal = Canadian Journal of Psychiatry | volume = 34 | issue = 6 | pages = 554–60 | date = August 1989 | pmid = 2766209 | doi = 10.1177/070674378903400613}}</ref> and by ].<ref name=Gill>{{cite journal | vauthors = Gillberg IC, Gillberg C | title = Asperger syndrome – some epidemiological considerations: a research note | journal = Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines | volume = 30 | issue = 4 | pages = 631–38 | date = July 1989 | pmid = 2670981 | doi = 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1989.tb00275.x}}</ref> | |||
Diagnosis of ASD (and previously AS) is most commonly made between the ages of four and eleven.<ref name="McPart2006" /> A comprehensive assessment involves a multidisciplinary team<ref name=NINDS /><ref name="Baskin"/><ref name=Fitzgerald /> that observes across multiple settings,<ref name=McPart2006 /> and includes neurological and genetic assessment as well as tests for cognition, psychomotor function, verbal and nonverbal strengths and weaknesses, style of learning, and skills for independent living.<ref name=NINDS /> The "gold standard" in diagnosing ASDs combines clinical judgment with the ] (ADI-R), a semistructured parent interview; and the ] (ADOS), a conversation and play-based interview with the child.<ref name="Woodbury-Smith" /> Delayed or mistaken diagnosis can be traumatic for individuals and families; for example, misdiagnosis can lead to medications that worsen behavior.<ref name=Fitzgerald /><ref name="leskovec">{{cite journal | vauthors = Leskovec TJ, Rowles BM, Findling RL | title = Pharmacological treatment options for autism spectrum disorders in children and adolescents | journal = Harvard Review of Psychiatry | volume = 16 | issue = 2 | pages = 97–112 | year = 2008 | pmid = 18415882 | doi = 10.1080/10673220802075852 | s2cid = 26112061}}</ref> | |||
Although they are not recognised as often, there are adults with Asperger's. Adults are not as regularly treated, yet they still have similar problems as children. They may find it difficult gaining a job or getting into undergrad or graduate schools because of poor interview skills or a low score on ] or ], due to this they may be more vulnerable to ] than the general population. If they do get a job they may become victims of bullying or be misunderstood at work. They may also have difficulty finding a life partner and getting ] because of poor social skills. Even later in life, many people with Asperger's report a feeling of being unwillingly detached from the world around them. On the other hand there is a large group of Asperger adults who do get married, get a doctorate from a fine university, and hold a job; it just depends on the individual. More research is needed on adults with Asperger's. | |||
Underdiagnosis and ] may be problems. The cost and difficulty of ] and assessment can delay diagnosis. Conversely, the increasing popularity of drug treatment options and the expansion of benefits has motivated providers to overdiagnose ASD.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Shattuck PT, Grosse SD | title = Issues related to the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders | journal = ] | volume = 13 | issue = 2 | pages = 129–35 | year = 2007 | pmid = 17563895 | doi = 10.1002/mrdd.20143}}</ref> There are indications AS has been diagnosed more frequently in recent years, partly as a residual diagnosis for children of normal intelligence who are not autistic but have social difficulties.<ref name="Klin-Volkmar" /> | |||
==Relationship to autism== | |||
] | |||
Experts generally agree that there is no single condition called ]. Rather, there is a spectrum of autistic conditions, with different forms of autism taking different positions on this spectrum. But in certain circles of the autism community, this concept of a spectrum is being questioned. If differences in development are purely a function of differences in skill acquisition, then attempting to distinguish between degrees of severity may be dangerously misleading. A person may be subjected to unrealistic expectations, or even denied life-saving services, based solely on very superficial observations made by others in the community. | |||
There are questions about the ] of the AS diagnosis. That is, it is unclear whether there is a practical benefit in distinguishing AS from autism or PDD-NOS;<ref name="Klin-Volkmar">{{cite journal | vauthors = Klin A, Volkmar FR | title = Asperger syndrome: diagnosis and external validity | journal = Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America | volume = 12 | issue = 1 | pages = 1–13, v | date = January 2003 | pmid = 12512395 | doi = 10.1016/S1056-4993(02)00052-4}}</ref> different screening tools may render different diagnoses for the same person.<ref name="NINDS" /> | |||
In the 1940s, ] and ], working independently in the ] and ], identified essentially the same population, although Asperger's group was perhaps more "socially functional" than Kanner's as a whole. Some of Kanner's originally identified autistic children might today get an Asperger syndrome diagnosis, and vice versa. It is a mistake to say that a "Kanner autistic" is a child who sits and rocks and does not communicate. Kanner's study subjects were all along the spectrum. | |||
=== Differential diagnosis === | |||
Traditionally, Kannerian autism is characterized by significant cognitive and communicative deficiencies, including delays in or lack of language. Often it is clear that these people do not function normally. On the other hand, a person with Asperger's will not show delays in language. It is a more subtle condition, and affected people often appear only to be eccentric. | |||
Many children with AS are initially misdiagnosed with ] (ADHD).<ref name="McPart2006" /> Diagnosing adults is more challenging, as standard diagnostic criteria are designed for children and the expression of AS changes with age.<ref name=LehnhardtDiffDiag2013rev /><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Tantam D | title = The challenge of adolescents and adults with Asperger syndrome | journal = Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America | volume = 12 | issue = 1 | pages = 143–63, vii–viii | date = January 2003 | pmid = 12512403 | doi = 10.1016/S1056-4993(02)00053-6}}</ref> Adult diagnosis requires painstaking clinical examination and thorough ] gained from both the individual and other people who know the person, focusing on childhood behavior.<ref name="ASAdulthood">{{cite journal | vauthors = Roy M, Dillo W, Emrich HM, Ohlmeier MD | title = Asperger's syndrome in adulthood | journal = Deutsches Ärzteblatt International | volume = 106 | issue = 5 | pages = 59–64 | date = January 2009 | pmid = 19562011 | pmc = 2695286 | doi = 10.3238/arztebl.2009.0059}}</ref> | |||
Conditions that must be considered in a ] along with ADHD include other ASDs, the ], ]s, ], ], ], ], ],<ref name="Fitzgerald">{{cite journal|vauthors=Fitzgerald M, Corvin A|year=2001|url=http://apt.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/full/7/4/310|title=Diagnosis and differential diagnosis of Asperger syndrome|journal=Advances in Psychiatric Treatment |volume=7|issue=4|pages=310–18|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070910134556/http://apt.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/full/7/4/310|archive-date=10 September 2007|doi=10.1192/apt.7.4.310|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name="LehnhardtDiffDiag2013rev">{{cite journal | vauthors = Lehnhardt FG, Gawronski A, Pfeiffer K, Kockler H, Schilbach L, Vogeley K | title = The investigation and differential diagnosis of Asperger syndrome in adults | journal = Deutsches Ärzteblatt International | volume = 110 | issue = 45 | pages = 755–63 | date = November 2013 | pmid = 24290364 | pmc = 3849991 | doi = 10.3238/arztebl.2013.0755}}</ref> ],<ref name="RapinTS" /> ], ],<ref name="Foster">{{cite journal | vauthors = Foster B, King BH | title = Asperger syndrome: to be or not to be? | journal = Current Opinion in Pediatrics | volume = 15 | issue = 5 | pages = 491–94 | date = October 2003 | pmid = 14508298 | doi = 10.1097/00008480-200310000-00008 | s2cid = 21415556}}</ref> social-cognitive deficits due to brain damage from ],<ref name="pmid18412750">{{cite journal | vauthors = Uekermann J, Daum I | title = Social cognition in alcoholism: a link to prefrontal cortex dysfunction? | journal = Addiction | volume = 103 | issue = 5 | pages = 726–35 | date = May 2008 | pmid = 18412750 | doi = 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2008.02157.x}}</ref> and ] (OCPD).<ref name="Gillberg&Billstedt2000">{{cite journal | vauthors = Gillberg C, Billstedt E | title = Autism and Asperger syndrome: coexistence with other clinical disorders | journal = Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica | volume = 102 | issue = 5 | pages = 321–30 | date = November 2000 | pmid = 11098802 | doi = 10.1034/j.1600-0447.2000.102005321.x | s2cid = 40070782}}</ref><ref name="Fitzgerald2001a">{{cite journal|vauthors=Fitzgerald M|s2cid=3814840|title=Diagnosis and differential diagnosis of Asperger syndrome|journal=Advances in Psychiatric Treatment|date=1 July 2001|volume=7|issue=4|pages=310–18|doi=10.1192/apt.7.4.310|doi-access=free}}</ref> | |||
Researchers are grappling with the problem of how to divide the spectrum. There are many potential divisions, such as autistics who speak versus those who do not, autistics with ]s versus those without, autistics with more "stereotypical behaviors" versus those with fewer, and so forth. Some researchers are trying to identify ]s associated with these traits as a way to make logical groupings. | |||
== Screening == | |||
] identified another form of autism around the same time as Hans Asperger.]] | |||
Parents of children with Asperger syndrome can typically trace differences in their children's development to as early as 30 months of age.<ref name=Foster /> Developmental screening during a routine ] by a ] or pediatrician may identify signs that warrant further investigation.<ref name=NINDS /><ref name=McPart2006 /> The ] in 2016 found it was unclear if screening was beneficial or harmful among children in whom there are no concerns.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Siu AL, Bibbins-Domingo K, Grossman DC, Baumann LC, Davidson KW, Ebell M, García FA, Gillman M, Herzstein J, Kemper AR, Krist AH, Kurth AE, Owens DK, Phillips WR, Phipps MG, Pignone MP | title = Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorder in Young Children: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement | journal = JAMA | volume = 315 | issue = 7 | pages = 691–96 | date = February 2016 | pmid = 26881372 | doi = 10.1001/jama.2016.0018 | doi-access = free}}</ref> | |||
Some clinicians believe that communicative or cognitive deficiencies are so essential to the concept of autism that they prefer to consider Asperger's a separate condition from autism. This opinion is a minority one. Uta Frith (an early researcher of Kannerian autism) has written that people with Asperger's seem to have more than a touch of autism to them. Others, such as Lorna Wing and Tony Attwood, share in Frith's assessment. Dr. Sally Ozonoff, of the University of California at Davis's MIND institute, argues that there should be no dividing line between "high-functioning" autism and Asperger's, and that the fact that some people do not start to produce speech until a later age is no reason to divide the two groups because they are identical in the way they need to be treated. | |||
Different screening instruments are used to diagnose AS,<ref name=NINDS /><ref name=EhlGill /> including the Asperger Syndrome Diagnostic Scale (ASDS); Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ); ] (CAST), previously called the Childhood Asperger Syndrome Test;<ref>The '''CAST''' has been renamed from the ''Childhood Asperger Syndrome Test'' to the '''', reflecting the removal of Asperger's Syndrome from the ]. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130703115109/http://psychology-tools.com/cast/|date=3 July 2013}}</ref> ] (GADS); Krug Asperger's Disorder Index (KADI);<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Campbell JM | s2cid = 16437469 | title = Diagnostic assessment of Asperger's disorder: a review of five third-party rating scales | journal = Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | volume = 35 | issue = 1 | pages = 25–35 | date = February 2005 | pmid = 15796119 | doi = 10.1007/s10803-004-1028-4}}</ref> and the ] (AQ), with versions for children,<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Auyeung B, Baron-Cohen S, Wheelwright S, Allison C | title = The Autism Spectrum Quotient: Children's Version (AQ-Child) | journal = Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | volume = 38 | issue = 7 | pages = 1230–40 | date = August 2008 | pmid = 18064550 | doi = 10.1007/s10803-007-0504-z | s2cid = 12682486 | url = http://autismresearchcenter.com/docs/papers/2008_Auyeung_etal_ChildAQ.pdf | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090205170722/http://autismresearchcenter.com/docs/papers/2008_Auyeung_etal_ChildAQ.pdf | url-status = live | archive-date = 5 February 2009}}</ref> adolescents,<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Baron-Cohen S, Hoekstra RA, Knickmeyer R, Wheelwright S | title = The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ)--adolescent version | journal = Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | volume = 36 | issue = 3 | pages = 343–50 | date = April 2006 | pmid = 16552625 | doi = 10.1007/s10803-006-0073-6 | url = http://autismresearchcenter.com/docs/papers/2006_BC_Hoekstra_etal_AQ-adol.pdf | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090205170712/http://autismresearchcenter.com/docs/papers/2006_BC_Hoekstra_etal_AQ-adol.pdf | archive-date = 5 February 2009 | citeseerx = 10.1.1.654.1966 | s2cid = 12934864}}</ref> and adults.<ref name="Cohenetal 2005">{{cite journal | vauthors = Woodbury-Smith MR, Robinson J, Wheelwright S, Baron-Cohen S | title = Screening adults for Asperger Syndrome using the AQ: a preliminary study of its diagnostic validity in clinical practice | journal = Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders| url = http://autismresearchcentre.com/docs/papers/2005_Woodbury-Smith_etal_ScreeningAdultsForAS.pdf | volume = 35 | issue = 3 | pages = 331–35 | date = June 2005 | pmid = 16119474 | doi = 10.1007/s10803-005-3300-7 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081217140624/http://autismresearchcentre.com/docs/papers/2005_Woodbury-Smith_etal_ScreeningAdultsForAS.pdf | url-status = dead | archive-date = 17 December 2008 | citeseerx = 10.1.1.653.8639 | s2cid = 13013701}}</ref> None have been shown to reliably differentiate between AS and other ASDs.<ref name=McPart2006 /> | |||
==A gift and a curse== | |||
With the increase of Asperger syndrome diagnoses, its image continues to shift from that of a disease to a more complex view of a syndrome with both advantages and disadvantages. There are adults diagnosed with Asperger syndrome or autism who have become quite successful in their fields, possibly as a direct result of intellectual gifts and above-average focus and motivation associated with the syndrome. Prominent Asperger-diagnosed individuals include ]-winning economist ], industrial rocker ], '']'' champion ], ] frontman ], and ], the creator of ].<ref>{{cite web | |||
| date = 02 | |||
| year = 2004 | |||
| month = 12 | |||
| url = http://www.unisa.ac.za/cmsys/staff/contents/news/newsclips/docs/You02122004_(b).pdf | |||
| title = SA's own Rain Man | |||
| format = PDF | |||
| pages = 2 | |||
| language = English | |||
| accessdate = May 31, 2006 | |||
}}</ref> BitTorrent inventor ] is widely cited as having Asperger syndrome, although he appears to have made this conclusion without consulting a medical professional.<ref>{{cite web | |||
| date = 07 | |||
| year = 2005 | |||
| month = May | |||
| url = http://www.wrongplanet.net/modules.php?name=Articles&pa=showpage&pid=98 | |||
| title = Bram Cohen - Creator of BitTorrent | |||
| publisher = Wrong Planet | |||
| language = English | |||
| accessdate = May 31, 2006 | |||
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | |||
| authorlink = Daniel Roth | |||
| date = 31 | |||
| year = 2005 | |||
| month = October | |||
| url = http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2005/10/31/8359146/index.htm | |||
| title = Torrential Reign | |||
| publisher = CNNMoney.com | |||
| language = English | |||
| accessdate = May 31, 2006 | |||
}}</ref> | |||
== Management == | |||
===Speculation about recognized people who may have Asperger syndrome=== | |||
{{Further|Autism therapies}} | |||
{{main articles|] and ]}} | |||
] had what is now considered Asperger syndrome.]] | |||
Treatment attempts to manage distressing symptoms and to teach age-appropriate social, communication, and vocational skills that are not naturally acquired during development.<ref name="McPart2006" /> Intervention is tailored to the needs of the individual based on multidisciplinary assessment.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Khouzam HR, El-Gabalawi F, Pirwani N, Priest F | title = Asperger's disorder: a review of its diagnosis and treatment | journal = Comprehensive Psychiatry | volume = 45 | issue = 3 | pages = 184–91 | year = 2004 | pmid = 15124148 | doi = 10.1016/j.comppsych.2004.02.004}}</ref> Although progress has been made, data supporting the ] of particular interventions are limited.<ref name="McPart2006" /><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Attwood T | title = Frameworks for behavioral interventions | journal = Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America | volume = 12 | issue = 1 | pages = 65–86, vi | date = January 2003 | pmid = 12512399 | doi = 10.1016/S1056-4993(02)00054-8}}</ref> | |||
Recently, some researchers such as ] and ] have speculated that well-known figures, such as ], ], and ] had/have Asperger syndrome because they showed/have shown some Asperger's-related tendencies or behaviors, such as intense interest in one subject, or social problems. A chapter of the aforementioned Gillberg book is devoted to this subject, including a detailed case study of philosopher ] concluding that he met the criteria for the condition. ] is also speculated to have had the disorder. However, such posthumous diagnoses remain controversial. | |||
=== Therapies === | |||
The specific arguments alleging that certain famous people might be on the autistic spectrum vary from person to person. Some claim that Albert Einstein (one of the more frequently cited figures of the past as possibly autistic) was extremely antisocial as a child, had violent temper ]s, tended to repeat phrases or sentences over and over under his breath, and had extreme difficulty functioning without the aid and supervision of a "parent" figure (usually his wife), all characteristics typical of autistic people. Isaac Newton ] and was ]. Many of these suspected historical Asperger cases might have been quite mild, but some skeptics believe these people may have had a few autistic traits but not enough for an autism spectrum diagnosis. Finally, many critics of historical diagnosis claim it is simply not possible to diagnose the dead, so nothing can be said definitively regarding the Asperger status of historical figures. | |||
<!-- Please respect alphabetical order. --> | |||
Managing ASD may involve multiple therapies that address core symptoms of the disorder. While many professionals agree that the earlier the professional support the better, there is no combination that is recommended above others.<ref name=NINDS /> Professional support for ASD varies depending on the individual; it takes into account the linguistic capabilities, verbal strengths, and nonverbal vulnerabilities of individuals.<ref name=McPart2006 /> | |||
Many of those diagnosed with ASD or similar disorders advocate against behavioral therapies, like Applied behavior analysis (ABA) and Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), often as part of the ], on the grounds that these approaches frequently reinforce the demand on autistic people to ] or behaviors to favor a more ']' and narrow conception of normality.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Commentary: The autistic community is having a reckoning with ABA therapy. We should listen |url=https://fortune.com/2022/05/13/autistic-community-reckoning-aba-therapy-rights-autism-insurance-private-equity-ariana-cernius/ |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=Fortune |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | vauthors = McGill O, Robinson A |date=2020-01-01 |title="Recalling hidden harms": autistic experiences of childhood applied behavioural analysis (ABA) |journal=Advances in Autism |volume=7 |issue=4 |pages=269–282 |doi=10.1108/AIA-04-2020-0025 |s2cid=225282499 |issn=2056-3868|url=https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/73753/1/McGill_Robinson_AA_2020_autistic_experiences_of_childhood_Applied_Behavioural_Analysis.pdf }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Hull L, Petrides KV, Allison C, Smith P, Baron-Cohen S, Lai MC, Mandy W | title = "Putting on My Best Normal": Social Camouflaging in Adults with Autism Spectrum Conditions | journal = Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | volume = 47 | issue = 8 | pages = 2519–2534 | date = August 2017 | pmid = 28527095 | pmc = 5509825 | doi = 10.1007/s10803-017-3166-5 }}</ref> ABA has faced a great deal of ] over the years. Recently, studies have shown that ABA may be abusive and can increase PTSD symptoms in patients.<ref>{{Cite journal | vauthors = Kupferstein H |date=2018-01-02 |title=Evidence of increased PTSD symptoms in autistics exposed to applied behavior analysis |url=https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/AIA-08-2017-0016/full/html |journal=Advances in Autism |language=en |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=19–29 |doi=10.1108/AIA-08-2017-0016 |issn=2056-3868 |s2cid=4638346}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | vauthors = Sandoval-Norton AH, Shkedy G, Shkedy D |date=2019-01-01 | veditors = Rushby JA |title=How much compliance is too much compliance: Is long-term ABA therapy abuse? |journal=Cogent Psychology |language=en |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=1641258 |doi=10.1080/23311908.2019.1641258 |issn=2331-1908 |s2cid=199041640 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Wilkenfeld DA, McCarthy AM | title = Ethical Concerns with Applied Behavior Analysis for Autism Spectrum "Disorder" | journal = Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal | volume = 30 | issue = 1 | pages = 31–69 | date = 2020 | pmid = 32336692 | doi = 10.1353/ken.2020.0000 | s2cid = 216557299 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Bottema-Beutel K, Crowley S, Sandbank M, Woynaroski TG | title = Research Review: Conflicts of Interest (COIs) in autism early intervention research - a meta-analysis of COI influences on intervention effects | journal = Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines | volume = 62 | issue = 1 | pages = 5–15 | date = January 2021 | pmid = 32353179 | pmc = 7606324 | doi = 10.1111/jcpp.13249 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | vauthors = McGill O, Robinson A |date=2021-10-26 |title="Recalling hidden harms": autistic experiences of childhood applied behavioural analysis (ABA) |url=https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/AIA-04-2020-0025/full/html |journal=Advances in Autism |language=en |volume=7 |issue=4 |pages=269–282 |doi=10.1108/AIA-04-2020-0025 |issn=2056-3868 |s2cid=225282499}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | vauthors = Shkedy G, Shkedy D, Sandoval-Norton AH |date=June 2021 |title=Long-term ABA Therapy Is Abusive: A Response to Gorycki, Ruppel, and Zane |journal=Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders |language=en |volume=5 |issue=2 |pages=126–134 |doi=10.1007/s41252-021-00201-1 |issn=2366-7532 |doi-access=free}}</ref> The ] campaigns against the use of ABA in autism.<ref name="Autistic Self Advocacy Network">{{cite web |author=Autistic Self Advocacy Network |title=Autistic Self Advocacy Network – Nothing About Us Without Us |url=http://www.autisticadvocacy.org/ |website=www.autisticadvocacy.org}}</ref><ref name="DeVita-Raeburn_2016">{{cite web |date=2016-08-11 |title=Is the Most Common Therapy for Autism Cruel? |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/08/aba-autism-controversy/495272/ |website=] |vauthors=DeVita-Raeburn E}}</ref> | |||
Such speculation may simply be an attempt to create ]s for autistics to demonstrate that they can be exemplary contributors to society. Autistic rights activists often use such speculative diagnoses to argue that it would be a loss to society if autism were cured. However, others in the ] dislike these arguments because they think autistics should be able to value their uniqueness without the desire for a cure, regardless of whether people such as Einstein were autistic. | |||
In the case of CBT and talking therapies, the effectiveness varies, with many reporting that they appeared 'too self-aware' to gain significant benefit, as the therapy was designed with neurotypical people in mind.<ref>{{Cite web | vauthors = Nicholls A |date=2021-10-14 |title=Why Doesn't Standard Talking Therapy Work for Autistic People? |url=https://www.dralicenicholls.com/why-doesnt-standard-talking-therapy-work-for-autistic-people/ |access-date=2023-11-03 |website=Dr Alice Nicholls |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Is CBT effective when working with autistic people? |url=https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/memberarticles/is-cbt-effective-when-working-with-people-with-autism |access-date=2023-11-03 |website=www.counselling-directory.org.uk |language=en-GB}}</ref> In autistic children, specifically, they also report that it is only mildly beneficial in aiding with their anxieties.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-16 |title=Cognitive behavioral therapy may be only mildly effective for anxious, autistic children |url=https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-may-be-only-mildly-effective-for-anxious-autistic-children/ |access-date=2023-11-03 |website=Spectrum {{!}} Autism Research News |language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
===Shift away from view as a disease=== | |||
The speculated social contributions of autistic people have contributed to the shift in the perception of autism spectrum disorders as complex syndromes rather than ]s that must be cured. Proponents of this view reject the notion that there is an 'ideal' brain configuration and that any deviation from the norm must be considered ]. They demand tolerance for what they call their ] in much the same way physically handicapped people have demanded tolerance for theirs. Views such as these are the basis for the ] and ] movements. | |||
A typical program of professional support generally includes:<ref name="NINDS" /> | |||
A ] article called ''The Geek Syndrome''<ref>{{cite web | |||
* ] (ABA) procedures, including ] (PBS)—or training and support of parents and school faculty in behavior management strategies to use in the home and school, and ] training for more effective interpersonal interactions.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Krasny L, Williams BJ, Provencal S, Ozonoff S | title = Social skills interventions for the autism spectrum: essential ingredients and a model curriculum | journal = Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America | volume = 12 | issue = 1 | pages = 107–22 | date = January 2003 | pmid = 12512401 | doi = 10.1016/S1056-4993(02)00051-2}}</ref> The ] campaigns against the use of ABA in autism;<ref name="Autistic Self Advocacy Network" /><ref name="DeVita-Raeburn_2016" /> | |||
| authorlink = Steve Silberman | |||
* ] to improve ] relating to anxiety or explosive emotions<ref name="Myles">{{cite journal | vauthors = Myles BS | title = Behavioral forms of stress management for individuals with Asperger syndrome | journal = Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America | volume = 12 | issue = 1 | pages = 123–41 | date = January 2003 | pmid = 12512402 | doi = 10.1016/S1056-4993(02)00048-2}}</ref> and to help reduce obsessive interests (although this may produce negative impact by demonising special interests) and repetitive routines; | |||
| year = 2001 | |||
* ] for coexisting conditions such as ] and ]s;<ref name="Towbin" /> | |||
| month = December | |||
* ] or ] to assist with poor ] and ]; and, | |||
| url = http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aspergers.html | |||
* ] intervention, which is specialized ] to help with the ] and give-and-take of normal conversation.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Paul R | title = Promoting social communication in high functioning individuals with autistic spectrum disorders | journal = Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America | volume = 12 | issue = 1 | pages = 87–106, vi–vii | date = January 2003 | pmid = 12512400 | doi = 10.1016/S1056-4993(02)00047-0}}</ref> | |||
| title = The Geek Syndrome | |||
| publisher = Wired.com | |||
| language = English | |||
| accessdate = May 31, 2006 | |||
}}</ref> suggested that Asperger syndrome is more common in the ], a haven for ]s and mathematicians. It created an enduring notion popularized in the media and self-help books that "Geek Syndrome" equals Asperger syndrome and caused an explosion of self-diagnoses in part because it was printed alongside ]'s 50-question Autism Spectrum Quotient Test<ref>{{cite web | |||
| authorlink = Simon Baron-Cohen | |||
| year = 2001 | |||
| month = December | |||
| url = http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aqtest.html | |||
| title = Take the AQ Test | |||
| publisher = Wired.com | |||
| language = English | |||
| accessdate = May 31, 2006 | |||
| curly = | |||
}}</ref>. Like some people with Asperger syndrome, "]s" may exhibit an extreme professional or casual interest in ], ], ], and related fields and may be introverted or prioritize work over other aspects of life. However, no determination has yet been made of whether the "Geek Syndrome" personality type has a direct relation to autism or is simply a "variant normal" type that is not part of the autistic spectrum. | |||
Of the many studies on behavior-based early intervention programs, most are ]s of up to five participants and typically examine a few problem behaviors such as ], ], noncompliance, ]<!-- Not "stereotypes" -->, or spontaneous language; unintended ]s are largely ignored.<ref name=interrev>{{cite journal | vauthors = Matson JL | title = Determining treatment outcome in early intervention programs for autism spectrum disorders: a critical analysis of measurement issues in learning based interventions | journal = Research in Developmental Disabilities | volume = 28 | issue = 2 | pages = 207–18 | year = 2007 | pmid = 16682171 | doi = 10.1016/j.ridd.2005.07.006}}</ref> Despite the popularity of social skills training, its effectiveness is not firmly established.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Rao PA, Beidel DC, Murray MJ | s2cid = 2507088 | title = Social skills interventions for children with Asperger's syndrome or high-functioning autism: a review and recommendations | journal = Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | volume = 38 | issue = 2 | pages = 353–61 | date = February 2008 | pmid = 17641962 | doi = 10.1007/s10803-007-0402-4}}</ref> A randomized controlled study of a model for training parents in problem behaviors in their children with AS showed that parents attending a one-day workshop or six individual lessons reported fewer behavioral problems, while parents receiving the individual lessons reported less intense behavioral problems in their AS children.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Sofronoff K, Leslie A, Brown W | title = Parent management training and Asperger syndrome: a randomized controlled trial to evaluate a parent based intervention | journal = Autism | volume = 8 | issue = 3 | pages = 301–17 | date = September 2004 | pmid = 15358872 | doi = 10.1177/1362361304045215 | s2cid = 23763353}}</ref> Vocational training may be important to teach job interview etiquette and workplace behavior to older children and adults with AS, and organization software and personal data assistants can improve the work and life management of people with AS.<ref name="McPart2006" /> | |||
Regardless, societal acceptance of Asperger or Asperger-like traits is still rare, as many people in the autistic spectrum will confirm. | |||
] (FMT) is an innovative therapy for AS that aims to restore microbial balance in the patient's ] by introducing healthy fecal microbiota acquired from people with a diverse microbial composition. This approach attempts to reconstruct the patient's gut microbiota by taking into account the intricate interactions between the human gut and the ] via the ] (GBA). Any disruption in gut health has been linked to an increased susceptibility to diverse ]s.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
==Controversies== | |||
{{main|Controversies in autism}} | |||
It is vital to remember that research of AS specifically operates upon the out-dated classification of this syndrome as external to ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). Similarly, we should also note that ASD is a spectrum and support varies dramatically depending on the individual. | |||
There is substantial disagreement regarding the many ways in which ] such as Asperger syndrome and autism should be understood and dealt with. Many of these arguments revolve around the social ramifications of modern science for autistics and those who love them. | |||
== |
=== Medications === | ||
No medications directly treat the core symptoms of AS.<ref name=Towbin>{{cite journal | vauthors = Towbin KE | title = Strategies for pharmacologic treatment of high functioning autism and Asperger syndrome | journal = Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America | volume = 12 | issue = 1 | pages = 23–45 | date = January 2003 | pmid = 12512397 | doi = 10.1016/S1056-4993(02)00049-4 | url = https://zenodo.org/record/1260194}}</ref> Although research into the efficacy of pharmaceutical intervention for AS is limited,<ref name="McPart2006" /> it is essential to diagnose and treat ] conditions.<ref name="Baskin" /> Deficits in self-identifying emotions or in observing effects of one's behavior on others can make it difficult for individuals with AS to see why medication may be appropriate.<ref name=Towbin /> Medication can be effective in combination with behavioral interventions and environmental accommodations in treating comorbid symptoms such as anxiety disorders, major depressive disorder, inattention, and aggression.<ref name="McPart2006" /> The ] medications ], ] and ] have been shown to reduce the associated symptoms of AS;<ref name="McPart2006" /><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Hirsch LE, Pringsheim T | title = Aripiprazole for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | issue = 6 | pages = CD009043 | date = June 2016 | volume = 2016 | pmid = 27344135 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD009043.pub3 | pmc = 7120220}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Blankenship K, Erickson CA, Stigler KA, Posey DJ, McDougle CJ | title = Aripiprazole for irritability associated with autistic disorder in children and adolescents aged 6–17 years | journal = Pediatric Health | volume = 4 | issue = 4 | pages = 375–81 | date = September 2010 | pmid = 21359119 | pmc = 3043611 | doi = 10.2217/phe.10.45}}</ref> risperidone can reduce repetitive and self-injurious behaviors, aggressive outbursts, and impulsivity, and improve stereotypical patterns of behavior and social relatedness. The ]s (SSRIs) ], ], and ] have been effective in treating restricted and repetitive interests and behaviors,<ref name="McPart2006" /><ref name="Baskin" /><ref name="Foster" /> while stimulant medication, such as ], can reduce inattention.<ref name="CCD2007">{{cite journal | url= https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/120/5/1162 | vauthors = Myers SM, Johnson CP | title = Management of children with autism spectrum disorders | journal = Pediatrics | volume = 120 | issue = 5 | pages = 1162–82 | date = November 2007 | pmid = 17967921 | doi = 10.1542/peds.2007-2362 | doi-access = free}}</ref> In addition, scientists have made a noteworthy finding that ], a hormone, plays a significant role in shaping human social behavior and the formation of interpersonal connections.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
{{main|Autistic culture}} | |||
Many people with Asperger syndrome generally refer to themselves in casual conversation as the more affectionate "aspie", a name first used by Liane Holliday Willey in her 1999 book ''Pretending to be Normal: Living With Asperger's Syndrome''. Willey was among the first females with Asperger syndrome to speak publicly about the challenges and rewards of living with the condition. Others prefer "Aspergian", "Asperger's autistic" or just no name at all. Many who think there is no significant difference between Asperger syndrome and autism because of the spectrum-analogous variances in autism may prefer the term "autie" or just "autistic" as a more general term. | |||
Care must be taken with medications, as side effects may be more common and harder to evaluate in individuals with AS, and tests of drugs' effectiveness against comorbid conditions routinely exclude individuals from the autism spectrum.<ref name=Towbin /> Abnormalities in ], ] times, and an increased risk of ] have been raised as concerns with antipsychotic medications,<ref name="Newcomer">{{cite journal | vauthors = Newcomer JW | title = Antipsychotic medications: metabolic and cardiovascular risk | journal = The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry | volume = 68 | issue = Suppl 4 | pages = 8–13 | year = 2007 | pmid = 17539694}}</ref><ref name="Chavez">{{cite journal | vauthors = Chavez B, Chavez-Brown M, Sopko MA, Rey JA | title = Atypical antipsychotics in children with pervasive developmental disorders | journal = Paediatric Drugs | volume = 9 | issue = 4 | pages = 249–66 | year = 2007 | pmid = 17705564 | doi = 10.2165/00148581-200709040-00006 | citeseerx = 10.1.1.659.4150 | s2cid = 6690106}}</ref> along with serious long-term neurological side effects.<ref name=interrev /> SSRIs can lead to manifestations of behavioral activation such as increased impulsivity, aggression, and ].<ref name="Foster" /> ] and fatigue are commonly reported side effects of risperidone, which may also lead to increased risk for ] such as restlessness and ]<ref name="Foster" /> and increased serum ] levels.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Staller J | title = The effect of long-term antipsychotic treatment on prolactin | journal = Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology | volume = 16 | issue = 3 | pages = 317–26 | date = June 2006 | pmid = 16768639 | doi = 10.1089/cap.2006.16.317}}</ref> Sedation and weight gain are more common with ],<ref name="Chavez" /> which has also been linked with diabetes.<ref name="Newcomer" /> Sedative side-effects in school-age children<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Stachnik JM, Nunn-Thompson C | s2cid = 31715163 | title = Use of atypical antipsychotics in the treatment of autistic disorder | journal = The Annals of Pharmacotherapy | volume = 41 | issue = 4 | pages = 626–34 | date = April 2007 | pmid = 17389666 | doi = 10.1345/aph.1H527}}</ref> have ramifications for classroom learning. Individuals with AS may be unable to identify and communicate their internal ] and emotions or to tolerate side effects that for most people would not be problematic.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Asperger syndrome and high functioning autism: research concerns and emerging foci|journal=Current Opinion in Psychiatry|volume=16|issue=5|pages=535–42|year=2003|vauthors=Blacher J, Kraemer B, Schalow M|doi=10.1097/00001504-200309000-00008|s2cid=146839394}}</ref> | |||
To refer to themselves as a group, many people with Asperger syndrome use the term '']'', which comes from the fact that professionals consider Asperger syndrome a ]. To refer to people who are non-autistic, many use the term '']'' (NT). In addition, people who seek a cure for autism are sometimes pejoratively called "curebies". | |||
== |
== Prognosis == | ||
There is some evidence that children with AS may see a lessening of symptoms; up to 20% of children may no longer meet the diagnostic criteria as adults, although social and communication difficulties may persist.<ref name="Woodbury-Smith" /> {{As of|2006}}, no studies addressing the long-term outcome of individuals with Asperger syndrome are available and there are no systematic long-term follow-up studies of children with AS.<ref name="Klin" /> Individuals with AS appear to have normal ], but have an increased ] of ] psychiatric conditions, such as major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders that may significantly affect ].<ref name="McPart2006" /><ref name="Woodbury-Smith" /> Although social impairment may be lifelong, the outcome is generally more positive than with individuals with lower-functioning autism spectrum disorders;<ref name="McPart2006" /> for example, ASD symptoms are more likely to diminish with time in children with AS or forms of autism sometimes described as "]".<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Coplan J, Jawad AF | title = Modeling clinical outcome of children with autistic spectrum disorders | journal = Pediatrics | volume = 116 | issue = 1 | pages = 117–22 | date = July 2005 | pmid = 15995041 | doi = 10.1542/peds.2004-1118 | s2cid = 8440775}}</ref> Most students with AS and forms of autism sometimes seen as "high functioning" have average mathematical ability and test slightly worse in mathematics than in general intelligence.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Chiang HM, Lin YH | title = Mathematical ability of students with Asperger syndrome and high-functioning autism: a review of literature | journal = Autism | volume = 11 | issue = 6 | pages = 547–56 | date = November 2007 | pmid = 17947290 | doi = 10.1177/1362361307083259 | s2cid = 37125753 | via = SAGE Journals}}</ref> However, mathematicians are at least three times more likely to have autism-spectrum traits than the general population, and are more likely to have family members with autism.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Baron-Cohen S, Wheelwright S, Burtenshaw A, Hobson E | title = Mathematical Talent is Linked to Autism | journal = Human Nature | volume = 18 | issue = 2 | pages = 125–131 | date = June 2007 | pmid = 26181845 | doi = 10.1007/s12110-007-9014-0 | s2cid = 11021156 }}</ref> | |||
===General=== | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
Although many attend regular education classes, some children with AS may attend ] classes such as separate classroom and ] because of their social and behavioral difficulties.<ref name="Klin" /> Adolescents with AS may exhibit ongoing difficulty with ] or organization, and disturbances in social and romantic relationships. Despite high cognitive potential, most young adults with AS remain at home, yet some do marry and work independently.<ref name="McPart2006" /> The "different-ness" adolescents experience can be traumatic.<ref name="Moran">{{cite journal| vauthors = Moran M |title=Asperger's may be answer to diagnostic mysteries|journal=Psychiatric News|year=2006|volume=41|issue=19|pages=21–36|doi=10.1176/pn.41.19.0021}}</ref> Anxiety may stem from preoccupation over possible violations of routines and rituals, from being placed in a situation without a clear schedule or expectations, or from ];<ref name=McPart2006 /> the resulting ] may manifest as inattention, withdrawal, reliance on obsessions, hyperactivity, or aggressive or oppositional behavior.<ref name=Myles /> Depression is often the result of chronic ] from repeated failure to engage others socially, and ]s requiring treatment may develop.<ref name="McPart2006" /> Clinical experience suggests the rate of suicide may be higher among those with AS, but this has not been confirmed by systematic empirical studies.<ref>{{cite book|title=Asperger's Disorder|veditors=Rausch JL, Johnson ME, Casanova MF|publisher=Informa Healthcare|year=2008|chapter=Asperger syndrome – mortality and morbidity| vauthors = Gillberg C|pages=63–80|isbn=978-0-8493-8360-1}}</ref> | |||
===Groups=== | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
Education of families is critical in developing strategies for understanding strengths and weaknesses;<ref name="Baskin" /> helping the family to cope improves outcomes in children.<ref name=Tsatsanis /> Prognosis may be improved by diagnosis at a younger age that allows for early interventions, while interventions in adulthood are valuable but less beneficial.<ref name="Baskin" /> There are legal implications for individuals with AS as they run the risk of exploitation by others and may be unable to comprehend the societal implications of their actions.<ref name="Baskin" /> | |||
===Lists=== | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
== |
== Epidemiology == | ||
{{main|Epidemiology of autism}} | |||
<div class="references-small"><references /> | |||
* {{cite book | author=Attwood, Tony | title=Asperger's Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals | location=London | publisher=Jessica Kingsley | year=1997 | id=ISBN 1853025771}} This book is considered to be the Bible as far as general AS books go. | |||
*Barnard J et. al. (2001). . London: The National Autistic Society | |||
* {{cite book | author=Baron-Cohen, Simon | title=The Essential Difference: Male and Female Brains and the Truth About Autism | location=New York | publisher=Basic Books | year=2003 | id=ISBN 046500556X}} | |||
* Ehlers, Stephan & Christopher Gillberg (1993). "The epidemiology of Asperger's syndrome: a total population study". ''Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines'' '''34''' (8), 1327-1350. | |||
*Frey, Rebecca 2006. . Accessed 1 May 2006. | |||
*Gillberg,C. and Gillberg IC (1989) "Asperger syndrome-some epidemiological considerations: A research note,' Journal of Child Psychology and psychiatry 30, 631-638. | |||
*Haddon, Mark. ''The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time'', Vintage, 2004. ISBN 978-0-385-51210-7 (fiction). | |||
* {{cite book | author=Kennedy, Diane M., with Rebecca Banks | title=The ADHD-Autism Connection : A Step Toward More Accurate Diagnoses and Effective Treatments | location=Colorado Springs | publisher=WaterBrook Press | year=2002 | id=ISBN 1578564980}} This book explores the similarities that ] (ADHD) shares with pervasive developmental disorders. | |||
* Myles, Brenda Smith, et. al. (2003). "Written language profile of children and youth with Asperger syndrome: From research to practice". ''Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities'' '''38''' (4), 362-369. | |||
*{{cite book | author=Sainsbury, Clare | title=Martian in the Playground: Understanding the Schoolchild with Asperger's Syndrome | publisher=Lucky Duck Publishing | year=2000 | id=ISBN 1873942087}} | |||
*Silver, S. & Oakes, P. (2001) , Autism, 5(3), 299-316. | |||
* Tani, P. et. al. (2005). "Childhood inattention and hyperactivity symptoms self-reported by adults with Aperger syndrome". ''Psychopathology'' '''39''' (1), 49-54. | |||
*Wendt, Taina 2004. . Academic Dissertation. | |||
* {{cite web | title=Einstein, Newton, and Asperger Syndrome from Mary Kugler | url=http://rarediseases.about.com/cs/aspergersyndrome/a/041003.htm | accessdate=July 30 | accessyear=2005 }} | |||
* {{cite web | title=Einstein and Newton showed signs of autism from the ] | url=http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn3676 | accessdate=July 30 | accessyear=2005 }} | |||
* {{cite web | title=Einstein and Newton 'had autism' from the BBC | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2988647.stm | accessdate=July 30 | accessyear=2005 }} | |||
* {{cite web | title=A thread on google groups mentioning link between science fiction fandom and Asperger syndrome | url=http://groups.google.com/group/rec.arts.sf.fandom/browse_frm/thread/63def080d9e264c0/808622cea2bf1c92?lnk=st&q=sf+fandom+asperger%27s+syndrome&rnum=1&hl=en#808622cea2bf1c92 | accessdate=September 23 | accessyear=2005 }} | |||
* {{cite web | title=Another thread on google groups mentioning link between science fiction fandom and Asperger syndrome | url=http://groups.google.com/group/rec.arts.sf.fandom/browse_frm/thread/d88dcceebcbe3ece?q=sf+fandom+asperger%27s+syndrome&hl=en& | accessdate=September 23 | accessyear=2005 }} | |||
</div> | |||
Frequency estimates vary enormously. In 2015, it was estimated that 37.2 million people globally are affected.<ref name=GBD2015Pre /> A 2003 review of ] of children found autism rates ranging from 0.03 to 4.84 per 1,000, with the ratio of autism to Asperger syndrome ranging from 1.5:1 to 16:1;<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Fombonne E, Tidmarsh L | title = Epidemiologic data on Asperger disorder | journal = Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America | volume = 12 | issue = 1 | pages = 15–21, v–vi | date = January 2003 | pmid = 12512396 | doi = 10.1016/S1056-4993(02)00050-0}}</ref> combining the geometric mean ratio of 5:1 with a conservative prevalence estimate for autism of 1.3 per 1,000 suggests indirectly that the prevalence of AS might be around 0.26 per 1,000.<ref>{{cite book|chapter=Epidemiological surveys of pervasive developmental disorders| vauthors = Fombonne E |pages=33–68|title=Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders|edition=2nd|veditors=Volkmar FR|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=2007|isbn=978-0-521-54957-8}}</ref> Part of the variance in estimates arises from differences in diagnostic criteria. For example, a relatively small 2007 study of 5,484 eight-year-old children in Finland found 2.9 children per 1,000 met the ICD-10 criteria for an AS diagnosis, 2.7 per 1,000 for Gillberg and Gillberg criteria, 2.5 for DSM-IV, 1.6 for Szatmari ''et al.'', and 4.3 per 1,000 for the union of the four criteria. Boys seem to be more likely to have AS than girls; estimates of the sex ratio range from 1.6:1 to 4:1, using the Gillberg and Gillberg criteria.<ref name=Mattila /> Females with autism spectrum disorders may be underdiagnosed.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Galanopoulos A, Robertson D, Woodhouse E | title = The assessment of autism spectrum disorders in adults |journal=Advances in Autism |date=4 January 2016 |volume=2 |issue=1 |pages=31–40 |doi=10.1108/AIA-09-2015-0017}}</ref> | |||
==External links== | |||
* '''Adult Issues''' | |||
:* - From ''Mental Health Matters'' | |||
:* - Largest online support site for individuals with Asperger's | |||
* '''Government''' | |||
:* from the , a part of the from the | |||
* '''Informational''' | |||
:* - A general news site about Asperger and autism spectrum disorder that posts related news articles, from emerging therapies and scientific research to advice for parents and inspirational stories. | |||
:* - 'Collaboration of scientists at Cambridge University and elsewhere to find new and validated methods for assessment and intervention of autism spectrum conditions' | |||
:* - 'Resources by and for those on the autistic spectrum' | |||
:* - 'D.A.N.I.S.H. is a support group for families struggling with Asperger Syndrome' | |||
:* - 'Rather large collection of links of pretty much anything to do with Asperger's syndrome' | |||
:* - A website created from the perspective of a person who has two siblings who are on the Autism Spectrum with the goal of giving information to anybody who is seeking it. | |||
:* of groups and resources devoted to Asperger syndrome | |||
* '''Organizations''' | |||
:* - 'Autism Spectrum Australia, for people on the autism spectrum and their families' | |||
:* - '] non-profit organization that provides education, support, and advocacy for families and individuals for people with Asperger's syndrome' | |||
:* - 'ASA is dedicated to increasing public awareness about autism and the day-to-day issues faced by individuals with autism, their families and the professionals with whom they interact (one of the oldest and well-known organizations)' | |||
:* - 'GRASP, the Global and Regional Asperger Syndrome Partnership, is an organization of adults diagnosed along the autism spectrum with either Asperger Syndrome, Autism, or PDD' | |||
:* - 'The National Autistic Society exists to champion the rights and interests of all people with autism and to ensure that they and their families receive quality services appropriate to their needs' | |||
{{Pervasive developmental disorders}} | |||
{{featured article}} | |||
=== Comorbidities === | |||
] | |||
{{Main|Conditions comorbid to autism spectrum disorders}} | |||
] | |||
] | |||
Anxiety disorders and major depressive disorder are the most common conditions seen at the same time; ] of these in persons with AS is estimated at 65%.<ref name=McPart2006 /> Reports have associated AS with ] such as ] and ], but these have been case reports or small studies and no factors have been associated with AS across studies.<ref name="McPart2006" /> One study of males with AS found an increased rate of ] and a high rate (51%) of ].<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Cederlund M, Gillberg C | title = One hundred males with Asperger syndrome: a clinical study of background and associated factors | journal = Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology | volume = 46 | issue = 10 | pages = 652–60 | date = October 2004 | pmid = 15473168 | doi = 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2004.tb00977.x | s2cid = 5931902| doi-access = free }}</ref> AS is associated with ]s, ] and ]. The repetitive behaviors of AS have many similarities with the symptoms of obsessive–compulsive disorder and ],<ref name="Gillberg&Billstedt2000"/> and 26% of a sample of young adults with AS were found to meet the criteria for ] (which is characterised by severe social seclusion and emotional detachment), more than any other personality disorder in the sample.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Lugnegård T, Hallerbäck MU, Gillberg C | title = Personality disorders and autism spectrum disorders: what are the connections? | journal = Comprehensive Psychiatry | volume = 53 | issue = 4 | pages = 333–40 | date = May 2012 | pmid = 21821235 | doi = 10.1016/j.comppsych.2011.05.014}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Tantam D | title = Lifelong eccentricity and social isolation. II: Asperger's syndrome or schizoid personality disorder? | journal = The British Journal of Psychiatry | volume = 153 | pages = 783–91 | date = December 1988 | issue = 6 | pmid = 3256377 | doi = 10.1192/bjp.153.6.783| s2cid = 39433805 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Integrated Treatment for Co-Occurring Disorders: Personality Disorders and Addiction | vauthors = Ekleberry SC |publisher=Routledge|year=2008|isbn=978-0789036933|pages=31–32|chapter=Cluster A – Schizoid Personality Disorder and Substance Use Disorders|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O5HY1xcfjEcC&pg=PA31}}</ref> However many of these studies are based on ] or lack standardized measures; nonetheless, comorbid conditions are relatively common.<ref name="Woodbury-Smith" /> | |||
{{Link FA|he}} | |||
=== Correlated characteristics === | |||
Research ] have significantly higher rates of ] and feelings than the general population.<ref name="Graham Holmes-2022">{{cite journal | vauthors = Graham Holmes L, Ames JL, Massolo ML, Nunez DM, Croen LA | title = Improving the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Health Care of Autistic People | journal = Pediatrics | volume = 149 | issue = Suppl 4 | pages = e2020049437J | date = April 2022 | pmid = 35363286 | doi = 10.1542/peds.2020-049437J | publisher = ] | quote = A substantial proportion of autistic adolescents and adults are LGBTQIA+. Autistic people are more likely to be transgender or gender nonconforming compared with non-autistic people, and findings from a recent autism registry study suggest that among autistic people able to self-report on a survey, up to 18% of men and 43% of women may be sexual minorities. | doi-access = free }}</ref> They are also significantly more likely to be ].<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Norenzayan A, Gervais WM, Trzesniewski KH | title = Mentalizing deficits constrain belief in a personal God | journal = PLOS ONE | volume = 7 | issue = 5 | pages = e36880 | date = 2012 | pmid = 22666332 | pmc = 3364254 | doi = 10.1371/journal.pone.0036880 | doi-access = free | bibcode = 2012PLoSO...736880N }}</ref> | |||
== History == | |||
{{Main|History of Asperger syndrome}} | |||
Asperger syndrome was named after the Austrian pediatrician ] (1906–1980), but not coined by him. Asperger syndrome was a relatively new diagnosis in the field of autism,<ref name="What'sSpecial">{{cite journal | vauthors = Baron-Cohen S, Klin A | s2cid = 12554302 | title = What's so special about Asperger Syndrome? | journal = Brain and Cognition | volume = 61 | issue = 1 | pages = 1–4 | date = June 2006 | pmid = 16563588 | doi = 10.1016/j.bandc.2006.02.002}}</ref> though a syndrome like it was described as early as 1925 by Soviet child psychiatrist ] (1891–1981),<ref>{{cite book |author=Sukhareva GE |translator=Rebecchi K |title=Autistic Children |publisher=Amazon |date=2022 |isbn=978-169098676-8}}</ref><ref name="urn.kb.se" /> As a child, Asperger appears to have exhibited some features of the very condition named after him, such as remoteness and talent in language.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Lyons V, Fitzgerald M | s2cid = 21595111 | title = Did Hans Asperger (1906–1980) have Asperger syndrome? | journal = Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | volume = 37 | issue = 10 | pages = 2020–21 | date = November 2007 | pmid = 17917805 | doi = 10.1007/s10803-007-0382-4}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|vauthors=Osborne L|title=American Normal: The Hidden World of Asperger Syndrome|url=https://archive.org/details/americannormalhi00osbo|url-access=limited|publisher=Copernicus|year=2002|isbn=978-0-387-95307-6|page=}}</ref> In 1944, Asperger gave detailed descriptions of four representative children in his practice<ref name=Baskin /> who had difficulty in integrating themselves socially and showing empathy towards peers. They also lacked nonverbal communication skills and were physically clumsy. Asperger described this "autistic psychopathy" as ].<ref name=NINDS /> Fifty years later, several standardizations of AS as a ] were tentatively proposed, many of which diverge significantly from Asperger's original work.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Hippler K, Klicpera C | title = A retrospective analysis of the clinical case records of 'autistic psychopaths' diagnosed by Hans Asperger and his team at the University Children's Hospital, Vienna | journal = Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences | volume = 358 | issue = 1430 | pages = 291–301 | date = February 2003 | pmid = 12639327 | pmc = 1693115 | doi = 10.1098/rstb.2002.1197}}</ref> | |||
Unlike what became known as AS, Asperger believed autistic psychopathy could be found in people of all levels of intelligence, including those with intellectual disability: as such, Asperger's understanding of autistic pathology was more akin to what is known as the ] today.<ref>{{cite book|vauthors=Wing L|chapter=The relationship between Asperger's syndrome and Kanner's autism| veditors = Frith U|title=Autism and Asperger syndrome|year=1991|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-38608-1|pages=93–121}}</ref> Asperger defended the value of so-called "high-functioning" autistic individuals, writing: "We are convinced, then, that autistic people have their place in the organism of the social community. They fulfill their role well, perhaps better than anyone else could, and we are talking of people who as children had the greatest difficulties and caused untold worries to their care-givers."<ref name=rue1/> Asperger also believed some would be capable of exceptional achievement and original thought later in life.<ref name="Baskin" /> | |||
Asperger's paper was published during ] and in German, so it was not widely read elsewhere. ] used the term ''Asperger syndrome'' in 1976,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://guidingpathways.com.au/2018/01/24/what-is-aspergers-syndrome/|title=What is Asperger's Syndrome|publisher=Guiding Pathways header logo | vauthors = Cole C | date=24 January 2018|access-date=21 July 2019}}</ref> and popularized it to the English-speaking medical community in her February 1981 publication<ref>{{cite journal|vauthors=Wing L|author-link=Lorna Wing|year=1981|title=Asperger's Syndrome: A Clinical Account|url=https://ndclibrary.sjc1.vultrobjects.com/lorna-wing-asperger-clinical-account.pdf|journal=]|volume=11|issue=1|pages=115{{ndash}}129|doi=10.1017/S0033291700053332|pmid=7208735|s2cid=16046498}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/18/books/review/aspergers-children-edith-sheffer.html|title=Asperger's Children|work=] | vauthors = Mnookin S |date=18 June 2018|access-date=22 July 2019}}</ref> of case studies of children showing the symptoms described by Asperger,<ref name="What'sSpecial" /> and ] translated Asperger's paper to English in 1991.<ref name=rue1/> Sets of diagnostic criteria were outlined by Gillberg and Gillberg in 1989 and by Szatmari ''et al.'' in the same year.<ref name="Mattila">{{cite journal | vauthors = Mattila ML, Kielinen M, Jussila K, Linna SL, Bloigu R, Ebeling H, Moilanen I | title = An epidemiological and diagnostic study of Asperger syndrome according to four sets of diagnostic criteria | journal = Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry | volume = 46 | issue = 5 | pages = 636–46 | date = May 2007 | pmid = 17450055 | doi = 10.1097/chi.0b013e318033ff42| s2cid = 28596939 }}</ref> AS became a standard diagnosis when it was included in the tenth edition of the ]'s diagnostic manual, ''International Classification of Diseases'' (]), published in 1990 and coming into effect in 1993; and in the fourth edition of the ]'s diagnostic reference, ''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'' (]), published in 1994.<ref name=NINDS /> | |||
Hundreds of books, articles, and websites later described AS and prevalence estimates increased dramatically for ASD, with AS recognized as an important subgroup.<ref name="What'sSpecial" /> Whether AS should be seen as distinct from autism, particularly forms of autism sometimes described as sometimes described as "]", became an issue receiving significant attention and disagreement,<ref name="Baskin" /> along with questions about the ] of the DSM-IV and ICD-10 criteria.<ref name="Klin" /> | |||
With the publication of the next major editions of the DSM and ICD, the ] (published in 2013) and the ] (published in 2018, coming into effect in 2022), AS was eliminated as a separate diagnosis and folded into the autism spectrum.<ref name="DSMV">{{cite web|title=299.80 Asperger's Disorder|work=DSM-5 Development|publisher=American Psychiatric Association|access-date=21 December 2010|url=http://www.dsm5.org/ProposedRevisions/Pages/proposedrevision.aspx?rid=97|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101225152454/http://www.dsm5.org/ProposedRevisions/Pages/proposedrevision.aspx?rid=97|archive-date=25 December 2010|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=ICD11 /><ref name=ICDupdate /> A scale of "severity" levels was included in the DSM-5, whereby most people previously diagnosed with AS would have been classified as "level 1"; but these levels are widely opposed by the ] and are not included in the ICD-11.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kapp |first1=Steven K. |title=Profound Concerns about "Profound Autism": Dangers of Severity Scales and Functioning Labels for Support Needs |journal=Education Sciences |date=19 January 2023 |volume=13 |issue=2 |pages=106 |doi=10.3390/educsci13020106 |doi-access=free }}</ref> The ICD-11 characterizes ASD with qualifiers describing the presence of ] and the degree of functional ]; the former diagnosis of Asperger syndrome is characterized as ''autism spectrum disorder without disorder of intellectual development and with mild or no impairment of functional language''.<ref name=ICD11 /> | |||
== Society and culture == | |||
{{See also|Societal and cultural aspects of autism|Neurodiversity movement|Disability rights movement}} | |||
] | |||
People identifying with Asperger syndrome may refer to themselves in casual conversation as ''aspies'' (a term first used in print in the '']'' in 1998).<ref>{{cite book|vauthors=Willey LH|title=Pretending to be Normal: Living with Asperger's Syndrome|url=https://archive.org/details/pretendingtobeno00will|url-access=limited|publisher=Jessica Kingsley|pages=, 104|year=1999|isbn=978-1-85302-749-9}}</ref><ref>{{Cite OED|term=Aspie|id=392643|access-date=29 May 2021}}</ref> Some autistic people have advocated a shift in perception of autism spectrum disorders as complex ]s, ], and/or ] cognitive styles rather than diseases that must be cured. Proponents of this ] reject the notion that there is an "ideal" brain configuration and that any deviation from the norm is ]; they promote tolerance of ].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Walker |first1=Nick |title=Neurodiversity: Some Basic Terms & Definitions |url=https://neuroqueer.com/neurodiversity-terms-and-definitions/ |website=Neuroqueer: The writings of Nick Walker |access-date=22 November 2024 |date=2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Walker |first1=Nick |title=Throw Away the Master's Tools: Liberating Ourselves from the Pathology Paradigm |url=https://neuroqueer.com/throw-away-the-masters-tools/ |website=Neuroqueer: The Writings of Nick Walker |access-date=22 November 2024 |date=2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|vauthors=Williams CC|chapter=In search of an Asperger|veditors=Stoddart KP|title=Children, Youth and Adults with Asperger Syndrome: Integrating Multiple Perspectives|year=2005|publisher=Jessica Kingsley|isbn=978-1-84310-319-6|pages=|quote=The life prospects of people with AS would change if we shifted from viewing AS as a set of dysfunctions, to viewing it as a set of differences that have merit.|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/childrenyouthadu00kevi/page/242}}</ref> These views are the basis for the ] and ] movements, within the broader ].<ref>{{cite book|vauthors=Dakin CJ|chapter=Life on the outside: A personal perspective of Asperger syndrome| veditors = Stoddart KP|title=Children, Youth and Adults with Asperger Syndrome: Integrating Multiple Perspectives|year=2005|publisher=Jessica Kingsley|isbn=978-1-84310-319-6|pages=|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/childrenyouthadu00kevi/page/352}}</ref> There is a contrast between the attitude of people with AS, who typically do not want to be cured and are proud of their identity; and parents of children with AS, who more often seek a "cure" of their children's autism.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Clarke J, van Amerom G | title = Asperger's syndrome: differences between parents' understanding and those diagnosed | journal = Social Work in Health Care | volume = 46 | issue = 3 | pages = 85–106 | year = 2008 | pmid = 18551831 | doi = 10.1300/J010v46n03_05 | s2cid = 10181053}}</ref> | |||
Some researchers have argued that AS and other autism can be viewed as a different cognitive style, not a disorder,<ref name=Clarke>{{cite journal|journal=Disability & Society|year=2007|volume=22|issue=7|pages=761–76|title='Surplus suffering': differences between organizational understandings of Asperger's syndrome and those people who claim the 'disorder'|vauthors=Clarke J, van Amerom G|doi=10.1080/09687590701659618|s2cid=145736625}}</ref> and that it should be removed from psychiatric and medical manuals classifying diseases ('']'') or mental disorders ('']''), much as ] was removed.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Disability & Society|year=2009|volume=24|issue=3|pages=343–55|title=Reframing Asperger syndrome: lessons from other challenges to the ''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual'' and ICIDH approaches| vauthors = Allred S|doi=10.1080/09687590902789511|s2cid=144506657}}</ref> | |||
Even some people typically associated with a ] for autism are willing to consider AS a neutral difference. For example, in 2002, ] wrote of those with AS: "In the social world, there is no great benefit to a precise eye for detail, but in the worlds of maths, computing, cataloging, music, linguistics, engineering, and science, such an eye for detail can lead to success rather than failure." Baron-Cohen cited two reasons why it might still be useful to consider AS to be a disability: to ensure provision for legally required special support, and to recognize emotional difficulties from reduced empathy, which was commonly associated with autism during that time but ].<ref name=BaronCohen2002>{{cite journal|journal=Focus Autism Other Dev Disabl|year=2002|volume=17|issue=3|pages=186–91|title=Is Asperger syndrome necessarily viewed as a disability?| vauthors = Baron-Cohen S |doi=10.1177/10883576020170030801|s2cid=145629311}} A preliminary, freely readable draft, with slightly different wording in the quoted text, is in: {{cite web|url=http://autismresearchcentre.com/docs/papers/2002_BC_ASDisability.pdf|access-date=2 December 2008|year=2002| vauthors = Baron-Cohen S|title=Is Asperger's syndrome necessarily a disability?|publisher=Autism Research Centre|location=Cambridge|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217140628/http://autismresearchcentre.com/docs/papers/2002_BC_ASDisability.pdf|archive-date=17 December 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> Baron-Cohen argues that the genes for ASD's combination of abilities have operated throughout recent ] and have made remarkable contributions to human history.<ref>{{cite book|title=Foundations of Evolutionary Psychology|chapter=The evolution of brain mechanisms for social behavior|vauthors=Baron-Cohen S|pages=415–32| veditors = Crawford C, Krebs D |publisher=Lawrence Erlbaum|year=2008|isbn=978-0-8058-5957-7}}</ref> | |||
By contrast, Pier Jaarsma and Welin wrote in 2011 that the "broad version of the neurodiversity claim, covering low-functioning as well as high-functioning autism, is problematic. Only a narrow conception of neurodiversity, referring exclusively to high-functioning autists, is reasonable."<ref name=Jaarsma>{{cite journal | vauthors = Jaarsma P, Welin S | url = http://www.imh.liu.se/avd_halsa_samhalle/filarkiv1/1.264263/JaarsmaWelin2011Autismasanaturalvariation.pdf | title = Autism as a natural human variation: reflections on the claims of the neurodiversity movement | journal = Health Care Analysis | volume = 20 | issue = 1 | pages = 20–30 | date = March 2012 | pmid = 21311979 | doi = 10.1007/s10728-011-0169-9 | s2cid = 18618887 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131101015957/http://www.imh.liu.se/avd_halsa_samhalle/filarkiv1/1.264263/JaarsmaWelin2011Autismasanaturalvariation.pdf | url-status = dead | archive-date = 1 November 2013}}</ref> They say that "higher functioning" individuals with autism may "not benefited with such a psychiatric defect-based diagnosis ... some of them are being harmed by it, because of the disrespect the diagnosis displays for their natural way of being", but "think that it is still reasonable to include other categories of autism in the psychiatric diagnostics. The narrow conception of the neurodiversity claim should be accepted but the broader claim should not."<ref name=Jaarsma /> | |||
== References == | |||
{{Reflist}} | |||
== Further reading == | |||
{{Spoken Misplaced Pages|asperger syndrome.ogg|date=19 October 2016}} | |||
* Autistic Empire, – an online version of the Adult Asperger's Assessment developed by Cohen, S. et al. (2005) (see Woodbury-Smith MR, "Screening adults for Asperger Syndrome using the AQ: a preliminary study of its diagnostic validity in clinical practice", in ]). | |||
* {{cite journal | vauthors = Hus V, Lord C | title = The autism diagnostic observation schedule, module 4: revised algorithm and standardized severity scores | journal = Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | volume = 44 | issue = 8 | pages = 1996–2012 | date = August 2014 | pmid = 24590409 | pmc = 4104252 | doi = 10.1007/s10803-014-2080-3 }} A public paper re-calibrating the ] for appropriate assessment of autistic adults, who typically score lower on measures of impairment than autistic children due to compensatory strategies. | |||
* Royal College of Psychiatrists (2017), – based on the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) | |||
{{Medical condition classification and resources | |||
|DiseasesDB=31268 | |||
|ICD10={{ICD10|F|84|5|f|80}} | |||
|ICD9={{ICD9|299.80}} | |||
|OMIM=608638 | |||
|MedlinePlus=001549 | |||
|eMedicineSubj=ped | |||
|eMedicineTopic=147 | |||
|MeshName=Asperger+syndrome | |||
|MeshNumber=F03.550.325.100 | |||
|ICD11={{ICD11|6A02.0}} | |||
|Curlie=Health/Mental_Health/Disorders/Neurodevelopmental/Autism_Spectrum/Asperger%27s_Syndrome | |||
}} | |||
{{Pervasive developmental disorders}} | |||
{{Mental and behavioral disorders|selected=childhood}} | |||
{{Nonverbal communication}} | |||
{{Authority control}} | |||
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Latest revision as of 20:48, 12 January 2025
Formerly recognized subtype of autism "Asperger's" redirects here. For other uses, see Asperger (disambiguation).Medical condition
Asperger syndrome | |
---|---|
Other names | Asperger's syndrome, Asperger disorder (AD), Asperger's, Sukhareva's syndrome, schizoid disorder of childhood, autistic psychopathy |
Restricted interests or repetitive behavior may be features of Asperger syndrome; this boy is playing with a magnetic construction toy. | |
Pronunciation | |
Specialty | Clinical psychology, psychiatry, pediatrics, occupational medicine |
Symptoms | Problems with social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and the presence of repetitive behavior and restricted interests |
Complications | Social isolation, employment problems, family stress, bullying, self-harm |
Usual onset | Before two years old |
Duration | Lifelong |
Causes | Inconclusive |
Diagnostic method | Based on the symptoms |
Medication | For associated conditions |
Frequency | 37.2 million globally (0.5%) (2015) |
Named after | Hans Asperger |
Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger's syndrome or Asperger's, was a diagnosis used to describe a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, along with restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. Asperger syndrome has been merged with other conditions into autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and is no longer a diagnosis in the WHO's ICD-11 or the APA's DSM-5-TR. It was considered milder than other diagnoses which were merged into ASD due to relatively unimpaired spoken language and intelligence.
The syndrome was named in 1976 by English psychiatrist Lorna Wing after the Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger, who, in 1944, described children in his care who struggled to form friendships, did not understand others' gestures or feelings, engaged in one-sided conversations about their favorite interests, and were clumsy. In 1990 (coming into effect in 1993), the diagnosis of Asperger syndrome was included in the tenth edition (ICD-10) of the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases, and in 1994, it was also included in the fourth edition (DSM-4) of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. However, with the publication of DSM-5 in 2013 the syndrome was removed, and the symptoms are now included within autism spectrum disorder along with classic autism and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS). It was similarly merged into autism spectrum disorder in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) in 2018 (published, coming into effect in 2022).
The exact cause of autism, including what was formerly known as Asperger syndrome, is not well understood. While it has high heritability, the underlying genetics have not been determined conclusively. Environmental factors are also believed to play a role. Brain imaging has not identified a common underlying condition. There is no single treatment, and the UK's National Health Service (NHS) guidelines suggest that "treatment" of any form of autism should not be a goal, since autism is not "a disease that can be removed or cured". According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, while co-occurring conditions might require treatment, "management of autism itself is chiefly about the provision of the education, training, and social support/care required to improve the person's ability to function in the everyday world". The effectiveness of particular interventions for autism is supported by only limited data. Interventions may include social skills training, cognitive behavioral therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, parent training, and medications for associated problems, such as mood or anxiety. Autistic characteristics tend to become less obvious in adulthood, but social and communication difficulties usually persist.
In 2015, Asperger syndrome was estimated to affect 37.2 million people globally, or about 0.5% of the population. The exact percentage of people affected has still not been firmly established. Autism spectrum disorder is diagnosed in males more often than females, and females are typically diagnosed at a later age. The modern conception of Asperger syndrome came into existence in 1981 and went through a period of popularization. It became a standardized diagnosis in the 1990s and was merged into ASD in 2013. Many questions and controversies about the condition remain.
Classification
The extent of the overlap between Asperger syndrome and other forms of autism, particularly what was sometimes called high-functioning autism is unclear. The ASD classification is to some extent an artifact of how autism was discovered, and it may not reflect the true nature of the spectrum; methodological problems have beset Asperger syndrome as a valid diagnosis from the outset. As noted above, in the 2000s, Asperger syndrome, as a separate diagnosis, was eliminated and folded into autism spectrum disorder in the DSM-5 and the ICD-11. Like the diagnosis of Asperger syndrome, the change was controversial.
The World Health Organization (WHO) previously defined Asperger syndrome (AS) as one of the pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), which are a spectrum of psychological disorders that are characterized by abnormalities of social interaction and communication that pervade the individual's functioning, and by restricted and repetitive interests and behavior. Like other neurodevelopmental conditions, ASD begins in infancy or childhood, has a steady course without remission or relapse, and has impairments that result from maturation-related changes in various systems of the brain.
Characteristics
As a pervasive developmental disorder, Asperger syndrome is distinguished by a pattern of symptoms rather than a single symptom. It is characterized by qualitative impairment in social interaction, by stereotyped and restricted patterns of behavior, activities, and interests, and by no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or general delay in language. Intense preoccupation with a narrow subject, one-sided verbosity, restricted prosody, and physical clumsiness are typical of the condition, but are not required for diagnosis.
Suicidal thoughts and behaviors are a serious concern within the autistic population. One study found that adults with Asperger syndrome exhibited suicidal thoughts at 9 times the rate of the general population. Of autistic study participants, 66% had experienced suicidal ideation, while 35% had planned or attempted suicide.
Social interaction
Further information: Asperger syndrome and interpersonal relationshipsA lack of demonstrated empathy affects aspects of social relatability for persons with Asperger syndrome. Individuals with Asperger syndrome experience difficulties in basic elements of social interaction, which may include a failure to develop friendships or to seek shared enjoyments or achievements with others (e.g., showing others objects of interest); a lack of social or emotional reciprocity; and impaired nonverbal behaviors in areas such as eye contact, facial expression, posture, and gesture.
People with Asperger syndrome may not be as withdrawn around others, compared with those with other forms of autism; they approach others, even if awkwardly. For example, a person with Asperger syndrome may engage in a one-sided, long-winded speech about a favorite topic, while misunderstanding or not recognizing the listener's feelings or reactions, such as a wish to change the topic of talk or end the interaction. This social awkwardness has been called "active but odd". Such failures to react appropriately to social interaction may appear as disregard for other people's feelings and may come across as rude or insensitive. However, not all individuals with Asperger syndrome will approach others. Some may even display selective mutism, not speaking at all to most people and excessively to specific others.
The cognitive ability of children with Asperger syndrome often allows them to articulate social norms in a laboratory context, where they may be able to show a theoretical understanding of other people's emotions; however, they typically have difficulty acting on this knowledge in fluid, real-life situations. People with Asperger syndrome may analyze and distill their observations of social interaction into rigid behavioral guidelines and apply these rules in awkward ways, such as forced eye contact, resulting in a demeanor that appears rigid or socially naïve. A history of failed attempts to establish reciprocal social relationships can cause autistic individuals to isolate themselves and cease attempts to engage; however, autistic people overwhelmingly report a desire for social contact and friendship.
Violent or criminal behavior
The hypothesis that individuals with Asperger syndrome are predisposed to violent or criminal behavior has been investigated but is not supported by data. More evidence suggests that children diagnosed with Asperger syndrome are more likely to be victims, rather than offenders.
A 2008 review found that about 80% of reported violent criminals with Asperger syndrome also had other coexisting psychotic psychiatric disorders such as schizoaffective disorder. However, it must be noted that the sample size of this review was small (n = 37).
Empathy
People with an Asperger profile might not be recognized for their empathetic qualities, due to variation in the ways empathy is felt and expressed. Some people feel deep empathy, but do not outwardly communicate these sentiments through facial expressions or language. Some people come to empathy through intellectual processes, using logic and reasoning to arrive at the feelings. People with Asperger profiles may be bullied or excluded by peers, and might as a result be guarded around people, which could appear as lack of empathy. People with Asperger profiles can still be caring individuals; indeed, it is particularly common for those with the profile to feel and exhibit deep concern for individual rights, human welfare, animal rights, environmental protection, and other global and humanitarian causes.
Evidence suggests that in the "double empathy problem model, autistic people have a unique interaction style which is significantly more readable by other autistic people, compared to non-autistic people."
Restricted and repetitive interests and behavior
People with Asperger syndrome can display behavior, interests, and activities that are restricted and repetitive and are sometimes abnormally intense or focused. They may stick to inflexible routines, move in stereotyped and repetitive ways, preoccupy themselves with parts of objects, or engage in compulsive behaviors like lining objects up to form patterns.
The pursuit of specific and narrow areas of interest is one of the most striking among possible features of AS. Individuals with AS may collect volumes of detailed information on a relatively narrow topic such as weather data or star names without necessarily having a genuine understanding of the broader topic. For example, a child might memorize camera model numbers while caring little about photography. This behavior is usually apparent by age five or six. Although these special interests may change from time to time, they typically become more unusual and narrowly focused and often dominate social interaction so much that the entire family may become immersed. Because narrow topics often capture the interest of children, this symptom may go unrecognized.
Stereotyped and repetitive motor behaviors, called stimming, are a core part of the diagnosis of AS and other ASDs. Stims are believed to be used for self-soothing and regulate sensory input. They include hand movements such as flapping or twisting, and complex whole-body movements. These are typically repeated in longer bursts and look more voluntary or ritualistic than tics, which are usually faster, less rhythmical, and less often symmetrical. Stimming may have a connection with tics, and studies have reported a consistent comorbidity between AS and Tourette syndrome in the range of 8–20%, with one figure as high as 80% for tics of some kind or another, for which several explanations have been put forward, including common genetic factors and dopamine, glutamate, or serotonin abnormalities.
According to the Adult Asperger Assessment (AAA) diagnostic test, a lack of interest in fiction and a positive preference towards non-fiction is common among adults with AS.
Speech and language
Although individuals with Asperger syndrome acquire language skills without significant general delay and their speech typically lacks significant abnormalities, language acquisition and use is often atypical. Abnormalities include verbosity; abrupt transitions; literal interpretations and miscomprehension of nuance; use of metaphor meaningful only to the speaker; auditory perception deficits; unusually pedantic, formal, or idiosyncratic speech; and oddities in loudness, pitch, intonation, prosody, and rhythm. Echolalia has also been observed in individuals with AS.
Three aspects of communication patterns are of clinical interest: poor prosody, tangential and circumstantial speech, and marked verbosity. Although inflection and intonation may be less rigid or monotonic than in classic autism, people with AS often have a limited range of intonation: speech may be unusually fast, jerky, or loud. Speech may convey a sense of incoherence; the conversational style often includes monologues about topics that bore the listener, fails to provide context for comments, or fails to suppress internal thoughts. Individuals with AS may fail to detect whether the listener is interested or engaged in the conversation. The speaker's conclusion or point may never be made, and attempts by the listener to elaborate on the speech's content or logic, or to shift to related topics, are often unsuccessful.
Children with AS may have a sophisticated vocabulary at a young age and such children have often been colloquially called "little professors" but have difficulty understanding figurative language and tend to use language literally. Children with AS appear to have particular weaknesses in areas of nonliteral language that include humor, irony, teasing, and sarcasm. Although individuals with AS usually understand the cognitive basis of humor, they seem to lack understanding of the intent of humor to share the enjoyment with others. Despite strong evidence of impaired humor appreciation, anecdotal reports of humor in individuals with AS seem to challenge some psychological theories of AS and autism.
Motor and sensory perception
Individuals with Asperger syndrome may have signs or symptoms that are independent of the diagnosis but can affect the individual or the family. These include differences in perception and problems with motor skills, sleep, and emotions.
Individuals with AS often have excellent auditory and visual perception. Children with ASD often demonstrate enhanced perception of small changes in patterns such as arrangements of objects or well-known images; typically this is domain-specific and involves processing of fine-grained features. Conversely, compared with individuals with high-functioning autism, individuals with AS have deficits in some tasks involving visual-spatial perception, auditory perception, or visual memory. Many accounts of individuals with AS and ASD report other unusual sensory and perceptual skills and experiences. They may be unusually sensitive or insensitive to sound, light, and other stimuli; these sensory responses are found in other developmental disorders and are not specific to AS or to ASD. There is little support for increased fight-or-flight response or failure of habituation in autism; there is more evidence of decreased responsiveness to sensory stimuli, although several studies show no differences.
Hans Asperger's initial accounts and other diagnostic schemes include descriptions of physical clumsiness. Children with AS may be delayed in acquiring skills requiring dexterity, such as riding a bicycle or opening a jar, and may seem to move awkwardly or feel "uncomfortable in their own skin". They may be poorly coordinated or have an odd or bouncy gait or posture, poor handwriting, or problems with motor coordination. They may show problems with proprioception (sensation of body position) on measures of developmental coordination disorder (motor planning disorder), balance, tandem gait, and finger-thumb apposition. There is no evidence that these motor skills problems differentiate AS from other high-functioning ASDs.
Children with AS are more likely to have sleep problems, including difficulty in falling asleep, frequent nocturnal awakenings, and early morning awakenings. AS is also associated with high levels of alexithymia, which is difficulty in identifying and describing one's emotions. Although AS, lower sleep quality, and alexithymia are associated with each other, their causal relationship is unclear.
Causes
Further information: Causes of autismHans Asperger described common traits among his patients' family members, especially fathers, and research supports this observation and suggests a genetic contribution to Asperger syndrome. Although no specific genetic factor has yet been identified, multiple factors are believed to play a role in the expression of autism, given the variability in symptoms seen in children. Hundreds of genes have been linked to AS, and these genes play crucial role in a multitude of biological processes, exerting influence over the maturation and functioning of the brain. Evidence for a genetic link is that AS tends to run in families where more family members have limited behavioral symptoms similar to AS (for example, some problems with social interaction, or with language and reading skills). Most behavioral genetic research suggests that all autism spectrum disorders have shared genetic mechanisms. There may be shared genes in which particular alleles make an individual vulnerable, and varying combinations result in differing severity and symptoms in each person with AS.
A few ASD cases have been linked to exposure to teratogens (agents that cause birth defects) during the first eight weeks from conception. Although this does not exclude the possibility that ASD can be initiated or affected later, it is strong evidence that ASD arises very early in development. Many environmental factors have been hypothesized to act after birth, but none has been confirmed by scientific investigation. These environmental elements can act as independent and significant risk factors, or they can potentially influence pre-existing genetic factors in people who have a genetic predisposition.
Mechanism
Further information: Autism § MechanismAsperger syndrome appears to result from developmental factors that affect many or all functional brain systems, as opposed to localized effects.
Although the specific underpinnings of AS or factors that distinguish it from other ASDs are unknown, and no clear pathology common to individuals with AS has emerged, it is still possible that AS's mechanism is separate from other ASDs.
Neuroanatomical studies and the associations with teratogens strongly suggest that the mechanism includes alteration of brain development soon after conception. Abnormal fetal development may affect the final structure and connectivity of the brain, resulting in altered neural circuits controlling thought and behavior. Several theories of mechanism are available; none are likely to provide a complete explanation.
General-processing theories
One general-processing theory is weak central coherence theory, which hypothesizes that a limited ability to see the big picture underlies the central disturbance in ASD. A related theory—enhanced perceptual functioning—focuses more on the superiority of locally oriented and perceptual operations in autistic individuals.
Mirror neuron system (MNS) theory
This section's factual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information. The reason given is: There have been almost 4 decades since some of the material cited here was published, and current consensus in ASD is less straightforward than depicted here. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (January 2022) |
The mirror neuron system (MNS) theory hypothesizes that alterations to the development of the MNS interfere with imitation and lead to Asperger syndrome's core feature of social impairment. One study found that activation is delayed in the core circuit for imitation in individuals with AS. This theory maps well to social cognition theories like the theory of mind, which hypothesizes that autistic behavior arises from impairments in ascribing mental states to oneself and others; or hyper-systemizing, which hypothesizes that autistic individuals can systematize internal operation to handle internal events but are less effective at empathizing when handling events generated by other agents.
Diagnosis
Standard diagnostic criteria require impairment in social interaction and repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, activities, and interests, without significant delay in language or cognitive development. Unlike the international standard, the DSM-IV-TR criteria also required significant impairment in day-to-day functioning; As noted above, in the 2000s, Asperger syndrome, as a separate diagnosis, was eliminated and folded into autism spectrum disorder in the DSM-5 and the ICD-11. Other sets of diagnostic criteria have been proposed by Szatmari et al. and by Gillberg and Gillberg.
Diagnosis of ASD (and previously AS) is most commonly made between the ages of four and eleven. A comprehensive assessment involves a multidisciplinary team that observes across multiple settings, and includes neurological and genetic assessment as well as tests for cognition, psychomotor function, verbal and nonverbal strengths and weaknesses, style of learning, and skills for independent living. The "gold standard" in diagnosing ASDs combines clinical judgment with the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R), a semistructured parent interview; and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), a conversation and play-based interview with the child. Delayed or mistaken diagnosis can be traumatic for individuals and families; for example, misdiagnosis can lead to medications that worsen behavior.
Underdiagnosis and overdiagnosis may be problems. The cost and difficulty of screening and assessment can delay diagnosis. Conversely, the increasing popularity of drug treatment options and the expansion of benefits has motivated providers to overdiagnose ASD. There are indications AS has been diagnosed more frequently in recent years, partly as a residual diagnosis for children of normal intelligence who are not autistic but have social difficulties.
There are questions about the external validity of the AS diagnosis. That is, it is unclear whether there is a practical benefit in distinguishing AS from autism or PDD-NOS; different screening tools may render different diagnoses for the same person.
Differential diagnosis
Many children with AS are initially misdiagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Diagnosing adults is more challenging, as standard diagnostic criteria are designed for children and the expression of AS changes with age. Adult diagnosis requires painstaking clinical examination and thorough medical history gained from both the individual and other people who know the person, focusing on childhood behavior.
Conditions that must be considered in a differential diagnosis along with ADHD include other ASDs, the schizophrenia spectrum, personality disorders, obsessive–compulsive disorder, major depressive disorder, semantic pragmatic disorder, nonverbal learning disorder, social anxiety disorder, Tourette syndrome, stereotypic movement disorder, bipolar disorder, social-cognitive deficits due to brain damage from alcohol use disorder, and obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD).
Screening
Parents of children with Asperger syndrome can typically trace differences in their children's development to as early as 30 months of age. Developmental screening during a routine check-up by a general practitioner or pediatrician may identify signs that warrant further investigation. The United States Preventive Services Task Force in 2016 found it was unclear if screening was beneficial or harmful among children in whom there are no concerns.
Different screening instruments are used to diagnose AS, including the Asperger Syndrome Diagnostic Scale (ASDS); Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ); Childhood Autism Spectrum Test (CAST), previously called the Childhood Asperger Syndrome Test; Gilliam Asperger's disorder scale (GADS); Krug Asperger's Disorder Index (KADI); and the autism-spectrum quotient (AQ), with versions for children, adolescents, and adults. None have been shown to reliably differentiate between AS and other ASDs.
Management
Further information: Autism therapiesTreatment attempts to manage distressing symptoms and to teach age-appropriate social, communication, and vocational skills that are not naturally acquired during development. Intervention is tailored to the needs of the individual based on multidisciplinary assessment. Although progress has been made, data supporting the efficacy of particular interventions are limited.
Therapies
Managing ASD may involve multiple therapies that address core symptoms of the disorder. While many professionals agree that the earlier the professional support the better, there is no combination that is recommended above others. Professional support for ASD varies depending on the individual; it takes into account the linguistic capabilities, verbal strengths, and nonverbal vulnerabilities of individuals.
Many of those diagnosed with ASD or similar disorders advocate against behavioral therapies, like Applied behavior analysis (ABA) and Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), often as part of the autism rights movement, on the grounds that these approaches frequently reinforce the demand on autistic people to mask their neurodivergent characteristics or behaviors to favor a more 'neurotypical' and narrow conception of normality. ABA has faced a great deal of criticism over the years. Recently, studies have shown that ABA may be abusive and can increase PTSD symptoms in patients. The Autistic Self Advocacy Network campaigns against the use of ABA in autism.
In the case of CBT and talking therapies, the effectiveness varies, with many reporting that they appeared 'too self-aware' to gain significant benefit, as the therapy was designed with neurotypical people in mind. In autistic children, specifically, they also report that it is only mildly beneficial in aiding with their anxieties.
A typical program of professional support generally includes:
- Applied behavior analysis (ABA) procedures, including positive behavior support (PBS)—or training and support of parents and school faculty in behavior management strategies to use in the home and school, and social skills training for more effective interpersonal interactions. The Autistic Self Advocacy Network campaigns against the use of ABA in autism;
- Cognitive behavioral therapy to improve stress management relating to anxiety or explosive emotions and to help reduce obsessive interests (although this may produce negative impact by demonising special interests) and repetitive routines;
- Medication for coexisting conditions such as major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders;
- Occupational or physical therapy to assist with poor sensory processing and motor coordination; and,
- Social communication intervention, which is specialized speech therapy to help with the pragmatics and give-and-take of normal conversation.
Of the many studies on behavior-based early intervention programs, most are case reports of up to five participants and typically examine a few problem behaviors such as self-injury, aggression, noncompliance, stereotypies, or spontaneous language; unintended side effects are largely ignored. Despite the popularity of social skills training, its effectiveness is not firmly established. A randomized controlled study of a model for training parents in problem behaviors in their children with AS showed that parents attending a one-day workshop or six individual lessons reported fewer behavioral problems, while parents receiving the individual lessons reported less intense behavioral problems in their AS children. Vocational training may be important to teach job interview etiquette and workplace behavior to older children and adults with AS, and organization software and personal data assistants can improve the work and life management of people with AS.
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) is an innovative therapy for AS that aims to restore microbial balance in the patient's gastrointestinal tract by introducing healthy fecal microbiota acquired from people with a diverse microbial composition. This approach attempts to reconstruct the patient's gut microbiota by taking into account the intricate interactions between the human gut and the central nervous system via the gut-brain axis (GBA). Any disruption in gut health has been linked to an increased susceptibility to diverse neurodevelopmental disorders.
It is vital to remember that research of AS specifically operates upon the out-dated classification of this syndrome as external to ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). Similarly, we should also note that ASD is a spectrum and support varies dramatically depending on the individual.
Medications
No medications directly treat the core symptoms of AS. Although research into the efficacy of pharmaceutical intervention for AS is limited, it is essential to diagnose and treat comorbid conditions. Deficits in self-identifying emotions or in observing effects of one's behavior on others can make it difficult for individuals with AS to see why medication may be appropriate. Medication can be effective in combination with behavioral interventions and environmental accommodations in treating comorbid symptoms such as anxiety disorders, major depressive disorder, inattention, and aggression. The atypical antipsychotic medications risperidone, olanzapine and aripiprazole have been shown to reduce the associated symptoms of AS; risperidone can reduce repetitive and self-injurious behaviors, aggressive outbursts, and impulsivity, and improve stereotypical patterns of behavior and social relatedness. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, and sertraline have been effective in treating restricted and repetitive interests and behaviors, while stimulant medication, such as methylphenidate, can reduce inattention. In addition, scientists have made a noteworthy finding that oxytocin, a hormone, plays a significant role in shaping human social behavior and the formation of interpersonal connections.
Care must be taken with medications, as side effects may be more common and harder to evaluate in individuals with AS, and tests of drugs' effectiveness against comorbid conditions routinely exclude individuals from the autism spectrum. Abnormalities in metabolism, cardiac conduction times, and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes have been raised as concerns with antipsychotic medications, along with serious long-term neurological side effects. SSRIs can lead to manifestations of behavioral activation such as increased impulsivity, aggression, and sleep disturbance. Weight gain and fatigue are commonly reported side effects of risperidone, which may also lead to increased risk for extrapyramidal symptoms such as restlessness and dystonia and increased serum prolactin levels. Sedation and weight gain are more common with olanzapine, which has also been linked with diabetes. Sedative side-effects in school-age children have ramifications for classroom learning. Individuals with AS may be unable to identify and communicate their internal moods and emotions or to tolerate side effects that for most people would not be problematic.
Prognosis
There is some evidence that children with AS may see a lessening of symptoms; up to 20% of children may no longer meet the diagnostic criteria as adults, although social and communication difficulties may persist. As of 2006, no studies addressing the long-term outcome of individuals with Asperger syndrome are available and there are no systematic long-term follow-up studies of children with AS. Individuals with AS appear to have normal life expectancy, but have an increased prevalence of comorbid psychiatric conditions, such as major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders that may significantly affect prognosis. Although social impairment may be lifelong, the outcome is generally more positive than with individuals with lower-functioning autism spectrum disorders; for example, ASD symptoms are more likely to diminish with time in children with AS or forms of autism sometimes described as "high functioning". Most students with AS and forms of autism sometimes seen as "high functioning" have average mathematical ability and test slightly worse in mathematics than in general intelligence. However, mathematicians are at least three times more likely to have autism-spectrum traits than the general population, and are more likely to have family members with autism.
Although many attend regular education classes, some children with AS may attend special education classes such as separate classroom and resource room because of their social and behavioral difficulties. Adolescents with AS may exhibit ongoing difficulty with self-care or organization, and disturbances in social and romantic relationships. Despite high cognitive potential, most young adults with AS remain at home, yet some do marry and work independently. The "different-ness" adolescents experience can be traumatic. Anxiety may stem from preoccupation over possible violations of routines and rituals, from being placed in a situation without a clear schedule or expectations, or from concern with failing in social encounters; the resulting stress may manifest as inattention, withdrawal, reliance on obsessions, hyperactivity, or aggressive or oppositional behavior. Depression is often the result of chronic frustration from repeated failure to engage others socially, and mood disorders requiring treatment may develop. Clinical experience suggests the rate of suicide may be higher among those with AS, but this has not been confirmed by systematic empirical studies.
Education of families is critical in developing strategies for understanding strengths and weaknesses; helping the family to cope improves outcomes in children. Prognosis may be improved by diagnosis at a younger age that allows for early interventions, while interventions in adulthood are valuable but less beneficial. There are legal implications for individuals with AS as they run the risk of exploitation by others and may be unable to comprehend the societal implications of their actions.
Epidemiology
Main article: Epidemiology of autismFrequency estimates vary enormously. In 2015, it was estimated that 37.2 million people globally are affected. A 2003 review of epidemiological studies of children found autism rates ranging from 0.03 to 4.84 per 1,000, with the ratio of autism to Asperger syndrome ranging from 1.5:1 to 16:1; combining the geometric mean ratio of 5:1 with a conservative prevalence estimate for autism of 1.3 per 1,000 suggests indirectly that the prevalence of AS might be around 0.26 per 1,000. Part of the variance in estimates arises from differences in diagnostic criteria. For example, a relatively small 2007 study of 5,484 eight-year-old children in Finland found 2.9 children per 1,000 met the ICD-10 criteria for an AS diagnosis, 2.7 per 1,000 for Gillberg and Gillberg criteria, 2.5 for DSM-IV, 1.6 for Szatmari et al., and 4.3 per 1,000 for the union of the four criteria. Boys seem to be more likely to have AS than girls; estimates of the sex ratio range from 1.6:1 to 4:1, using the Gillberg and Gillberg criteria. Females with autism spectrum disorders may be underdiagnosed.
Comorbidities
Main article: Conditions comorbid to autism spectrum disordersAnxiety disorders and major depressive disorder are the most common conditions seen at the same time; comorbidity of these in persons with AS is estimated at 65%. Reports have associated AS with medical conditions such as aminoaciduria and ligamentous laxity, but these have been case reports or small studies and no factors have been associated with AS across studies. One study of males with AS found an increased rate of epilepsy and a high rate (51%) of nonverbal learning disorder. AS is associated with tics, Tourette syndrome and bipolar disorder. The repetitive behaviors of AS have many similarities with the symptoms of obsessive–compulsive disorder and obsessive–compulsive personality disorder, and 26% of a sample of young adults with AS were found to meet the criteria for schizoid personality disorder (which is characterised by severe social seclusion and emotional detachment), more than any other personality disorder in the sample. However many of these studies are based on clinical samples or lack standardized measures; nonetheless, comorbid conditions are relatively common.
Correlated characteristics
Research indicates that individuals with Aspergers have significantly higher rates of LGBT identities and feelings than the general population. They are also significantly more likely to be non-theistic.
History
Main article: History of Asperger syndromeAsperger syndrome was named after the Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger (1906–1980), but not coined by him. Asperger syndrome was a relatively new diagnosis in the field of autism, though a syndrome like it was described as early as 1925 by Soviet child psychiatrist Grunya Sukhareva (1891–1981), As a child, Asperger appears to have exhibited some features of the very condition named after him, such as remoteness and talent in language. In 1944, Asperger gave detailed descriptions of four representative children in his practice who had difficulty in integrating themselves socially and showing empathy towards peers. They also lacked nonverbal communication skills and were physically clumsy. Asperger described this "autistic psychopathy" as social isolation. Fifty years later, several standardizations of AS as a medical diagnosis were tentatively proposed, many of which diverge significantly from Asperger's original work.
Unlike what became known as AS, Asperger believed autistic psychopathy could be found in people of all levels of intelligence, including those with intellectual disability: as such, Asperger's understanding of autistic pathology was more akin to what is known as the autism spectrum today. Asperger defended the value of so-called "high-functioning" autistic individuals, writing: "We are convinced, then, that autistic people have their place in the organism of the social community. They fulfill their role well, perhaps better than anyone else could, and we are talking of people who as children had the greatest difficulties and caused untold worries to their care-givers." Asperger also believed some would be capable of exceptional achievement and original thought later in life.
Asperger's paper was published during World War II and in German, so it was not widely read elsewhere. Lorna Wing used the term Asperger syndrome in 1976, and popularized it to the English-speaking medical community in her February 1981 publication of case studies of children showing the symptoms described by Asperger, and Uta Frith translated Asperger's paper to English in 1991. Sets of diagnostic criteria were outlined by Gillberg and Gillberg in 1989 and by Szatmari et al. in the same year. AS became a standard diagnosis when it was included in the tenth edition of the World Health Organization's diagnostic manual, International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), published in 1990 and coming into effect in 1993; and in the fourth edition of the American Psychiatric Association's diagnostic reference, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), published in 1994.
Hundreds of books, articles, and websites later described AS and prevalence estimates increased dramatically for ASD, with AS recognized as an important subgroup. Whether AS should be seen as distinct from autism, particularly forms of autism sometimes described as sometimes described as "high functioning", became an issue receiving significant attention and disagreement, along with questions about the empirical validation of the DSM-IV and ICD-10 criteria.
With the publication of the next major editions of the DSM and ICD, the DSM-5 (published in 2013) and the ICD-11 (published in 2018, coming into effect in 2022), AS was eliminated as a separate diagnosis and folded into the autism spectrum. A scale of "severity" levels was included in the DSM-5, whereby most people previously diagnosed with AS would have been classified as "level 1"; but these levels are widely opposed by the autistic community and are not included in the ICD-11. The ICD-11 characterizes ASD with qualifiers describing the presence of disorders of intellectual development and the degree of functional language impairment; the former diagnosis of Asperger syndrome is characterized as autism spectrum disorder without disorder of intellectual development and with mild or no impairment of functional language.
Society and culture
See also: Societal and cultural aspects of autism, Neurodiversity movement, and Disability rights movementPeople identifying with Asperger syndrome may refer to themselves in casual conversation as aspies (a term first used in print in the Boston Globe in 1998). Some autistic people have advocated a shift in perception of autism spectrum disorders as complex syndromes, neurodivergences, and/or neurominority cognitive styles rather than diseases that must be cured. Proponents of this neurodiversity paradigm reject the notion that there is an "ideal" brain configuration and that any deviation from the norm is pathological; they promote tolerance of neurodiversity. These views are the basis for the autistic rights and autistic pride movements, within the broader neurodiversity movement. There is a contrast between the attitude of people with AS, who typically do not want to be cured and are proud of their identity; and parents of children with AS, who more often seek a "cure" of their children's autism.
Some researchers have argued that AS and other autism can be viewed as a different cognitive style, not a disorder, and that it should be removed from psychiatric and medical manuals classifying diseases (ICD) or mental disorders (DSM), much as homosexuality was removed.
Even some people typically associated with a pathology paradigm for autism are willing to consider AS a neutral difference. For example, in 2002, Simon Baron-Cohen wrote of those with AS: "In the social world, there is no great benefit to a precise eye for detail, but in the worlds of maths, computing, cataloging, music, linguistics, engineering, and science, such an eye for detail can lead to success rather than failure." Baron-Cohen cited two reasons why it might still be useful to consider AS to be a disability: to ensure provision for legally required special support, and to recognize emotional difficulties from reduced empathy, which was commonly associated with autism during that time but has since lost support. Baron-Cohen argues that the genes for ASD's combination of abilities have operated throughout recent human evolution and have made remarkable contributions to human history.
By contrast, Pier Jaarsma and Welin wrote in 2011 that the "broad version of the neurodiversity claim, covering low-functioning as well as high-functioning autism, is problematic. Only a narrow conception of neurodiversity, referring exclusively to high-functioning autists, is reasonable." They say that "higher functioning" individuals with autism may "not benefited with such a psychiatric defect-based diagnosis ... some of them are being harmed by it, because of the disrespect the diagnosis displays for their natural way of being", but "think that it is still reasonable to include other categories of autism in the psychiatric diagnostics. The narrow conception of the neurodiversity claim should be accepted but the broader claim should not."
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The life prospects of people with AS would change if we shifted from viewing AS as a set of dysfunctions, to viewing it as a set of differences that have merit.
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Further reading
Listen to this article (45 minutes) This audio file was created from a revision of this article dated 19 October 2016 (2016-10-19), and does not reflect subsequent edits.(Audio help · More spoken articles)- Autistic Empire, Are you Autistic? Take the test – an online version of the Adult Asperger's Assessment developed by Cohen, S. et al. (2005) (see Woodbury-Smith MR, "Screening adults for Asperger Syndrome using the AQ: a preliminary study of its diagnostic validity in clinical practice", in §References).
- Hus V, Lord C (August 2014). "The autism diagnostic observation schedule, module 4: revised algorithm and standardized severity scores". Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 44 (8): 1996–2012. doi:10.1007/s10803-014-2080-3. PMC 4104252. PMID 24590409. A public paper re-calibrating the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule for appropriate assessment of autistic adults, who typically score lower on measures of impairment than autistic children due to compensatory strategies.
- Royal College of Psychiatrists (2017), Interview Guide for the Diagnostic Assessment of Able Adults with Autistic Spectrum Disorder – based on the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R)
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