[Speech development and intelligence in autism. How uniform is Asperger syndrome?].
Since the introduction of a separate diagnosis for Asperger's syndrome in the ICD-10 and DSM-IV classification systems, a controversial debate has continued on whether Asperger's syndrome is a specific, clearly distinguishable disorder within the autistic spectrum or whether it represents a milder phenotypical variation of autism. The effect on the amount of autistic symptoms of the variables language delay and level of intelligence was analyzed within a sample of individuals exhibiting autism diagnosed by standardized methods. Both variables showed a significant effect on the degree of autistic symptoms in that impairments in social interaction were less noticeable. In addition, a subsample of individuals exhibited symptoms assumed to be characteristic for Asperger's syndrome. The findings support the assumption that autism and Asperger's syndrome represent "extreme points" on a scale of severity, which leads to the suggestion that the classification of different subtypes of autism could be abandoned in favor of a dimensional (multiaxial) approach.
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Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie des Kindes- und Jugendalters, Klinikum der J.-W.-Goethe-Universität, Deutschordenstrasse 50, 60528 Frankfurt a.M. d.ruehl@em.uni-frankfurt.de
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D020817:Asperger Syndrome / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D003142:Communication; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012919:Social Behavior; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior