Developmental Disorders and Mental Health Disorders

6. Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) reflects neurological diversity among human differences. It is a variable neurological condition that affects brain structure and the way the brain perceives and processes stimuli, differing from the majority of people, with consequences in social, emotional, and occupational contexts.

According to the DSM-5 (2013), two key criteria are identified:

1. deficits in social communication and
2. social interaction restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests, and activities

The DSM-5 consolidates the terms autism, pervasive developmental disorder, Asperger’s syndrome, and childhood disintegrative disorder under the single term Autism Spectrum Disorder. This change has made the boundaries of the disorder less clearly defined. As it is a spectrum, there are two ends of a continuum – high-functioning and low-functioning autism (Aguila Munoz, 2020).