Abstract
DSM-5 introduced two diagnoses describing neurodevelopmental deficits in social communication (SC); Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder (SPCD). These diagnoses are differentiated by Repetitive and Restricted Behaviors (RRB), required for an ASD diagnosis and absent in SPCD. We highlight the gaps between the research into SPCD and DSM-5’s diagnostic criteria, and discuss the clinical implications of this diagnostic decision. We argue that DSM-5’s demand for full manifestation of both SC and RRB axes when diagnosing ASD, prematurely forced a categorical view on the continual nature of the potentially dependent SC and RRB phenotypes. We conclude by highlighting the implications of this differential diagnostic decision on public health policies, designated therapy, and the need for further research regarding SPCD.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 2821-2829 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders |
| Volume | 46 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1 Aug 2016 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.
Funding
The first and last authors received funding for this study by the Israeli Ministry of Science, Technology, and Space (Grant Number 10842).
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| Ministry of science and technology, Israel | 10842 |
Keywords
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Differential diagnosis
- Phenotype
- Services
- Social communication disorder
- Treatment
