Asperger’s Disorder Edwin Alvarado Period 5 Psychology

 “A developmental disorder characterized by severely impaired social skills, repetitive behaviors, and often, a narrow set of interests, but not involving delayed developmental of linguistic and cognitive abilities” Definition

 Categorized as part of the “Autism Spectrum Disorders”.  Only affects the social and emotional skills of the person diagnosed Definition

 Sever impaired social skills  Limited facial expressions  Can’t read body language  Gestures and levels of communication with others is minimal  Although lacking social skills, people diagnosed with (AD) have high cognitive and language skills Associative Features

 Maintains focus on one specific topic  Repetitive Behavior  constantly performing the same gestures Associative Features Cont.

(I) Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following: (A) marked impairments in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body posture, and gestures to regulate social interaction (B) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level (C) 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) (D) lack of social or emotional reciprocity DSM-IV-TR Criteria

(II) Restricted repetitive & stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:  (A) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus  (B) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals  (C) stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g. hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)  (D) persistent preoccupation with parts of objects DSM-IV-TR Cont.

 (III) The disturbance causes clinically significant impairments in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.  (IV) There is no clinically significant general delay in language (E.G. single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years)  (V) There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self help skills, adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction) and curiosity about the environment in childhood.  (VI) Criteria are not met for another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Schizophrenia." DSM-IV-TR Cont.

 Researches believe that Asperger’s Disorder is Hereditary/Genetic  Passed on to child  Develops during fetal development Etiology

 Minimal Information is provided  Its is found five times more in boys than In girls  Age:  Developed in birth  Not easy to detect Prevalence

 Communication and Social Training  Cognitive/Behavioral Therapy  Occupational Therapy  Specialized Educational Intervention  Parent educational intervention Treatment

 Continue to have problems with their social and emotional life throughout their adulthood  Treatments help better the lives of those with AD Prognosis

 Amanda is known for being on top of her class which has caused her to be isolated from everyone else. Every time someone approaches her she feels scared and moves away. When she makes inappropriate gestures people move away in confusion. She focuses only on things she likes. She bites her nails and taps her feet frequently. Amanda lives a happy life and makes her parents happy with her academic life.  Would you consider Amanda to have Asperger’s Disorder? Why or Why not? Discussion Question

 Dictionary.2012.Dictionary.Retrieved from order?s=t order?s=t  National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. January Asperger Syndrome Fact Sheet. Retrieved from sperger.htm sperger.htm  The Nemours Foundation An Autism Spectrum Disorder. Retrieved from tml tml  American psychiatric association DSM-IV-TR. Arlington,VA. American Psychiatric Association. References