Comparing symptoms of autism spectrum disorders using the current DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria and the proposed DSM-V diagnostic criteria.

Abstract: The American Psychiatric Association has proposed major revisions for the diagnostic category encompassing Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), which will reportedly increase the specificity and maintain the sensitivity of diagnoses. As a result, the aim of the current study was to compare symptoms of ASD in children and adolescents (N =208) who met criteria for ASD according to only the DSM-IV-TR to those who met criteria according to the forthcoming version of the DSM and to those that were typically developing. Participants comprising the DSM-IV-TR and DSM-V groups did not score significantly different from each other on overall autism symptoms, but both groups scored significantly different from the control group. However significant differences emerged between the DSM-IV-TR and DSM-V groups in the core domain of nonverbal communication/socialization. Implications of the results and the proposed changes to the ASD diagnostic category are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

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