SUBGROUPING THE AUTISM SPECTRUM: REFLECTIONS ON DSM-5

Course overview

Course Description: This course is based upon material published by the journal PLOS Biology and is available with open access at open access website. According to the introduction The biology of autism cannot yet be used diagnostically, and so—like most psychiatric conditions—autism is defined by behavior. . . .The two international psychiatric classification systems (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [DSM] and the International Classification of Diseases [ICD]) remain useful for making clinical diagnoses, but each time these classification systems are revised, the new definitions inevitably subtly change the nature of how the conditions are construed. While acknowledging concerns about issues such as diagnostic inflation and financial conflicts of interest, DSM-5 is now set in stone and will be published in May 2013. Although this manual is primarily designed for creating a common language for clinical practice, it is also often used in research settings to define the conditions to be studied. Here we reflect on what the revision may mean for research, and for understanding the nature of autism. This course is an opinion based article which details changes in the classification system of autism in the DSM5 and then describes the potential impact these changes will have on our understanding of autism and on autism research. The content relates clinically relevant information regarding the DSM5 and autism. This course on autism is valuable for clinical social workers and psychologists, nurses, and professional counselors who work with clients who are diagnosed with autism. This course is appropriate for beginning, intermediate and advanced level practitioners who wish to develop their understanding of the latest diagnostic criteria and the implications the changes in the criteria may have on our understanding of autism. It may also be useful for licensed clinicians who require clinical courses as part of their continuing education and are interested in learning more about autism and the DSM5. Authors: Lai, Lombardo, Chakrabarti, and Baron-Cohen Learning Objectives: This course will provide the practitioner with detailed information regarding autism and the DSM5. Specifically, a professional will: •Describe some key features in the DSM5 criteria for autism •Identify the changes in diagnostic criteria for autism in the DSM5 •Identify potential ways in which these diagnostic criteria changes may impact autism Citation: Lai M-C, Lombardo MV, Chakrabarti B, Baron-Cohen S (2013) Subgrouping the Autism ‘‘Spectrum’’: Reflections on DSM-5. PLoS Biol 11(4): e1001544. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1001544 Visit us online for a full year of unlimited online CEUs