Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-l7hp2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T20:01:56.957Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Asperger’s Syndrome and Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Diagnosis, Aetiology and Intervention Strategies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2016

David Goble
David Goble*
Affiliation:
Box Hill College of Technical and Further Education
*
Correspondence concerning this paper should be addressed to David Goble, Counselling and Support Services, Box Hill College ofTAFE, Melbourne, Victoria, 3128.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Autistic disorders are characterised by an absence of two way social interaction, an impairment in communication and a markedly restricted range of interests. Children with an autistic disorder often appear unmotivated and are prone to under utilise important environmental cues. Consequently they are often considered to be ponderous, callous and pedantic. Although debate still exists regarding the aetiology of the condition, a number of researchers (Leslie, 1987; Frith, 1991; Baron-Cohen, 1993) have proposed that what children with autistic disorders are displaying is a lack of “Theory of Mind” which prevents them from recognising that others have their own thoughts, beliefs and emotions. A discussion on the diagnosis of the disorder, with particular reference placed on Asperger’s Syndrome, is presented. Implications for educators and classroom intervention strategies are considered.

Type
Research Article
Information
Australasian Journal of Special Education , Volume 19 , Issue 1 , 1995 , pp. 17 - 28
Copyright
Copyright © The Australian Association of Special Education 1995

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

American Psychiatric Association, (1987). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (third edition - revised). Washington: APA Google Scholar
American Psychiatric Association, (1993). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (fourth edition). Washington: APA.Google Scholar
Asperger, H. (1944), as translated by Frith, U. (1991). ‘Autistic psychopathy’ in childhood. In Frith, U., Autism and Asperger syndrome. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar
Baron-Cohen, S. (1989). The autistic child’s theory of mind: A case of specific developmental delay. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 30, 285–297.Google Scholar
Baron-Cohen, S. (1992a). The theory of mind hypothesis of autism: History and prospects of the idea. The Psychologist, 5, 9–12.Google Scholar
Baron-Cohen, S. (1992b). Out of sight or out of mind? Another look at deception in autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 55, 1141–1155.Google Scholar
Baron-Cohen, S. (1992c). Debate and argument: On modularity and development in autism: A reply to Burack. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 33, 623–629.Google Scholar
Baron-Cohen, S. (1993). Mindblindness: Developmental, neuropsychological, neurobiological and evolutionary perspectives. Paper presented at British Psychological Society’s Division of Clinical Psychology Conference, Blackpool, England, 2-5 April, 1993.Google Scholar
Baron-Cohen, S., Leslie, A. and Frith, U. (1985). Does the autistic child have a theory of mind? Cognition, 21, 37–46.Google Scholar
Bishop, D.V.M. (1989). Autism, Asperger’s syndrome and semantic-pragmatic disorder: Where are the boundaries? British Journal of Disorders of Communication, 24, 107–121.Google Scholar
Bowler, D.M. (1992). “Theory of mind” in Asperger’s syndrome. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 33, 877–893.Google Scholar
Burack, J.A., (1992). Debate and argument: Clarifying developmental issues in the study of autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 33, 617–621.Google Scholar
Carruthers, A. (1989). Asperger’s syndrome. National Conference on Autism. Adelaide, September, 1989.Google Scholar
Eisenmajer, R. (1993). Personal Communication, 21 Sept. 1993.Google Scholar
Eikeseth, S. & Lovass, O.I. (1992). The autistic label and its potentially detrimental effect on the child’s treatment. Journal of Behaviour Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 23, 151–157.Google Scholar
Frith, U. (1989). Autism: Explaining the enigma. Oxford: Blackwell. Google Scholar
Frith, U. (1991). Asperger and his syndrome, in Frith, U. (Ed.), Autism and Asperger syndrome. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar
Frith, U. (1992). Cognitive development and cognitive deficit. The Psychologist, 5, 13–19.Google Scholar
Frith, U. (1993). Autism. Scientific American, June, 78–84.Google Scholar
Garfin, D.G. & Lord, C. (1986). Communication as a social problem in autism. In Schopler, E. and Mesibov, G.B., (Eds.). Social behaviour in autism. New York: Plenum Press. Google Scholar
Gillberg, C. (1991). Clinical and neurobiological aspects of Asperger syndrome in six family studies. In Frith, U. (Ed.). Autism and Asperger syndrome. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar
Gillberg, I.C. & Gillberg, C. (1989). Asperger syndrome - some epidemiological considerations: A research note. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 30, 631–638.Google Scholar
Kanner, L. (1943). Autistic disturbances of affective contact. Nervous Child, 2, 217–250.Google Scholar
Klin, A., Volkmar, F. & Sparrow, S. (1992). Autistic social dysfunction: Some limitations of the theory of mind hypothesis. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 33, 861–876.Google Scholar
Koegel, R. Koegel, L. & Surratt, A. (1992). Language intervention and disruptive behaviour in preschool children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 22, 141–153.Google Scholar
Koegel, R., Schreibman, L., Britten, K., Burke, J. & O’Neill, R. (1982). A comparison of parent training to direct child treatment. In Koegel, R., Rincover, A. and Egei, A. (Eds.). Educating and understanding autistic children. San Diego: College-Hill Press.Google Scholar
Koegel, R. Schreibman, L., Loos, L., Dirlich-Wilhelm, H., Dunlap, G., Robbins, F. & Plienis, A. (1992). Consistent stress profiles in mothers of children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 22, 205–216.Google Scholar
Koegel, R., Schreibman, L., Good, A., Cerniglia, I., Murphy, M. & Koegel, L. (undated). How to teach pivotal behaviors to children with autism: A training manual. Santa Barbara: UCSB (Copies available from Dr. Robert Koegel, Department of Speech and Learning Sciences, UCSB, Santa Barbara, California, USA, 93106).Google Scholar
Leslie, A. (1987). Pretence and representation: The origins of “theory of mind”. Psychological Review, 94, 412–426.Google Scholar
Leslie, A. & Thaiss, L. (1992). Domain specificity development: Neuropsychological evidence from autism. Cognition, 43, 225–251.Google Scholar
Lord, C. Mulloy, C. Wendelboe, M. & Schopler, E. (1991). Pre-and perinatal factors in high functioning females and males with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 21, 197–209.Google Scholar
McHale, S.M. & Gamble, W.C. (1986). Mainstreaming handicapped children in public school settings: Challengers and limitations. In Schopler, E. and Mesibov, G.B. (Eds.). Social behaviour in autism. New York: Plenum Press. Google Scholar
Ministerial Review of Educational Services for the Disabled (1984). Integration in Victorian Education. Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer. Google Scholar
Morton, J. (1989). The origins of autism. New Scientist, 124, 32–35.Google Scholar
Olley, J.G. (1992). Autism: Historical overview, definition and characteristics, in Berkell, D.E. (Ed).). Autism: Identification, education and treatment. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Google Scholar
Ozonoff, S., Pennington, B. & Rogers, S. (1991). Executive function deficits in high-functioning autistic individuals: Relationship to theory of mind. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 32, 1081–1105.Google Scholar
Powell, T.H., Hecimovic, A. & Christensen, L. (1992). Meeting the unique needs of families. In Berkell, D.E., (Ed.). Autism: Identification, education and treatment. Hillside: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Google Scholar
Prior, M. (1987). Annotation: Childhood autism. Australian Paediatric Journal, 23, 147–149.Google Scholar
Rickarby, G., Carruthers, A. & Mitchell, M. (1991). Brief report: Biological factors associated with Asperger syndrome. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 21, 341–348.Google Scholar
Rutter, M. (1978). Diagnosis and definition of childhood autism. In Rutter, M. and Schopler, E., (Eds.). Autism: A reappraisal of concepts and treatment. New York: Plenum Press. Google Scholar
Rutter, M. (1983). Cognitive deficits in the pathogenesis of autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 24, 513–532.Google Scholar
Rutter, M. MacDonald, H., Le Couteur, A., Harrington, R., Bolton, P. & Bailey, A. (1990). Genetic factors in child psychiatric disorders II: Empirical findings. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 31, 39–83.Google Scholar
Rutter, M. & Schopler, E. (1992). Classification of pervasive developmental disorders: Some concepts and practical considerations. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 22, 459–482.Google Scholar
Sattler, J.M. (1990). Assessment of Children (3rd ed.). San Diego: Jerome M Sattler.Google Scholar
Schopler, E. (1985). Convergence of learning disability, higher level autism and Asperger’s syndrome. (Editorial Note). Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 15, 359–360.Google Scholar
Schreibman, L. (1988). Autism. Newbury Park: Sage. Google Scholar
Szatmari, P., Bartolucci, G., Finlayson, A. & Krames, L. (1986). Letter to the editor: A vote for Asperger’s syndrome. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 16, 515–517.Google Scholar
Tantum, D. (1988). Annotation - Asperger’s syndrome. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 29, 245–253.Google Scholar
Tantum, D. (1991). A mind of one’s own (2nd ed.). London: The National Autistic Society.Google Scholar
Tong, B. (1988). Autism. Clinical Bulletin of The Children’s Hospital, Camperdown, 10.Google Scholar
World Health Organisation (1990). International classification of diseases, tenth revision. Geneva: WHO.Google Scholar
Wing, L. (1981). Asperger’s syndrome: A clinical account. Psychological Medicine, 11, 115–129.Google Scholar
Wing, L. (1991). The relationship between Asperger’s syndrome and Kanner’s autism, in Frith, U. (Ed.). Autism and Asperger syndrome. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar