出版社:Asociación Nacional de Psicología Evolutiva y Educativa de la Infancia Adolescencia Mayores y Discapacidad
摘要:NEW WAYS TO APPROACH THE DIAGNOSIS PROCESS OF ASDS BASED ON DSM-5Currently, it is our belief that autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a prenatal dysfunction of the Central Nervous System characterized by a series of observable symptoms the first three years of life. Psychologically speaking, the international community is in agreement regarding the fact that autism is understood as a disorder of intersubjectivity and social cognition. The speech and executive functions are affected. In addition, attentional difficulties (sustained and selective attention) are present, as well as learning and sensorial integration difficulties. The definition has been subject to conceptual changes and it is a difficult task to reach a consensus when it comes to agreeing upon a definition which includes the wide range of manifestations of autism. However, it is even more difficult to perform a diagnosis, as often ASDs overlap with other pathologies. For instance, with attentional deficit disorders, with or without hyperactivity (ADHD), with language disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD), intellectual disabilities (ID) and different personality disorders, among others. An added problem is how symptom manifestation changes throughout life. It is essential to adopt an evolutionary perspective throughout the whole diagnosis process and take into account environmental factors (diverse treatment, family involvement…). As there is a lack of biological indicators which clearly indicate what autism really is, nowadays the diagnosis is clinical although interdisciplinary collaboration plays a significant role (neurologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, speech therapists and educators, among others) to successfully reach a diagnosis. On the one hand, we need to avail of efficient classification systems scientifically recognised, and on the other hand, specific assessment tools for people with ASD, standardised and scientifically validated and with specific procedures to apply them avoiding any differences based on the examiner.