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Related Experiment Videos

Asperger's syndrome and autism: differences in behavior, cognition, and adaptive functioning

P Szatmari1, L Archer, S Fisman

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
|December 1, 1995
PubMed
Summary

Children with autism and Asperger's syndrome, subtypes of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), show distinct differences in PDD symptoms, adaptive behaviors, and cognitive skills, excluding nonverbal communication and motor development.

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Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Child Psychiatry
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Background:

  • Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) encompasses a spectrum of neurodevelopmental conditions.
  • Distinguishing between subtypes like autism and Asperger's syndrome is crucial for targeted research and intervention.
  • Previous research has focused on diagnostic criteria, necessitating studies on variables independent of these definitions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if subtypes of children with PDD differ on characteristics not used in their primary diagnosis.
  • To compare higher-functioning children diagnosed with autism versus Asperger's syndrome on a range of developmental and behavioral measures.
  • To identify potential differentiating factors beyond core diagnostic criteria for PDD subtypes.

Main Methods:

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  • The study included higher-functioning children aged 4-6 years with PDD, categorized into autism (n=47) and Asperger's syndrome (n=21) based on language development.
  • Groups were compared using measures of PDD symptoms, adaptive behaviors (communication, socialization, daily living), and verbal/nonverbal cognitive skills.
  • Statistical analyses were performed to identify significant differences between the autism and Asperger's syndrome groups.

Main Results:

  • Significant differences were observed between the groups in various PDD symptoms, adaptive behaviors, and cognitive measures related to language.
  • No significant differences were found in nonverbal communication, nonverbal cognition, or motor development between the two PDD subtypes.
  • These findings suggest that specific cognitive and behavioral domains differentiate autism from Asperger's syndrome in young children.

Conclusions:

  • Subtypes of PDD, specifically autism and Asperger's syndrome, exhibit differences in variables that are independent of their defining diagnostic characteristics.
  • These identified differences provide a basis for future research into the distinct outcomes, etiologies, and treatment responses for children with autism and Asperger's syndrome.
  • Further investigation is warranted to explore the clinical implications of these subtype-specific differences.