The new diagnostic criteria are more comprehensive.

The merger of these three disorders highlights that various difficulties in learning and academic achievement tend to occur together. Three learning disorders (reading, writing, and math) have now been merged into a single disorder called specific learning disorder. Specific Learning Disorder (replaces reading disorder, mathematics disorder, and disorder of written expression) This new diagnosis is called social communication disorder. A new diagnosis has been added to capture this group of children who have the social, but not the behavioral characteristics of autism. An overall goal of the DSM-5 task force was to reduce the use of NOS diagnoses. Because these children did not meet both the social and behavioral symptom criteria of autism, they were often diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder NOS (also called atypical autism). There is a subset of children who exhibit the social deficits of autism, but not the repetitive or restrictive behavioral patterns that characterize autism. The DSM-5 describes each of these severity levels, with examples, to aid clinicians in making these determinations. These three severity levels are: 1) requiring support, 2) requiring substantial support, and 3) requiring very substantial support. Each of these symptom sets (social and behavioral) will include three severity levels to identify the supportive services that are required. The new ASD diagnostic criteria describe two primary sets of symptoms: 1) social communication and social interaction deficit, and 2) restrictive and repetitive behavior patterns. Furthermore, the DSM-5 workgroup concluded there was no evidence to support separate diagnoses. In fact, a primary reason for this change was that research demonstrated wide variability among clinicians in applying the diagnostic criteria for this group of disorders. Other important changes include the addition of social communication disorder, a consolidation of learning disorders, and changes to criteria for intellectual disability (previously mental retardation).Ĭlinicians are likely to welcome this merger and simplification. ASD integrates and subsumes Asperger's, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder NOS. Perhaps the most significant change is the formation of a single diagnostic category called autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, there are some significant changes.

Many (if not most) of the disorders that were previously classified as, “Disorders Usually First Diagnosed in Infancy, Childhood, and Adolescence” are now classified as Neurodevelopmental Disorders. This new category of disorders is called Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Therefore, the first category of disorders are those that typically onset during childhood. The DSM-5 no longer has a category of disorders called, “Disorders Usually First Diagnosed in Infancy, Childhood, or Adolescence.” Life-span development guided the organizational structure and classification of disorders in DSM-5.

Asd dsm 5 changes