Autism

Question 1

Definition

Answer 1

A developmental disorder aftecting individuals ability to communicate and socially interact

Question 2

Triad of impairments
Communication

Answer 2

Speech problems and difficulty understanding language.
Also find it difficult to read body language
Take things literally

Question 3

Triad of impairments
Social interaction

Answer 3

Individuals w autism find it difficult to understand people’s emotions and cannot express them in their own
Makes interacting difficult and have problems expressing emotions

Question 4

Triad of impairments
Social imagination

Answer 4

Individuals w autism find it difficult to imagine what will happen next and cannot anticipate danger
Also lack theory of mind and cannot empathise w others

Question 5

Additional characteristics

Answer 5

Repetitive behaviours and routines
Some have savant syndrome

Question 6

Social communication difficulties
Theory of mind

Answer 6

Cant play pretend games

Question 7

Social communication difficulties
Social emotional reciprocity deficits

Answer 7

Don’t interact w others or attempt to do so. Don’t share interestes
Back and forth responses are lacking

Question 8

Social communication difficulties
Non verbal communication deficits

Answer 8

May use no verbal signals e.g eye contact and smiling inappropriately wrong
Facial expressions limited and sometimes exaggerated

Question 9

Social communication difficulties
Problem dveloping and maintaining relationships

Answer 9

Don’t understand that other people have minds and have trouble seeing the world from others perspectives
As they are unaware of the norms they find it hard to change behaviour to suit context
Also children w AsD don’t play cooperatively w others

Question 10

Restricted and repetitive behaviour
Repetitive behaviour

Answer 10

May repeat what has just been heard (echolalia)
Physical movement can be highly repetitive, ranging from constant hand gestures such as flicking to whole body motions
Some may use objects over and over again
Or obsess over a knowledge area

Question 11

Routines and rituals

Answer 11

Stick inflexibly to routines
May have verbal rituals
Can be resistant to change

Question 12

Unusual reaction to sensory input

Answer 12

Some people w asd find touch aversive so try and avoid it
May be obsessively interested in the movements of objects or look very closely at them for long periods
First response to an object may be to sniff or lick it
Can be easily distressed by unusual stimuli

Question 13

Validity of diagnosis

Answer 13

Symptoms are divided into dyadic model
(Communication difficulties and restricted/ repetitive behaviour)
Supported by Thomas Frazier et al (2012) found it was confirmed by a statistical technique (factor analysis)
Therefore DSM-5 classification is valid as it reflects the reality of the disorders symptoms
Means symptoms can be more effectively targeted

Question 14

Competing argument validity

Answer 14

Reliabitly DSM-5 classification of ASD is questionable.
Taylor et Al (2017) - 27 clinicians used DSM-5 criteria to classify symptoms observed in 9 video clips
Findings were mixed - reliability 100% for 3 clips but poor for other six
Suggests reliability not fully established

Question 15

Focus on deficits

Answer 15

ASD focuses on individuals deficits
Frith (2003) rejects this in favour of a focus on superior abilities
Traditional focus on deficits overlooks strengths of people w ASD and maintains stigma assoc w it

Question 16

Balanced conclusion

Answer 16

Recent research seems to confirm validity of DSM-5 division of ASD symptoms into two main groups
But question remain over reliability of classification suggesting diagnosis isn’t consistent from one practitioner to another
And focus on what people w ASD can’t do maintains stigma around condition