ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a historical view of diagnostic dimensions of autism, Asperger’s, and pervasive developmental disorder. Along with underlying subtypes or symptoms or clusters, diagnostic delineation can be confusing. Recently, mental health manuals have progressed to trying to support a “one size fits all” category. Capturing the sentiment differently, Dr. Rozenblatt’s recent post on a national listserv commented, “we have fixed the ASD problem by making the round hole big enough to fit square pegs.” The authors of this chapter present an argument to support the need to provide as clear a diagnostic differentiation as possible so as to guide predictive outcomes in terms of skill development and intervention through life.
