ABSTRACT
When considering the diagnosis, treatment, and perception of autism as a developmental difference, culture is a concept which is rarely discussed, though the impact can be tremendous. Culture can be understood as the customs, beliefs, social norms, and shared traits of a group of people. For each of us, our culture guides and directs our thoughts, beliefs, values, and perceptions, often without conscious awareness. And, there are collective communities or groups of people with shared cultural beliefs that transcend the individual. People of various ethnic groups share certain customs and traditions that define their culture; different religions hold to different beliefs and practices that make their culture unique; and various universities or educational programs hold to different norms, standards, or practices that make their culture their own.
