ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author approaches Asperger's from the point of view of "object relations", that is, taking into account the internal world of the child that facilitates or impedes the forming of human relationships. Asperger's disorder and other disorders on the autism spectrum have often been referred to as "disorders of empathy"; as "disorders of affective contact"; or as disorders in the ability to form a "theory of mind" that is, to comprehend and act on the concept that others have minds just like oneself. The Asperger's child usually very much wants social interaction with peers, but seems completely ignorant of the social skills necessary to bring friendships about. The literature is ambivalent, with some researchers reporting early speech development in Asperger's children, and others finding speech delays in at least some Asperger's children. DSM-IV states clearly that: "there may be great difficulty differentiating individuals with schizoid personality disorder from those with Asperger's Disorder".
