ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the outcomes from a small research study that investigated the connection one individual had with his Asperger Syndrome(AS) diagnosis and the potential effects the changes in diagnostic criteria found in the DSM-V may have had on his self-identity. Two participants were involved in this study, Anne and Max. Max was a 14-year-old male with a diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome. Max's explanations and reflections are of significant value to gaining insight and understanding of individuals with AS. The criteria for Asperger's Disorder or Asperger Syndrome (AS) revolved around two impairments: a focus on social interactions and focus on restricted and repetitive behaviour movement patterns, with the remainder of the criteria ruling out Autism as an option. Recent changes to the diagnostic criteria as a result of the publication of DSM-V (APA, 2013) have resulted in Asperger Syndrome and other spectrum disorders being subsumed into one diagnostic category, Autism Spectrum Disorder.
