Changes with respect to diagnosing autism over the years

The authors of this article looked at the size of the differences observed between people with autism and people without it -- and compared its progression over the years.

Educational Objectives

Educational Aim:
To be aware that autism studies tend to include too many participants who are not sufficiently different from people without autism, and this will reduce the likelihood of discovering new things about the mechanisms of the disorder.

Editor's comments:
Psychologists often need to counsel parents of children diagnosed with autism, and it is important to be aware of the fact that more children are being diagnosed with autism due to the changes in diagnostic practices.

Educational Outcomes:
Upon completion of this module practitioners should have a clear understanding that:

1. The measurable difference between people with autism and people without it has decreased over the past 50 years
2. As a comparison, the prevalence of schizophrenia has stayed the same and the difference between people with schizophrenia and those without it is increasing.
3. It is not the diagnostic criteria for autism which has changed but rather diagnostic practices.

Instructions for this Module

• Read the supplied reading material and complete the quiz that follows;
• You have three attempts to pass the quiz;
• The pass grade is 70%;
• You need to pass the quiz to claim your CPD certificate;
• Please click on the CPD certificate link below to claim your CPD certificate and to update your CPD Manager.

If you need any assistance to complete this module, please Contact us