What is Asperger Syndrome?

What is Asperger Syndrome?

In the past, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Asperger Syndrome were considered to be two separate diagnoses.  With the release of the Diagnostic & Statistical Manuel-5, or DSM-5 in 2013, Asperger Syndrome has been grouped into ASD.  However, many autistic people feel that Asperger Syndrome is the best description for their autism and identify with the Asperger label.

Is ‘Aspergers’ still a Diagnosis?

Historically, Aspergers was a term used to describe a subset of people who would now be considered autistic.  These days however, Asperger Syndrome is no longer a medical diagnosis.  Before 2013 (when the DSM-5 came out), Aspergers and autism were both known as ‘Pervasive Developmental Disorders.’  However, the term ‘Aspergers’ was removed in the DSM-5.  Asperger Syndrome is now classified into a broader category referred to as ‘autism spectrum disorders’.  This change reflects how autism has a wide range of expression with varying degrees of severity and associated characteristics.  On the spectrum, people who might have been diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome at an earlier time are now often referred to as level 1 or low support needs autism.

Issues with the New Classification

Removing the term ‘Aspergers’ as a diagnosis has caused some controversy.  The term was removed to promote inclusion and reflect how autism has a wide range of symptoms.  However, some people who were diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome prior to 2013 or who feel like the term describes them well prefer to identify as an “Aspie” (someone who has Asperger’s) because they feel it reflects their distinctive cognitive style.

As another source of controversy, Asperger Syndrome is named after the Austrian physician Hans Asperger.  Dr. Asperger was one of the first researchers to describe children on the autism spectrum.  In particular, his work focused on a subset of autistic children who had did not have language delays, had average or above average IQ’s, and had a narrow but intense range of interests.  Dr. Asperger is a controversial figure because he was a physician in the Nazi party.  Historical findings have revealed that Dr. Asperger referred several autistic children to a Nazi-run children’s clinic called Am Spiegelgrund where a suspiciously high number of them died.  Whether Dr. Asperger knew the fate of the children he referred is under debate, but avoiding an association with Nazis was one reason for removing Asperger Syndrome from the DSM-5.

Difference Between Aspergers and Autism: 

In many respects, Asperger Syndrome is similar to autism.  Like autism, Asperger people have difficulty with social interaction and have restricted or repetitive behaviors.  Asperger Syndrome is distinctive in that the people affected were not described as having delays in language development, and they did not have intellectual impairments.  Special interests were particularly strong in people with Asperger Syndrome – so much so that Asperger children earned the nickname “little professors” because of their highly detailed enthusiasm for their favorite topics.

Article by: Avery Meeks and The Autism ToolKit

Works Cited:

Klin, Ami. “Autism and Asperger syndrome: an overview.” Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry 28 (2006): s3-s11.

Rebecchi, Kevin. “‘Early childhood autism, Asperger type’, by H. Asperger (1982).” History of Psychiatry (2024): 0957154X241248261.

Hosseini, Seyed Alireza. and Mohammed Molla. “Asperger Syndrome.” StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing, 12 February 2024.

https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/aftermath-hans-asperger-expose

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-05112-1