Table 1.

Overview of the DSM‐5 criteria for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) with examples

A. Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, as manifested by the following, currently or by history

1. Deficits in social‐emotional reciprocity, ranging, for example, from abnormal social approach and failure of normal back‐and‐forth conversation; to reduced sharing of interests, emotions, or affect; to failure to initiate or respond to social interactions

2. Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction, ranging, for example, from poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication; to abnormalities in eye contact and body language or deficits in understanding and use of gestures; to a total lack of facial expressions and nonverbal communication

3. Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships, ranging, for example, from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit various social contexts; to difficulties in sharing imaginative play or in making friends; to absence of interest in peers

Specify current severity: Severity is based on social communication impairments and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior (see Table 2)

B. Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, as manifested by at least two of the following, currently or by history

1. Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or speech (eg, simple motor stereotypes, lining up toys or flipping objects, echolalia, idiosyncratic phrases)

2. Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior (eg, extreme distress at small changes, difficulties with transitions, rigid thinking patterns, greeting rituals, need to take same route or eat same food every day)

3. Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus (eg, strong attachment to or preoccupation with unusual objects, excessively circumscribed or perseverative interests)

4. Hyper‐ or hypo‐reactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the environment (eg, apparent indifference to pain/temperature, adverse response to specific sounds or textures, excessive smelling or touching of objects, visual fascination with lights or movement)

Specify current severity: Severity is based on social communication impairments and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior (see Table 2)

C. Symptoms must be present in the early developmental period (but may not become fully manifest until social demands exceed limited capacities, or may be masked by learned strategies in later life

Early primary caregivers report no longer essential

“Early Childhood” approximately age 8 and younger

D. Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning

Select one severity level specifier for Social Communication and one for Restricted Interests and Repetitive Behaviors

Minimal social impairments: “without supports in place, deficits in social communication cause noticeable impairments. Has difficulty initiating social interactions and demonstrates clear examples of atypical or unsuccessful responses to social overtures of others. May appear to have decreased interest in social interactions.” (from DSM 5 severity rating)

Minimal RRB impairments: “Rituals and repetitive behaviors (RRB's) cause significant interference with Functioning in one or more contexts. Resists attempts by others to interrupt RRB's or to be redirected from fixated interest.” (from DSM 5 severity rating)

E. These disturbances are not better explained by intellectual disability (intellectual developmental disorder) or global developmental delay. Intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder frequently co‐occur; to make comorbid diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability, social communication should be below that expected for general developmental level