Diagnostic Criteria from DSM-V
A. Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, as
manifested by the following, currently or by history (examples are illustrative, not exhaustive; see text):
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.
B. Restricted repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, as manifested by at least two
of the following, currently or by history (examples are illustrative, not exhaustive; see text):
1. Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or speech (e.g., simple
motor stereotypies, 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 (e.g., extreme distress at small changes, difficulties with
transitions, rigid thinking patterns, greeting rituals, need to take same route or eat same
food everyday day).
3. Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus (e.g., strong
attachment to or preoccupation with unusual objects, excessively circumscribed or
perseverative interests).
4. Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the
environment (e.g., apparent indifference to pain/temperature, adverse response to
specific sounds or textures, excessive smelling or touching of objects, visual
fascination with lights or movement).
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).
D. Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important
areas of current functioning.
E. These disturbances are not better explained by intellectual disability (intellectual
developmental disorder) or global developmental delay. Intellectual disability and autism
spectrum disorder co-occur; to make comorbid diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder and
intellectual disability, social communication should be below that expected for general
developmental level.
Additional Information:
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), HHS, US.Gov; Autism
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd/index.shtml