Clinical diagnostic criteria for autism includes: qualitative impairment in social skills, impairment in communication skills, and repetitive or stereotyped behaviors and interests. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR), to receive an autism diagnosis the delays or abnormal functioning must occur prior to age 3 years. Not surprisingly, therefore, many diagnostic checklists exist for identifying children with autism, while what autism looks like in adulthood is rarely discussed.
The adult with high-functioning autism is often misunderstood. Labeled the geek or freak, they typically have average intelligence but are utterly unable to comprehend the social world. The following article will discuss the social, communication, interest, sensory, and academic and vocational symptoms of adults with high-functioning autism.
Social
Autism is a social disorder. For individuals with high-functioning autism, the social world is unpredictable, anxiety provoking, and something they desperately want to be a part of.
Specifically, social symptoms of autism in adults are:
