Download the entire PDF, here. Asperger Syndrome and HFA are
terms applied to the high functioning end of what is known as
the spectrum of pervasive developmental disorders, or the autism
spectrum. Asperger Syndrome is a relatively new category, as it
was officially recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) for the first time in 1994. In
the future, it is possible that the DSM may combine AS and HFA
into one category, as they are very similar and the treatment
approaches for each are the same. Since AS/HFA shows a range or
spectrum of symptom severity, many individuals who might meet
criteria for that diagnosis are viewed as "unusual" or
“awkward," or are misdiagnosed with other conditions such as
Attention Deficit Disorder. DSM-IV Criteria for a Diagnosis of
Asperger Syndrome A. Qualitative impairment in social
interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following: 1.
marked impairments in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors
such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expres