El Perfil Cognitivo de los Niños con Trastorno de Asperger y Autismo de Alto Funcionamiento

Abstract

Introduction. According to the DSM-IV, published in 1994, Asperger ́s Disorder is considered it ́s own diagnosis among other Pervasive Developmental Disorders. Objective. This study aims to establish and compare the cognitive profile of Asperger ́s Disorder and High Functioning Autism diagnoses, in order to help clarify the validity of each diagnosis. Methods. The ex-post facto research design was employed for the study. A total of 20 subjects diagnosed with Asperger ́s Disorder were compared with 11 subjects with High Functioning Autism. The subjects, all between the ages of 6 and 15, were paired by age, sex, and intelligence level using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV. Results. It was found that subjects with Asperger ́s Disorder recorded a higher Verbal IQ, while patients with High Functioning Autism were characterized by a higher performance IQ. Conclusions. The statistical significance of both cognitive profiles obtained question the diagnostic accuracy of Asperger ́s Disorder.