The Impact of DSM-5 on the Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Ferrara, Rosaria PhD
Nappo, Raffaele MD, PhD
Ansermet, Francois MD
Ricci, Pasquale PhD
Massoni, Francesco PhD
Carbone, Gianni
Sparaci, Alesandro
Nonnis, Enrico MD
Ricci, Lidia
Ricci, Serafino MD

Rosaria Ferrara, PhD, is a Psychologist and Docotoral Student, Doctoral School of the Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne; and a Collaborator, Department of Anatomical Sciences, Histological, Legal Medicine, and Locomotor Apparatus, Sapienza University of Rome. Raffaele Nappo, MD, PhD, is a Psychologist and a Researcher, Centro di Riabilitazione NeapoliSanit, Ottaviano; and a Postgraduate Student, Specialization School of Neuropsychology, Università della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli.” Francois Ansermet, MD, is a Professor, Pédopsychiatrie de Liaison, Service de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Département de Psychiatrie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois. Pasquale Ricci, PhD, is an Adjunct Professor, Department of Anatomical Sciences, Histological, Legal Medicine and Locomotor Apparatus, Sapienza University of Rome. Francesco Massoni, PhD, is an Adjunct Professor, Department of Anatomical Sciences, Histological, Legal Medicine and Locomotor Apparatus, Sapienza University of Rome. Gianni Carbone is an Adjunct Professor of Health Convention, Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome. Alesandro Sparaci is a Graduate Student, Department of Anatomical Sciences, Histological, Legal Medicine, and Locomotor Apparatus, Sapienza University of Rome. Enrico Nonnis, MD, is the Chief of Child Psychiatry, Azienda Sanitaria Locale Roma 3. Lidia Ricci is a Doctoral Student and an Adjunct Professor, Department of Anatomical Sciences, Histological, Legal Medicine, and Locomotor Apparatus, Sapienza University of Rome. Serafino Ricci, MD, is a Professor, Department of Anatomical Sciences, Histological, Legal Medicine, and Locomotor Apparatus, Sapienza University of Rome.

Address correspondence to Rosaria Ferrara, PhD, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena, 336 - CAP 00161, Roma; email: [email protected].

Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Psychiatric Annals 51(1):p 38-46, January 01, 2021. | DOI: 10.3928/00485713-20201205-01

The study investigated whether the application of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder results in different diagnostic outcomes compared with the DSM, fourth edition, text revision (DSM-IV-TR) in a cohort of Italian children with autism. To do so, both DSM-IV-TR and DSM-5 diagnostic criteria were applied to children believed to have autism. In comparison with the DSM-IV-TR criteria, DSM-5 criteria resulted in a lower proportion of children being diagnosed with autism. This difference in diagnostic outcome has implications about the access of children with autism to health care services as well as for their families being able to receive adequate support. We suggest that some DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for a diagnosis of autism should be revisited. [Psychiatr Ann. 2020;51(1):38–46.]