Clinical psychology essay
The Asperger Syndrome (and High-Functioning Autism) Diagnostic Interview (ASDI): A Preliminary Study of a New Structured Clinical Interview.
- What is the proposed purpose of the ASDI?
The article makes it clear that the purpose of the Asperger Syndrome Diagnostic Interview (ASDI) is to diagnose such psychiatric disease as autism spectrum disorder in children and adults of certain age groups. The interview is intended especially for clinical psychiatrists who are well acquainted with the symptoms and methods of treatment of the Asperger syndrome and other psychiatric or psychological disorders in the autism related spectrum. The interview is based on the investigations of the clinicians and aimed at diagnosing the Asperger Syndrome in the autism spectrum. The article’s purpose is to investigate the affected children and adults who find it difficult to socially interact having delayed motor development and uncoordinated movements.
It is well known that children and adults with the Asperger syndrome have difficulties in cognitive or language development. In this regard, the interview presented in the article takes into account all of the peculiarities of children affected by the Asperger syndrome or other autism related disorders. The sphere of diagnosis included impaired social interactions, speech, communicative challenges, verbal skills, movements and other signs of disorder of the interviewed group of people who suffer from Asperger syndrome. Thus, the major aim of the ASDI is to investigate the symptoms of the disorder in order to find the best means of its treatment. It needs to be mentioned that ASDI proved to be effective in diagnosing siblings or parents who comprised the major part of the informants. Finally, it is worth saying that with the help of self-awareness and therapy, the majority of children and adults learn how to cope with all the challenges of the Asperger syndrome. Thus, ASDI is not only an effective way of diagnosis, but also a way of helping the affected individuals to cope with the challenges related to the Asperger Syndrome.
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of using the ASDI for clinical psychologists interviewing clients who may fall on the autism spectrum?
The major strength of the interview lies in the fact that it turns to be an effective way of diagnosing the Asperger Syndrome. It is proved by the results of the ASDI carried out by clinical psychologists. However, the established diagnoses of the Asperger Syndrome are impossible to distinguish from other psychiatric or psychological disorders and normality. It turned out that the interview failed to show the distinction between the Asperger Syndrome and autism. Thus, there must be certain exclusive criterion for autism.
Moreover, the interview has a number of other weaknesses as well. Thus, it needs to be mentioned that as the informants were either parents or their siblings, the results obtained could be applied to only first-degree relatives as a key group of informants. Furthermore, the results of the interview are applicable to only those cases when the informants have known the individual with the Asperger Syndrome or other autism spectrum disorder for certain period of time. However, there should be carried out separate studies apart from the interview. The studies should be conducted with the involvement of informants other than siblings and parents.
In such a way, it would be reasonable to recommend the ASDI for making preliminary diagnostic decisions when young people or adults are supposed to suffer from autism spectrum disorders, including the Asperger Syndrome. Taking into account all of the above-mentioned weaknesses of the interview, it is worth saying that the ASDI cannot be used as a final means of diagnoses, but rather as a direction for further deep clinical examination of adults and children suffering from the autism spectrum disorders and the Asperger Syndrome in particular.
Clinical psychology essay part 2
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