高功能自閉症者的特質、爭議性的領域、診斷標準、追踪研究及預後因素的探討

Behavioral Characteristics, Controversial Issues, Diagnostic Criteria, and Prognoses in High-Functioning Autistic People

本文之目的是在探討高功能自閉症者的特質、爭議性的領域、診斷標準、追蹤研究及預後因素。高功能自閉症者有四項特質：一、社會關係的發展上有嚴重的障礙。二、口語及非口語的溝通障礙。三、有儀式性或強迫性的行為。四、容易感到焦慮、思想固執。有很多學校的鑑定系統忽略掉高功能自閉症者的孩子，或將其誤導為「學習障礙」或「情緒困擾」。本文中即討論三種高功能自閉症者的爭議性領域。一、資優及高功能自閉症者之間的差異。二、普通智力的自閉症者。三、自閉症者與學習障礙之間的異同。接著並介紹高功能自閉症者的新定義及診斷標準。最後綜合幾篇研究報告將高功能自閉症者的追蹤研究根據其年齡階段分為：學齡前階段、學齡階段至青少年期、成年期整理成三個表格。並探討高功能自閉症者預後情形之相關因素。

The purpose of the present paper is to review the characteristics, boundaries, diagnostic criteria and prognoses of high-functioning autism. Four characteristics were identified among high-functioning autistic people: (1)impairment in the development of social relationships, (2)disorders of speech and language, (3)ritualistic or compulsive behaviors, and (4)deviation in affect, anxiety, and thinking processes. Many school systems either refused to identify autistic students as high-functioning or misdiagnosed them as 'learning disabled' or 'emotionally disturbed' . The following sections will address three controversial areas: (1)difference between giftedness and high-functioning autism, (2)autisticlike disorders in individuals of normal intelligence, and (3)the overlap between autism and learning disabilition. A new definition and diagnostic criteria for high-functioning autism were introduced. A review of follow-up studies of high-functioning autistic individuals was presented. Subject of these studies were grouped into the following categories: (1)preschool, (2)school age, and (3)adulthood.