The diagnostic criteria that involve identifying socialization difficulties in those with Autism Spectrum Disorder may not be clearly evident in every autistic individual, as some individuals will attempt to mask, or hide, their autistic traits. Therefore, an autistic individual may:  

- Force eye contact
- Become hypervigilant towards others’ nonverbal cues and emotions 
- Avoid talking about their own intense interests in order to prevent themselves from rambling  
- Remain in overwhelming social situations despite having a desire to leave 

Masking can pose a significant obstacle to diagnosis for autistic individuals— their mask may be so convincing that clinicians do not notice their underlying autistic traits. Masking is particularly common in autistic women and those with an average to high IQ, and these individuals are the most likely to go undiagnosed. 

Masking in Autistic Individuals

Read the following scenario. Based on the typical social challenges associated with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder, identify two of Leo's behaviors that exemplify these challenges and explain why they fit the diagnostic characteristics.

Analyzing a Social Interaction

Analyze the interaction described in the case study below. Identify two social challenges often associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) that are demonstrated and explain how the character's actions reflect these challenges.

Social Interaction Analysis

Individuals with ASD often exhibit social challenges, including:
- Difficulty recognizing the emotional states of others, which may be linked to an inability to differentiate between nonverbal cues like facial expressions.
- Avoidance of eye contact.
- Difficulty understanding the perspectives and feelings of others.
- Trouble interpreting body language.
- A tendency to speak at length about personal interests without recognizing a listener's lack of engagement.

University of Rochester

New York University

Google

The three categories key to an ASD diagnosis have a wide array of potential symptoms and severities, but generally fall under three types:

- Social deficit
- Communication deficit
- Restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests

ASD Signs and Symptoms

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a category of neurodevelopmental disorders defined by core challenges in social interaction and communication, alongside the presence of restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Core Deficits

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Autism Spectrum Disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd/. 

ASD NIMH

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

- Lack of speech
- One word responses 
- Echoed speech
- Difficulty maintaining a conversation 

ASD Communication Problem Symptoms

ASD Social Problem Symptoms

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder may display a variety of repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. This can include stereotyped movements such as rocking, head-banging, or repeatedly dropping and picking up an object. Another characteristic is showing significant distress over minor alterations to their routine or environment. Furthermore, they may develop highly restricted and fixated interests that are abnormal in their intensity, such as memorizing extensive details on a specific topic for no apparent reason.

Repetitive and Restricted Behaviors in Autism Spectrum Disorder

One of the earliest signs of ASD is a delay in speech development. These delays can be in their ability to produce language, process and comprehend language, or both. 
Some children with ASD are thought not to have the desire to communicate. This, coupled with the social challenges faced by those with ASD, often hides any impairment in producing language.
Additionally, attention issues and a lack of response to vocal stimuli can hide impairments in the child's ability to process and comprehend language.
However, it is important to note that while high rates of language disorders and speech delays have been observed in children with ASD, not all those with ASD experience speech delays nor do all individuals with speech delays have ASD. 

Autism and Speech Delays

Read the following description of a child's behavior. Based on the two primary domains of impairment that characterize this type of neurodevelopmental disorder, analyze the scenario and identify specific examples of behavior that correspond to each of the two core deficits.

Learn Before

Related

Learn After