| > I don't really understand this view of therapy. In my experience, it's something you choose for yourself, because you recognize the need. That would be nice, but it doesn't reflect reality. In schools, children are frequently given autism spectrum diagnoses against their better interests, or wishes, or the wishes of their parents (but not always -- sometimes parents force these things on their children). But the patient's wishes are often the lowest priority. Ideally, people would volunteer for therapy solely on issues they choose for themselves. But this isn't how clinical psychology works in modern times. Schools have a vested interest in getting diagnoses, because special-education funds are only available for those with a diagnosis. The reason Asperger's is being abandoned is because it was applied in exactly the way described above, until everyone realized it was a scam -- even the therapists who benefited the most. Now it's slated for removal from the next edition of the DSM, and further, the diagnosis criteria for autism spectrum is being reworked to prevent another epidemic of nonsense diagnoses such as we have just seen. > The odds that you receive a psychiatric evaluation against your will and be compelled into therapy are amazingly slim. On the contrary, it's an everyday occurrence, especially among children, who aren't mature enough to realize that psychologists aren't doctors. > Especially for something like 'autism-spectrum' disorders, where the majority of sufferers appear to be high-functioning. Yes, and that is the present problem area -- bogus diagnoses, using vague criteria that can be applied to nearly anyone, with obvious advantages to everyone except the patient. Mental health professionals, aware that autism spectrum diagnoses are out of control and no longer have any connection to reality, have joined an American Psychological Association task force charged with redefining ASD to stem the tide of nonsense diagnoses. One of those behind the redefinition effort (Dr. Fred Volkmar, director of the Child Study Center at the Yale School of Medicine) says of the diagnosis surge, "We would nip it in the bud." |
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/20/health/research/new-autism...
Dr. Volkmar --who you quoted-- is actually against the redefinition and is arguing that the redefinition hides people who do suffer from genuine conditions.
Here is a Yale interview of Dr. Volkmar that left me with a far different impression than the NY Times article:
http://yalemedicalgroup.org/autism2012
And this:
http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/2012/feb/02/autism-redefin...