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Comparison of Diagnostic Methods for Asperger Syndrome

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Abstract

Several different diagnostic sets of criteria exist for Asperger syndrome (AS), but there is no agreement on a gold standard. The aim of this study was to compare four diagnostic sets of criteria for AS: the ICD-10, the DSM-IV, the Gillberg & Gillberg, and the Szatmari criteria. The series consists of 36 children who had been referred to two centers with a tentative diagnosis of AS. The best agreement was between the ICD-10 and the DSM-IV criteria (Kappa coefficient 0.48), and the lowest between the Gillberg & Gillberg and Szatmari criteria (Kappa coefficient −0.21). The poor agreement between these sets of diagnostic criteria compromises the comparability of studies on AS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Child Neurology, HUCH Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Helsinki, Finland

    Kristiina Kopra & Lennart von Wendt

  2. Neuropsychiatric Rehabilitation Centre Neuromental, Helsinki, Finland

    Taina Nieminen-von Wendt

  3. Department of Adolescent Psychiatry, Jorvi Hospital, Espoo, Finland

    Taina Nieminen-von Wendt

  4. Department of Child Psychiatry, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    E. Juulia Paavonen

  5. National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (STAKES), P.O. Box 220, Lintulahdenkuja 4, Helsinki, 00531, Finland

    E. Juulia Paavonen

Authors
  1. Kristiina Kopra
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  2. Lennart von Wendt
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  3. Taina Nieminen-von Wendt
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  4. E. Juulia Paavonen
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Correspondence to E. Juulia Paavonen.

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Kopra, K., von Wendt, L., Nieminen-von Wendt, T. et al. Comparison of Diagnostic Methods for Asperger Syndrome. J Autism Dev Disord 38, 1567–1573 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-008-0537-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-008-0537-y

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