Appropriate-diagnosis and under-diagnosis of developmental disorders in Adults

Abstract

This paper identifies the impossibility of establishing clear criteria for over-diagnosis and under-diagnosis of developmental disorders and notes that the number of adults with developmental disorders who are currently receiving public services is smaller than expected based on epidemiological studies. In clinical settings, it is important to obtain a developmental history during the consultation in order to be aware of the difficulties experienced by the patient and thus to arrive at an individualized treatment plan. Similarly, diagnoses in clinical settings should not rely solely on the general diagnostic criteria provided by DSM-5; the case histories described by authors such as Kanner, Asperger and Wing also provide useful guidance for making appropriate individual diagnoses.