Published 2025-06-11
Keywords
- Autism, Differential diagnosis, Dimensional diagnosis, Comorbidity, Taxonomy.
How to Cite
Copyright (c) 2025 Simona Durante, Angela Ammendola, Luca Napolitano, Flavia Morfini
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Abstract
This article explores the limitations of categorical classification systems for mental disorders, as highlighted through the analysis of scientific literature. This complicates the process of differential diagnosis between autism and other complex nosographic entities, as well as highlighting the obstacles and challenges that clinicians are required to face in designing adequate treatment plans, therefore, such psychopathological complexity requires a dimensional diagnostic reading oriented to functioning profiles rather than rigid taxonomic categories. In this work, we will describe fragments of a clinical case in treatment, highlighting the importance of such a dimensional reading.
References
- American Psychiatric Association. (2014). Manuale diagnostico e statistico dei disturbi mentali (5ª ed., trad. it. di DSM-5). Milano: Raffaello Cortina.
- Di Donna, S., Marino, F., Durante, S., Ammendola, A., & Morfini, F. (2023). Level 1 autism and schizoid personality disorder in adulthood. Phenomena Journal – International Journal of Psychopathology, Neuroscience and Psychotherapy, 5(2), 53-66.
- Helzer, J. E., Kraemer, H. C., & Krueger, R. F. (2006). The feasibility and need for dimensional psychiatric diagnoses. Psychological medicine, 36(12), 1671-1680.
- Widiger, T. A., & Samuel, D. B. (2005). Diagnostic categories or dimensions? A question for the Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. Journal of abnormal psychology, 114(4), 494.
- Baron-Cohen, S. (2019). The concept of neurodiversity is dividing the autism community. Scientific American Mind, 30(4), 30-32.
- Adler, A. (1956). The individual psychology of Alfred Adler: A systematic presentation in selections from his writings (H. L. Ansbacher & R. R. Ansbacher, Eds.). New York: Basic Books.
- Morfini, F. (2023). Autism Open Clinical Model (A.O.C.M): Structure of an integrated clinical model for the assessment and treatment of autism. Phenomena Journal – International Journal of Psychopathology, Neuroscience and Psychotherapy, 5(2), 1–14.