The World of Dr. Baughman – Asperger’s Syndrome Does Not Exist

Has anyone else ever thought that perhaps Dr. Baughman doth protest too much?

I mean, why would anyone put so much time and energy into denying ADHD and other brain conditions?

The term “oppositional defiance” does come to mind….;-)

Gina

J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2001 Jun;29(3):263-71.
Does DSM-IV Asperger’s disorder exist?
Mayes SD, Calhoun SL, Crites DL.

Department of Psychiatry, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, USA.

DSM-IV criteria for autistic and Asperger’s disorders were applied to 157 children with clinical diagnoses of autism or Asperger’s disorder. All children met the DSM-IV criteria for autistic disorder and none met criteria for Asperger’s disorder, including those with normal intelligence and absence of early speech delay. The reason for this was that all children had social impairment and restricted and repetitive behavior and interests (required DSM-IV symptoms for both autistic and Asperger’s disorders) and all had a DSM-IV communication impairment (which then qualified them for a diagnosis of autistic disorder and not Asperger’s disorder). Communication problems exhibited by all children were impaired conversational speech or repetitive, stereotyped, or idiosyncratic speech (or both), which are DSM-IV criteria for autism. These findings are consistent with those of 5 other studies and indicate that a DSM-IV diagnosis of Asperger’s disorder is unlikely or impossible.

PMID: 11411788 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11411788

Gilbert,

Perhaps you can explain this further. Does this mean that the current definition of Asperger’s is one that could not exist “in the real world”? Or is it that the DSM-IV definition of Asperger’s is so narrow that few would be considered to have Asperger’s?

Jeff,

I guess this is an appropriate answer to your question:

“There is no specific test for Aspergers. There is no medical test, no genetic test, no definitive psychological test for Aspergers. Aspergers is defined and diagnosed behaviorally. There are quizzes and questionnaires where people with Asperger syndrome will on average score higher or lower than the rest of the population, but in themselves they are not adequate for a diagnosis by themselves. That means that someone who is trained in Autism Spectrum Disorders generally and who has specific experience with Aspergers must get to know a person and through their observations and interviews come to make the diagnosis based on those experiences.”

http://www.behavior-consultant.com/as1.htm

P.S. The DSM IV criteria for Asperger’s Syndrome are different from those used by Attwood.

http://www.behavior-consultant.com/as1.htm#Attwood

Gilbert,

Thanks so much. That definitely clarifies things.

I think I love you. Having the Asperger Syndrome diagnosis has stunted my childhood and made me a victim.

On “Asperger Syndrome” as an Autistic Spectrum Disorder: I have met people with autism and in a nutshell I can’t understand them because they are incapable of communicating their ideas to other people. People diagnosed with “Asperger Syndrome” don’t actually have that problem. They’re just a little weird.

And honestly, what is wrong with a little weirdness?

All “Asperger Syndrome” is another reincarnation of the Child Psychiatric Labeling Trend. (Another incarnation is ADD/ADHD) Spread the word. Save future schoolchildren. Support the Anti Psychiatric Labeling Movement.

I was right! sadly once you’re misdiagnosed it takes a lot of money and support to disprove a label or change it! I’m a victim of biased (greedy) quack docs and nearly 28 years of malpractice and medication hopping (meds made me sick, prob contributed to my hormonal issues)! I’m also a victim of a child abuse (slapped, neglected, etc; nothing sexual! Pa was always at work, while my undiagnosed bipolar(?) mom beat/slapped me around!)! I grew into a very wise, sensitive, but miserable woman!

Were you misdiagnosed as ADHD? Asperger’s?

After years of difficulty in just about every facet of life I’ve recently returned to the psychology arena for another go at becoming a more functional adult. I did so with huge reservations and little hope.

I am a weird guy but everyone is when you really get to know them. My wierdness is just a bit more apparent. I’ve had quite a few folks tell me I was cliche adhd and some tell me that I should investigate aspergers. I just mention this to try and qualify my interest in the topic as being a bit more than hypochondria or as an attempt to absolve myself of responsibility for my lack of success. I will most certainly admit that a “diagnosis” does provide a degree of euphoria and an inclination to stop blaming myself for my own screwups. That is a good thing and a bad thing. Many folks out there will resent the hell out of that. I might also if I were to see it in others and I DO seriously question the legitimacy of taking this track. I have been diagnosed with ADHD and Aspergers. I’ve been diagnosed as having bipolar disorder in the past. But I do have to say that just showing up at a psychs office and being willing to blame my problems on something else meant I was damn near guarunteed to be diagnosed with something. I have no clue how much study goes into seeking to understand the manipulations and motives of patients undergoing psychiatric care but I think that it would be a worthwhile and illuminating endeavor.

Keep in mind, there are many times in my life when I thought I must be wearing a turd fedora, I have had so much difficulty in melding with the tribe in social and work situations. I was even the topic of 90% of the students in my academically talented (hi IQ (idiot quotient if you ask me)) English class when the assignment was to write about someone in class. The teacher removed the assignment from her curricula after that. I was trying to fly under the radar and hoped noone noticed me.

My personal opinion is that Aspergers and ADHD are real conditions that should be addressed. My further opinion is that psychology should be altered. The act of one on one communication to understand practical life difficulties should be termed “counseling” and be considered an “art” and not a rational or objective discipline at all. I mean I do judge psychology to have more merit than astrology but barely. Researchers should realize, just as Dostoevsky illuminates in “Notes from Underground” that people do actually read their research and adjust their behaviour accordingly.

The MOST important point of this post is also to say that the biggest problem with the memetic complex of Aspergers Syndrome is Tony Attwood and his book “The Complete Guide to Aspergers Syndrome”. I recently read this book at the behest of my psychologist and it is so vague as to be almost useless. The book could be titled “The Complete Guide to Pisces”. I mean according to the characteristics laid out in that book anyone could define themselves as an “Aspie” (this cute little term makes me want to vomit as does “neurotypical”). Incidentally, if you look around , Attwoods book is THE book cited all over the internet. Tony has stumbled on an age old formula for achieving Guru status. 1) Find the unhappy and downtrodden 2) tell them they are victims and persecuted and that it’s NOT THEIR FAULT! 3) Give them a sense of acceptance and identity 4) Sell them the solution in books and tapes and seminars.

Incidentally, the psyche also recommended a Ken Wilbur book which I really liked because I got this perverse thrill at seeing this very bright individual take advantage of peoples tendency to foolishly give credibility to someone before it is earned. Wilbur baffles’em with bullshit and rakes in the bucks. Hmmm…makes me wonder if I should invest in some Wahl clippers and some gold wire rimmed glasses. Course as an “Aspie” a doubt I could disguise my utter contempt for everyone around me (including myself).

I trully wish that everyone who believes “minds are like parachutes they only function when open” would test the concept at 10000 feet.

“Minds are like toilets, leave em open and they will quickly fill with shit” -Xochi (Me. Aren’t I witty?)

To clarify: In the modern “Western World”, so therefore in The West and other territories according the degree that “Westernism” has taken root, the word “exist” has come to mean matter, atoms and molecules, and biologic life that is comprised of atoms and molecules. It is questionable as to whether the word can be applied to energies, as they are never stable and always changing form. Using the word “exist” with precision, “aspergers syndrom” can’t be said to “exist”. Asperger’s syndrome is a value judgement that occurs only in the minds of humans (as far as we know) who assign all phenomenon percieved by the senses under one of the top level categories of “good”, “bad” and “doesn’t matter to me”.

Even if a precise neuro-biological structure of Aspergers could be described and empirically demonstrated, the structure would still fall under one of the value-judgement categories. The social ineptitude exhibited by many who might be called Aspie iuts one reason why Aspergers is assigned a negative value judgement. But value judgements don’t “exist”, they are human-based judgements and thus in the realm of ideas, not physical entities.

Some who might be considered “Aspie” prosper in life, while others do not. This difference likely depends on other factors, such as actual cognitive abilities and whether there is a market for those abilities or the products that such abilities can create. Other factors may nclude how the family handles the child, for instance, is he/she coddled or pushed to succeed, or supported in the pursuit of an interest that is marketable.

One could have the traits that call for the negative value judgement Aspie, and lack much in the way of marketable skills/interests, resulting in a measured life of little note. One might want to be very sober on the matter, and not blame the condition as the only cause of a measured life that is judged by the rest of society as “less” or “bad”. It could be that even without the Aspie traits the individual would lead a measured life anyway.

I think it wise and sober to resist the current trendiness to use Aspie as an excuse, or to give it a gilding. Aspies often show improvement with age, and that may not be due to a change in the underlying neuro and other bodily structures, but due to learning and adapting. As an excuse or gilding, there may be a tendency for the Aspie to be too “accepting” of him/herself, and thus not engage in self-improvement and aquistion of wealth.

To consider further the social aspects of “Aspie”, it is illustrative to take a look at super chess champ Viswanathan Anand. Not only is he the world chess champ two years in a row, but holds many lesser titles in the world of chess. A read of his biography suggests he could have been called an Aspie child, however, such terminology and value judgement was generally not known in the Philipines and South India where he spent his childhood. He was over-interested in puzzles and chess, and lacked all interest in sports, including cricket. He was not socialy adept. He was a good student, but not straight A’s. His mother encouraged his interest in chess, while his father prodded him to pursue a degree in accountancy, likely recognizing his son’s poor social skills. By his own admission we know that he was completely inept with regards “relating” to the opposite sex. One thing led to another, and now he is rich and famous. He is in an arranged marriage, and his wife is quite lovely. He would have been in an arranged marriage anyway. In India, his condition as “Aspie” if it applies by Western standards, has less negative value judgement attached and little at all with regards dating and marriage, as most marriages in India are arranged to this day. In India, the most negative aspect of this condition is the lack of interest in cricket.

It may seem as if I am contradicting myself by denying that Aspergers “exists” and then referring to it frequently as if it does. I want to emphasize that I am referring to the negative value judgement that attaches to the social condition. Outside the human mind that judges, Aspergers does not exist, unlike a rock that is thought to exist wither apprehended by a human mind or not.

Something to consider: it is still common today, even in the West, for people to assume they have a soul, which is unconditioned and equal to all other souls. Western atheists generally still cling to this notion by asserting that the “person” is not their physical body or social condtions. This line of thinking leads to the use of Aspie as an excuse, deeming it to be a physical malady or “disorder” that overlays on the soul or”person”, and prevents satisfactory social interaction and pursuit of wealth. It seems to me that some are wanting to have it both ways, assuming a soul or “person”, and then citing a possible brain-miswiring as an excuse. If one is an atheist, such an excuse perspective seems a bit contradictory – you are what you are, thus there is no “person” who is simply covered up or obscured by the condition, rather, the particular brain wiring and physical manifestation of the individual homo sapiens is all that there is. Many who claim to be atheist also claim that those who deny that Aspergers exists may be afraid to think of the mind as just a brain and therefore both soulless and subject to malfuction. Such a crude materialist perspective leads oddly and humorously to a seemingly somewhat contradictory position in which atheist Aspies want to be more “normal”, which would mean more like the majority that still believe in gods.

If one follows my proscriptive of using language precisely, and understanding that Aspie is a value judegement, soul vs soulless contradictions do not arise.

Sucks for Dr. Baughman that he used his real name as he happens to be wrong. Brain imaging studies have found Asperger’s Syndrome to be no less clinically expressive than other forms of autism and have found differences between the brains of those diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome and control groups, as well as differences between those diagnosed with High Functioning Autism (which is similar to Asperger’s Syndrome), Asperger’s Syndrome, and control groups. You can verify this by doing a search on Google Scholar.

That’s the problem with making definitive statements when you are in a field where there is always more research going on and always new discoveries being made. But I’m sure there were doctors who were convinced that leeches were the wave of the future.