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Neuropsychological Profiles of Children with Asperger Syndrome and Autism

Royal Children’s Hospital, Flemington, Australia

Margot Prior

Royal Children’s Hospital, Flemington, Australia

This study examined the possibility that diagnostic differentiation between children with autism and Asperger syndrome may be enhanced through the use of neuropsychological profiles. Two groups of children, clinically diagnosed as having Asperger syndrome (n35) or autism (n21), were tested with a neuropsychological battery to assess the propositions that these groups might differ in terms of Wechsler IQ profiles, brain hemispheric strengths and weaknesses, and executive functioning. Clinically diagnosed children with Asperger syndrome and autism were not differentiated on the basis of their neuropsychological profiles. The major difference between them was the overall higher IQ in Asperger syndrome, which was largely due to superior verbal abilities. Differences were also examined using DSM-IV/ICD-10 criteria: children were grouped according to the early history of presence or absence of language delay. No differences between the groups on any neurocognitive measure were found and there was no support for current neuropsychological theories purporting to support differential diagnostic status. It appears that current diagnostic differentiation in clinical practice may be primarily influenced by the child’s estimated verbal IQ level.

Key Words: Asperger syndrome • autism • early language delay • neuropsychological profiles

Autism, Vol. 3, No. 4, 327-356 (1999)
DOI: 10.1177/1362361399003004003


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