Rates of Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis Under the DSM-5 Criteria Compared to DSM-IV-TR Criteria in a Hospital-Based Clinic

BackgroundWe aimed to determine whether there was a decrease in the number of children diagnosed on the autism spectrum after the implementation of the new diagnostic criteria as outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders Fifth Edition published in May 2013.MethodWe reviewed 1552 charts of children evaluated at the Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo, Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinic. A comparison was made of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (autism, Asperger disorder, pervasive developmental disorder–not otherwise specified) from 2010 to May 2013 using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders Fourth Edition, Text Revision criteria with children diagnosed from June 2013 through June 2015 under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders Fifth Edition.ResultsUsing χ2 analysis, the 2013-2015 rate of autism spectrum disorder diagnosis (39%) was significantly lower (P < 0.01) than the 2010 to May 2013 sample years rate (50%).ConclusionThe rate of autism spectrum disorder diagnosis was significantly lower under the recently implemented Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders Fifth Edition criteria.