Children with high-functioning autism and Asperger's syndrome: Can we differentiate their cognitive profiles?

The aim of this study was to investigate whether children with high-functioning autism (HFA) and Asperger's syndrome (AS) can be differentiated from each other and from typically developing children on their cognitive profiles. The present study included a total of 45 participants: children with autism (high-functioning autism or Asperger's syndrome) and a matched control group of typically developing children (n = 15 per group). Two tasks were used to establish their cognitive profiles: the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III) and the NEPSY scale. Our results highlighted differentiated profiles between the children with Asperger's syndrome and those with high-functioning autism. The first ones showed strengths on verbally mediated skills as well as weaknesses on visual-motor coordination and graphomotor ability, whereas the children with HFA exhibited a profile with deficits on tasks calling upon verbal comprehension and good performances on tasks requiring visuo-spatial skills. This paper argues for a revision of AS criteria in the forthcoming DSM-V rather than a combination of the two subgroups within the autism spectrum disorders in the diagnostic manual.

► Children with AS and those with HFA displayed differentiated profiles. ► Children with AS had strengths on verbal skills and weakness on motor coordination. ► Children with HFA had deficit on verbal comprehension and good visuospatial skills. ► This paper argues for a revision of AS criteria in the forthcoming DSM-V.