How can autism spectrum disorder be differentiated from intellectual disability?

How can autism spectrum disorder be differentiated from intellectual disability?

• A. ASD involves persistent deficits in social communication and restricted/repetitive behaviors; intellectual disability involves deficits in intellectual functioning and adaptive functioning; they can co-occur but are conceptually distinct.
• B. ASD and ID are the same.
• C. ASD is a form of ID.
• D. ID is a subtype of ASD.

Answer: (A)

Autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability are defined by different symptom clusters, so they’re conceptually distinct even though they can occur together. Autism centers on persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across contexts, plus restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. Intellectual disability centers on deficits in intellectual functioning (like reasoning and problem solving) and adaptive functioning (how well someone copes with daily life and social demands). Because they measure different domains, you can have autism without intellectual disability (cognitive abilities in the typical or above-average range but with social-communication challenges and repetitive behaviors), and you can have intellectual disability without autism (cognitive and adaptive deficits without the hallmark social-communication and restricted-behavior profile). If both sets of criteria are met, they can co-occur, but each diagnosis captures a different area of difficulty.

Autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability are defined by different symptom clusters, so they’re conceptually distinct even though they can occur together. Autism centers on persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across contexts, plus restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. Intellectual disability centers on deficits in intellectual functioning (like reasoning and problem solving) and adaptive functioning (how well someone copes with daily life and social demands).

Because they measure different domains, you can have autism without intellectual disability (cognitive abilities in the typical or above-average range but with social-communication challenges and repetitive behaviors), and you can have intellectual disability without autism (cognitive and adaptive deficits without the hallmark social-communication and restricted-behavior profile). If both sets of criteria are met, they can co-occur, but each diagnosis captures a different area of difficulty.