Eric prefers “sameness.” He enjoys eating the same kind of foods over and over again. He will line up his books in alphabetical order ,and then analyze each one of them. He enjoys comparing one history book to another. ![]() After school, Eric can spend hours reading about history, and will engage in hours of discussion about the topic. He becomes fixated on one small aspect of his assignment and then runs out of time to complete the rest. At home, Eric demonstrates difficulty completing his homework assignments. Eric often appears anxious in school, and when he feels this way he will continually ask the teacher questions and seek reassurance from her. In addition, he often requires extra time to complete his exams. Eric frequently needs to be redirected by his teacher to complete his work. Eric has one or two friends, but does not usually initiate social contact with children. Additionally, Eric becomes irritable when things are out of the routine, for instance, if he has to read a book different from the one he had been told to originally. Other times he is sent to the principal’s office. In exasperation, the teacher usually allows him to write about whatever he wants. If his teacher asks him to write about something else, Eric becomes very upset and argues with the teacher endlessly. More specifically, Eric only wants to read write and research specific topics, such as European history. Recently, Eric has been having trouble in school. He uses adult words and has an advanced vocabulary surrounding science and history. Eric’s teachers are impressed with his language ability in these areas. He is currently taking advanced coursework in mathematics and science. As his friends become more interested in sports, Matthew has less in common with them and has started to spend more time alone. She feels that Matthew is having difficulty making friends. Matthew’s mother has also become increasingly concerned about her son’s peer relationships. These fights usually occur around dinnertime, when Matthew does not have his own way, such as having his plate and silverware washed again before his food touches it. Matthew’s mother is concerned with her son’s outbursts of anger. He reports that he is unable to fall asleep because of “certain thoughts,” and his bedtime rituals. Also he gets to bed later than he should, making mornings even more difficult. brushing his teeth, a long time dressing and redressing, going in and out of the room, etc. He takes a long time getting ready for school, e.g. At home, mornings and evenings are particularly difficult for Matthew. Additionally, Matthew becomes agitated or upset when he is rushed and is unable to complete an assignment. His teachers report that he is well behaved and follows classroom rules, but at the same time Matthew will report to his teacher when his peers do not demonstrate the same behavior. For example, Matthew takes a long time to complete tests and writing assignments. In class he pays excellent attention however, his teachers have noted some underlying anxiety regarding his academic performance. Matthew is a 9-year old boy.* He performs well academically in school. However, one should note that this is not the case with OCD. For consistency purposes the male gender is used throughout this paper because males outnumber females in AD. ![]() A couple of case examples will be used to illustrate certain behaviors before we go on to the specific characteristics of the two disorders. The purpose of this article is to help individuals, family members, and professionals better understand how these disorders are similar, and how they can be differentiated from one another. AD is a complex disorder that resembles OCD in several ways therefore it becomes increasingly important to have an understanding of AD so one can better differentiate it from OCD. In 1994, AD was first added to the DSM-IV (Kirby 2003), therefore it is only recently that parents and professionals are more aware of this disorder. ![]() Whether this rise is due to an actual increase in AD, or merely a result of improved definitions and increased awareness is unknown. In recent years clinicians have continually seen a rise in Asperger‘s Disorder (AD), especially among child and adolescent populations. This article was initially published in the Spring 2015 edition of the OCD Newsletter. Differentiating Between Asperger’s and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorderīy Fugen Neziroglu, Ph.D.
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