Newness of Asperger’s Autism Research
When it comes down to it, research into autism per se is still very new. Research into Asperger’s autism is even newer.
When I first went through the psychiatric system (shock treatments, neuroleptics, etc.), in the early-late 1960s, young aspies were almost universally diagnosed with childhood schizophrenia (those that were diagnosed). Those who were not diagnosed, often because they had no overt comorbid conditions (like my OCD), included people like my 88-year-old father (who was only recently diagnosed). They were usually dismissed as being simply eccentric or weird.
It wasn’t until 1980 that Asperger’s was even included in the DSM (and it was called schizoid disorder of childhood and adolescence at the time). Therefore, I think it makes sense, especially now, to view most research in the area as being preliminary.
