The question is answered clearly in the rationale section of the proposed DSMV page for Aspergers Syndrome. The new criteria for Autism currently subsumes current diagnoses of Autism, Aspergers, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder and PDD NOS. The new criteria was written to ensure criteria from all four previous diagnoses criteria fit into one category; this one category allows all individuals previously diagnosed to be described dimensionally using the new severity levels.
Rumors have circulated on the internet, from sources other than the the DSMV organization, that people are going to have to be re-evaluated and may lose their diagnosis, but the people responsible for the new criteria, answer it clearly here, for Aspergers Syndrome.
Quote:
Q.3. If Asperger disorder does not appear in DSM-V as a separate diagnostic category, how will continuity and clarity be maintained for those with the diagnosis?
The aim of the draft criteria is that every person who has significant impairment in social-communication and RRBI should meet appropriate diagnostic criteria. Language impairment/delay is not a necessary criterion for diagnosis of ASD, and thus anyone who shows the Asperger type pattern of good language and IQ but significantly impaired social-communication and repetitive/restricted behavior and interests, who might previously have been given the Asperger disorder diagnosis, should now meet criteria for ASD, and be described dimensionally. The workgroup aims to provide detailed symptom examples suitable for all ages and language levels, so that ASD will not be missed by clinicians in adults of average or superior IQ who are experiencing clinical levels of difficulty.
There may be some individuals with subclinical features of Asperger/ASD who seek out a diagnosis of ‘Asperger Disorder’ in order to understand themselves better (perhaps following an autism diagnosis in a relative), rather than because of clinical-level impairment in everyday life. While such a use of the term may be close to Hans Asperger’s reference to a personality type, it is outside the scope of DSM, which explicitly concerns clinically-significant and impairing disorders. ‘Asperger-type’, like ‘Kanner-type’, may continue to be a useful shorthand for clinicians describing a constellation of features, or area of the multi-dimensional space defined by social/communication impairments, repetitive/restricted behaviour and interests, and IQ and language abilities.
http://www.dsm5.org/ProposedRevisions/Pages/proposedrevision.aspx?rid=97#
Unless the DSMV organization changes the revisions again, in a way that might exclude someone, there are no significant worries for anyone here with Aspergers, that might be concerned they would have to be re-evaluated, or lose their diagnosis.
Can you imagine the logistical nightmare, if a re-evaluation was required, in this change. Psychiatrists don't work for free; since around 80% of people diagnosed with Aspergers have problems finding and maintaining employment, many people would lose their diagnosis, just because they wouldn't be able to afford a re-evaluation, if they weren't covered by health insurance.
As bolded in the quote of their text they state "the aim of the draft criteria is that every person who has significant impairment in social-communication and RRBI should meet appropriate diagnostic criteria." The only issue here would be if an individual with PDD NOS did not have a significant impairment in either of these two factors, since at this time both factors are listed in the PDD NOS criteria, but both are not required for a person to be diagnosed with PDD NOS. The same could apply for Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, since RRBI is a part of that criteria, but currently not required. Both of these factors are already required in Autism and Aspergers, so it is not an area of concern with those two disorders.
22 Jun 2011, 5:15 pm
