Table 3 DSM-IV Criteria for Autism Disorder, and Scoring
Criteria: | A subject must have a total of six (or more) items from A1, A2, and A3. with at least two from A1 and at least one each from A2 and A3 |
|---|---|
A1. | Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following: |
 A1a) | Marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction. |
 A1b) | Failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level |
 A1c) | Lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest) |
 A1d) | Lack of social or emotional reciprocity |
A2. | Qualitative impairments in communication as manifested by at least one of the following: |
 A2a) | Delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through alternative modes of communication such as gesture or mine) |
 A2b) | In individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others (omitted from scoring – see text) |
 A2c) | Stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language |
 A2d) | Lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to developmental level |
A3. | Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following: |
 A3a) | Encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped patterns of behavior and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus |
 A3b) | Apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or interests |
 A3c) | Stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements) |
 A3d) | Persistent preoccupation with parts of objects |
B. | A subject must show delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior to 3 years: |
 B1) | Social interaction |
B 2) | Language as used in social communication |
 B3) | Symbolic or imaginative play |
Graded scoring – each item: | (Item A2b omitted) |
 0 |  = absent |
 1 |  = possibly or very mildly present |
 2 |  = definitely present |
 3 |  = a very dominant characteristic |
 Overall score |  = average of 14 scored items |