https://time.com/6299599/autism-research-limited-essay/

 

DSM v ADOS

Lexicon [Measures] DSM, ADOS

DSM-5-TR (latest version of DSM) and ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition)  are two distinct tools used in assessment and dx of autism.

DSM-5-TR 
  • Diagnostic manual that outlines the criteria for diagnosing ASD, including the presence of social communication deficits and RRB. 
  • Serves as a reference for clinicians and researchers in making diagnostic decisions and ensures consistency in the diagnosis of ASD.
ADOS-2 
  • Standardized observational assessment tool designed to aid in the diagnosis of ASD. 
  • Administered by a trained professional and involves direct interaction with the individual  
  • consists of a series of activities and social scenarios that allow the examiner to observe and evaluate the individual's communication skills, social interaction, play, and RRB. 
  • It helps in determining whether an individual meets the diagnostic criteria for ASD and provides information to inform intervention and treatment planning.
ADOS-2 can be utilized as part of the diagnostic process, providing information to support the dx under DSM-5. Both tools are commonly used together to aid in the assessment and diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Related Posts: [DSM],[ADOS],[Measures]

Time Article Comments

 Umm, this is so well written and an incredibly important article!

BAM! Hari Srinivasan you are a gentleman, a scholar and an overall phenomenal advocate!!! Thank you for blazing the way for so many nonspeaking, minimally speaking and unreliably speaking people!
This is a MUST READ, featured in TIME MAGAZINE!

This is awesome Hari and so needed. Congrats on this! 

Wow, so incredible. I am a clinician in the greater LA area and provide psychological assessments, including ASD. Such a great read. 

You raise several issues about the limitations of research and the “hot mess” you describe, and also point to some solutions. I appreciate many of the ideas, especially the mobile labs and the joystick for binary decisions. 

Congrats! This is great!

Very well done. :-)

Fantastic

Congrats! That is super neat :) And kudos to you for being so open about your diagnosis and support needs. 

Congrats on the insightful op-ed! I loved the point, " If we are left out of research, we are left out of the solutions as well." I wasn't aware of the bias in autism research. 

What an outstanding article. Bravo!

Stimming is not soothing

 I wish folks stop saying stimming is soothing. 

Stimming is soothing only upto a point. It quickly crosses over into OCD and is exhausting, mentally and physically draining, caught in this behavioral loop you cannot get out of.

Joy is the feeling of love and connection to all things

Contemplation, one line a day. #MentalHealth

 

Contemplation

 Amusement is the spice of life that adds flavor to our days. -Hari Srinivasn



 

The power of optimism lies in the ability to see the silver lining in every cloud.


Time Magazine Article

 https://time.com/6299599/autism-research-limited-essay/


My article in Time Magazine
" autism research has ... essentially oversampled the same, narrow band of what are considered the easily “researchable autistics,” and expected those findings (as well as the applications and interventions that resulted from them) to apply to everyone."
" If we are left out of research, we are left out of the solutions as well. "



Contemplation

Equanimity is the gratitude for all that life has to offer

 

The Subtle Body

Last week I went for a talk by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in downtown Nashville.

And my mind immediately went flashbulb “PPS (Peripersonal Space is what I'm researching in grad school) when he spoke about "Subtle Body".
Three body states are discussed in the Upanishads and Bhagawad Gita.
  1. physical body (sthula sharira)
  2. subtle body (sukshma sharira)
  3. causal body (karana sharira)
Physical body (the one we are familiar with, engages with the world through our senses and performs actions through our physical form in this lifetime etc…) is active during waking state.Subtle body is around 10-12 inches space outside of physical body. composed of thoughts and emotions (mind, intellect, ego, sensory and action faculties). Its size also changes expands /shrinks depending on perception and emotion eg: a happy/calm person has an expanded subtle body. For a person who is tending towards suicide/depression, the subtle body space becomes so small, that the physical body becomes so hard to hold onto to an extent that the prana (life force) cannot support the physical body anymore. Interestingly in certain yogic breath/meditative practices, you can expand/contract or even project your subtle body outwards away from the physical body.The subtle body is active during dream sleep as well. In the dream state the subtle body is even larger, that’s why we are able to experience all 5 senses because its manipulation of a bundle of energy.Real interesting parallels for me between PPS (empirical construct and measurable) v subtle body (spiritual/philosophical construct derived through introspection/meditation)
  • both extend beyond the physical boundaries of the body.
  • PPS is thought to integrate information from both the body and the environment to guide our actions, which bears resemblance to the subtle body’s role as the seat of consciousness and the sensorimotor faculties.
  • Also idea that PPS can be modulated by our state of mind or emotions (expand when we’re happy and contract when we’re afraid) is similar to subtle body’s changeability.  (wonder if we can measure PPS in our dream state)

Some insights from Sri Sri’s talk quite humorous. Like, why do we only doubt the positive and never the negative. Eg: I love you. (Really?) I hate you. (Silence). Lol.


Related Posts on [PPS] [Peripersonal Space]

 Peace is the garden that we cultivate in our hearts - Hari Srinivasan


"I am but a humble servant of knowledge, grateful for the opportunity to make a difference." - Albert Einstein