In addition, many individuals with ASD have limited or no speech. However it does make it more difficult to recognize depression in someone with autism. This does not necessarily mean they’re depressed! In other words, their affect doesn’t necessarily match how they feel. Many individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) show little facial emotion. Clinicians refer to this as an “incongruence of affect and mood.” Tackling a Challenging Diagnosis However, that person may say that he or she feels fine. For example, someone’s expression may appear flat and register little reaction. In other words, does the person look depressed or anxious? This can be different from “mood.” Mood refers to how someone actually feels inside.Īffect and mood are not always aligned. Clinicians use the term “affect” to describe how someone’s emotional state appears to others. Kanner described a disturbance of “affective contact” in those with autism. However, diagnosing depression in those with autism represents a challenge that dates back to Leo Kanner’s original description of “infantile autism,” in 1943. Mood disorders – including depression – do appear to be more common in those with developmental disabilities than in the general population.
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