Did the DSM ever include Asperger’s autism? Towards a rereading "Asperger syndrome"

Abstract

This article critically examines Hans Asperger’s legacy in relation to contemporary autism diagnostics. While “Asperger’s syndrome” is widely discussed, few have engaged with Asperger’s original work or the broader historical literature, including Grunia Sukhareva, Leo Kanner, George Frankl, and Lorna Wing. The paper reviews Asperger’s contributions (1938–1980) to clarify his view of autism as a distinct neurotype with specific strengths and challenges. It then contrasts this with Wing’s reinterpretation, particularly her 1979 study and 1981 introduction of “Asperger’s syndrome,” which emphasized social and communication deficits and blurred lines between
autism and intellectual disability. The article concludes with an analysis of the removal of Asperger’s syndrome from the DSM-V, arguing that the DSM-IV construct reflected Wing’s adaptation, not Asperger’s writings. This change is situated within a broader shift toward cognitive diversity and depathologization, suggesting that debates over the syndrome’s existence are more complex than often assumed.