Christina Parker
PSY 410
February 6, 2012
Dr. Melda Jones
Einstein a Case Study for Asperger 's
Mental illness has existed as long as humans have, but only in the last hundred years or so have psychologist started to truly understand mental illness. There is still much, that is unknown about mental illness and human behavior. One mental disorder that was added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) in 1994 is Asperger’s Disorder. This disorder is usually diagnosed in early childhood, but in Albert Einstein’s time Asperger’s Disorder was unknown. Einstein had many of the diagnostic criteria for Asperger’s Disorder but was not diagnosed. Einstein was quiet and withdrawn, but had an amazing mind for mathematics. In comparison, Temple Grandin was diagnosed with Asperger’s Disorder and has many of the same mannerisms as Einstein.
Overview of Asperger’s Disorder’s History
Dr. Hans Asperger studied children that acted differently from others in the 1940s. Dr. Asperger called these children “Little Professors” because they were so interesting. In 1980s Dr. Lorna Wing called children with Asperger’s (AS) high-functioning autism individuals. In 1994, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) added AS. Asperger’s Syndrome (ASD) is a distinct group of neurological conditions characterized by greater or lesser degrees of impairment in language and communication skills with repetitive or restrictive patterns of thoughts and behaviors. There is no known cause or treatment for AS. The parents of children with AS often by or before the child’s third birthday sense that something is amiss in his or her child’s behavior or developmental skills. Two out of 10,000 children statistically diagnosed with AS or ASD. Boys are three to four times more likely than girls to have AS or ASD. The children exhibit delayed psychomotor skills (crawling and walking), and have problems with
References: Temple Grandin/Biography-Facts, Birthday, Life Story. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.biography.com>People theforceiswithinyou.twilightlegend.net/t4376-the-woman-who-thinks-like-a-cow UTube. (2006). The Woman Who Thinks like a Cow, Parts I-V. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46ycu3JFRrA videosift.com/.../Temple-Grandin-The-woman-who-thinks-like-a-cow