Personality disorder

Abstract

Differentiating between diagnoses of Asperger's syndrome and personality disorders is difficult because of the symptomatology of these disorders and due to the following methodological problems: 1) Developmental disorders, including Asperger's syndrome, are diagnosed in consideration of the time course, while personality disorders are cross sectional entities: 2) The distinction between both becomes more difficult according to the specific operational diagnosis system used. 3) Differentiating between these diagnoses is difficult because data regarding the developmental problems of adult patients with Asperger's syndrome are rare. In consideration of such problems, differential diagnoses between Asperger's syndrome and some types of personality disorder, namely schizoid, schizotypal, borderline, anankastic and avoidant types are discussed. Furthermore, the antisocial tendencies of Asperger's syndrome are also discussed.