Disorders of Emotion, Mood, and Behavior

Abstract

Differential diagnosis of emotion, mood, and behavioral conditions includes the differential and comorbid diagnosis of anxiety disorders, OCD, Mood Disorders, Psychosis, Behavioral Disorders, Trauma-related Disorders, Attachment Disorders, Personality Disorders, and other relevant comorbidities. As ASD is a diagnosis based on social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors or pat- terns, it is important to look at these areas in the context of other diagnoses. For example, it is important to consider paucity of language in the context of depression versus autism where it occurs due to social communication diffi culties. Social avoidance in the context of an anxiety disorder must be compared to the withdrawal symptoms often seen in ASD. The cognitive distortions associated with mood must be compared to the challenges with peer interaction found in autism. A lack of com- munication should be evaluated as to whether the child has trauma or the communi- cation defi cits associated with ASD. A push–pull interaction style could be a symptom of an attachment disorder or the lack of appropriate social reciprocity and social boundaries could indicate ASD. Sometimes the symptoms described occur in the context of multiple disorders; while at times, symptoms can be adequately sub- sumed under ASD or another disorder. This chapter will explore these other mood, behavior, and adaptive disorders in the context of ASD.