Autism was first added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) as its own official diagnostic category in 1980, in the DSM‑III, under the name “infantile autism.”

Quick Scoop

Here’s the fast timeline around when was autism added to the DSM and how it changed:

  • 1952–1968 (DSM‑I and DSM‑II)
    • Autism was not listed as its own diagnosis.
* Autistic behaviors were usually folded into **“childhood schizophrenia”** or described as emotional disturbance or psychosis in childhood.
  • 1980 – DSM‑III: First official autism diagnosis
    • “Infantile autism” appears for the first time as an official diagnostic category in the DSM‑III.
* It is classified as a **pervasive developmental disorder** , distinct from schizophrenia, with specific diagnostic criteria.
  • 1987 – DSM‑III‑R
    • The label changes to “autistic disorder” , and the criteria are broadened and clarified.
* A checklist-style approach is introduced to improve consistency between clinicians.
  • 1994 – DSM‑IV
    • Autism is explicitly treated as part of a spectrum , under Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD).
* Separate but related diagnoses are listed: **Autistic Disorder, Asperger’s Disorder, PDD‑NOS, Rett’s Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder**.
  • 2013 – DSM‑5
    • All previous subtypes are merged into a single diagnosis: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
* The focus shifts to two domains: social communication/interaction and restricted, repetitive behaviors.

Why 1980 Is the Key Date

If you’re asking specifically “when was autism added to the DSM?” , the crucial point is:

Autism became an official, standalone DSM diagnosis in 1980 (DSM‑III) as “infantile autism,” separate from schizophrenia and other psychoses.

Before that, autistic people certainly existed and were being described in psychiatry, but the DSM did not give them a distinct, named diagnostic category; they were instead labeled under broader or different diagnoses like childhood schizophrenia.

Mini FAQ

Was autism in the DSM before 1980?

  • Not as its own diagnosis. Behaviors now associated with autism were usually grouped under childhood schizophrenia or similar categories in DSM‑I and DSM‑II.

When did the idea of an “autism spectrum” show up?

  • The spectrum idea begins to take clearer shape in DSM‑III‑R (1987) and especially DSM‑IV (1994) , which lists several related conditions and is often cited as the first DSM edition to formally frame autism as a spectrum of related disorders.

What changed with DSM‑5?

  • All the older labels (Autistic Disorder, Asperger’s Disorder, PDD‑NOS, etc.) were combined into Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) , with a single set of criteria and specifiers for levels of support.

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