J. AM. ACAD. CHILD PSYCHIATRY 23/4 (1984) 373-384
Abstract
Although DSM-III is an improvement over DSM-II, it pays insufficient attention to developmental issues, and to the possibility that the symptoms of some disorders (such as schizophrenia) may be different in children as compared to adults. At least one DSM-III category (early infantile autism) may be invalid. Based upon Piaget's stages of cognitive development, and upon neuropsychological studies, two elemental modes of cognition are postulated, and their developmental courses plotted. Developmental failure in one or both modes may lead to the cognitive-linguistic, emotional and interpersonal symptoms which in DSM-III define the categories of early infantile autism, specific developmental disorders of language or reading, and schizophrenia.