Core Features of Autism: Impact on Life Skill Development

Every person with autism is a unique individual with their own strengths and differences. There are, however, core features which make autism distinct from other diagnoses and which affect typical development.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition (DSM 5) (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) (https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm) and The International Classification of Diseases 11 Version:2018 (World Health Organisation, 2018) icd11.pdf (seragpsych.com) list core diagnostic features for autism, these diagnostic tools, alongside ongoing research and accounts from autistic people, provide a comprehensive profile of differences which exist in autism.

• Social Communication
• Restricted Interests
• Sensory Processing
• Executive Functioning
• Motor Skills
• Strengths in Life Skill Development