Aspergers link

[GerritM]

"Gerrit Holl" <gerrit at nl.linux.org> schreef in bericht
news:mailman.1047930524.30728.python-list at python.org...
> Hi,
>
> I feel I must objects strongly to the tone in this discussion.
>
<...snip...>
>
> > Instead, go read about Myers-Briggs personality typing.  _Please
> > Understand Me_, by David Kiersey, is a good reference.  Kiersey would
> > probably dismiss Asperger's "syndrome" as nothing but a strong
> > introverted and thinking personality.
>
> Well, he is wrong than.
<...snip...>

Referring to the useful Myers-Briggs personality classification and
description as the _one and only_ useful viewpoint is rather narrowminded.
It is like the hammer which is used as a tool for everything (see completely
other threads in c.l.p).

A whole spectrum of disorders is known, ranging from ADHD, ODD, GAD, to
autism, PDD-NOS, Asperger, to Gilles de Tourette etcetera. For most
disorders the "cause" is not known. The classification is well defined, but
be aware that a classifciation is only a description of symptoms.
Classification is one of the starting points to understand very complex
issues.

Two threats exist:
+ overdiagnosis, due to attaching these labels way too easily
+ undertreatment, due to ignorance
(treatment can range from special schools as Gerrit Holl mentions, to
therapeutic drugs)

I am not a specialist in this field at all, but I have seen psychiatric
doctors treating people with these disorders. Simply calling it a strong
personality is a dangerous oversimplification.

regards Gerrit Muller

--
www.extra.research.philips.com/natlab/sysarch/