The Social Security Administration’s evaluation does not mainly focus on a claimant’s diagnosis. Instead, it focuses on the functional limitations claimant has because of their diagnoses. It is important to demonstrate how the condition affects and limits the claimant. Asperger’s Syndrome is listed under the Social Security Disability Listing of Autism. Asperger’s Syndrome is a social interaction syndrome, so it is in a slightly different category than Autism. Asperger’s Syndrome prevents an individual from understanding basic social functions such as expressions, gestures, and or how someone conveys a feeling by the language of their body movements. Many children and adults with Asperger’s Syndrome require modifications to their daily lives to allow them to succeed in school and in a work environment. It is reasonable to assume that many people with Asperger’s Syndrome require at least some support or special conditions in the workplace. Many people with Asperger’s may be limited by the need for repetitive behaviors (such as hand twisting or flapping) and restricted interests. Behaviors such as these may prevent a person with Asperger’s from successful employment, and may result in the claimant feeling alienated by employers and co-workers. This alienation often causes further isolation and in turn increases the possibility for depression and anxiety. People with Asperger’s Syndrome are often covered by the Individuals with Disabilities Act to receive accommodations in both work and in school, although the requirements of this Act are separate from the Social Security disability analysis.
Asperger’s Syndrome is characterized by three clusters of symptoms or general kinds of difficulties that can directly impact employment:
- Difficulty processing sensory input (sensory integration).
- Difficulties understanding social intercourse (theory of mind).
- Differences in “executive function” (organizational skills) and cognition/information-processing skills, such as difficulty appreciating the “big picture” (“central coherence”).
For more information on Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism in the Social Security disability process, see the listing for childhood impairments and the listing for adults.
