Asperger syndrome: diagnosis and external validity.

This article provides an overview of the history and clinical features of Asperger syndrome and considers guidelines for clinical assessment and treatment. A review of issues related to external validity is provided that points out the limitations of current research and lists several potentially beneficial areas of investigation into the nosologic status of the condition. It concludes with a discussion of the unequivocal need of individuals with severe social disabilities for comprehensive and adequate educational services and other treatments, regardless of the fact that the validity and usefulness of this specific diagnostic concept is far from resolved.