Asperger's syndrome: A case diagnosed in late adolescence

The case is presented of a 17 yr old boy with a recent diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome. Despite displaying a characteristic pattern of deficits in cognitive, social and behavioral functioning, isolated cognitive skills and a remarkable ability for calendar calculation, this boy was not diagnosed during childhood. Coexisting skills and impairments were explored through a description of developmental history and current functioning. The article considers the reasons for the disorder not being identified during childhood and discusses the case-study findings in relation to current issues about the prevalence of Asperger's syndrome, the difficulties of diagnosis and essential diagnostic criteria

Rejection elicits emotional reactions but neither causes immediate distress nor lowers self-esteem: a meta-analytic review of 192 studies on social exclusion

Competing predictions about the effect of social exclusion were tested by meta-analyzing findings from studies of interpersonal rejection, ostracism, and similar procedures. Rejection appears to cause a significant shift toward a more negative emotional state. Typically, however, the result was an emotionally neutral state marked by low levels of both positive and negative affect. Acceptance caused a slight increase in positive mood and a moderate increase in self-esteem. Self-esteem among rejected persons was no different from neutral controls. These findings are discussed in terms of belongingness motivation, sociometer theory, affective numbing, and self-esteem defenses