I am looking at the MIGDAS-2 process, and the
descriptive triangle, and the three domains
examined, and how they map to the DSM-5
criteria;
1. Language and communication
2. Social Relationships and Emotional Responses
3. Sensory Use and Interests
Each of those has sub-elements, for example how easy the person can initiate conversations,
depending on whether the subject is a special interest. whether the person can engage in social
interaction and continue the conversation, or can only respond to prompts etc. and then
routines, regulation, structure and control, context etc etc.
Can you provide me with a structured outline of the elements, and how they relate to the DSM-5
diagnostic criteria for autism
Here is a structured outline of the MIGDAS-2 process domains and key elements, with a
direct mapping to the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder. This synthesis is
based on the Descriptive Triangle applied in MIGDAS-2 and the official DSM-5 criteria [1] [2] [3] [4]
[5] [6] [7] .
MIGDAS-2 Descriptive Triangle and Domains
The MIGDAS-2 process organizes qualitative, narrative assessment around three core domains,
each with sub-elements, which are designed to elicit an individualized autism profile:
Typical Sub-
MIGDAS-2 Domain Elements/Evaluated Related DSM-5 Autism Criteria
Behaviors
- How language is used
- Conversation initiation
- Response to prompts
A1, A2
- Use of language for
- Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity (e.g., failure
1. Language and reciprocal conversation
of back-and-forth conversation)
Communication - Content/topic focus
- Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors
- Pragmatic skills
(gestures, facial expressions, body language)
- Nonverbal cues
(gestures, facial
expressions)
Typical Sub-
MIGDAS-2 Domain Elements/Evaluated Related DSM-5 Autism Criteria
Behaviors
- Initiation and response
to social interactions
- Social motivation A1, A3
- Interest in peers - Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity
2. Social Relationships
- Sharing of - Deficits in developing, maintaining, and
and Emotional
interests/emotions understanding relationships (e.g., difficulties
Responses
- Understanding social adjusting behavior to suit social context, lack of
context interest in peers)
- Emotional regulation
- Perspective-taking
- Sensory preferences and
aversions B1, B2, B3, B4
- Sensory regulation - Stereotyped/repetitive motor movements, use of
strategies objects, or speech
- Response to changes in - Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to
3. Sensory Use and
environment or routine routines
Interests
- Focused or unusual - Highly restricted, fixated interests
interests - Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input or
- Repetitive behaviors with unusual interests in sensory aspects of the
objects/body environment
- Rituals/routines
Illustrative Sub-Elements Aligned to DSM-5
Language and Communication
Initiates conversation only on special interests (A1: social-emotional reciprocity; A2:
nonverbal communication)
Limited back-and-forth conversation; needs prompts to continue (A1)
Literal interpretation, difficulty with social chit-chat (A2: pragmatic language issues)
Use of repetitive phrases or atypical prosody (B1: repetitive speech)
Difficulty using/understanding gestures, facial expressions, body language (A2)
Social Relationships and Emotional Responses
Prefers solitary activities or interacts on own terms (A3)
Difficulty forming age-typical friendships/keeping relationships (A3)
Limited sharing of interests, emotions, or affect (A1)
Difficulty understanding social rules/context (A3)
Rigid or unusual emotional responses (A3, sometimes B2)
Sensory Use and Interests
Strong attachment to routines or rituals (B2)
Highly focused special interests (e.g., in narrow topics or objects) (B3)
Sensory aversions or seeking behaviors (B4)
Repetitive movements or manipulation of objects (B1)
Distress at changes in environment or schedule (B2)
Unusual sensory responses (e.g., covering ears, smelling objects) (B4)
DSM-5 Criteria for Autism Overview (Key Sections Mapped)
Criterion A: Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction, manifested in:
Social-emotional reciprocity (A1)
Nonverbal communicative behaviors (A2)
Developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships (A3)
Criterion B: Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, as manifested
by at least two:
Stereotyped or repetitive movements/speech (B1)
Insistence on sameness/routines (B2)
Highly restricted interests (B3)
Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input/unusual sensory interests (B4)
Summary Mapping Table
DSM-5
MIGDAS-2 Domain Example Probes/Elements
Criteria
Language and Does the individual initiate conversations? Can they talk
A1, A2
Communication beyond special interests?
Social Can they make/keep friends? How do they interpret others’
A1, A3
Relationships/Emotional emotions/social cues?
B1, B2, B3, Do they have rituals/routines? Repetitive motions/interests?
Sensory Use and Interests
B4 Sensory aversions or seeking?
The MIGDAS-2’s descriptive, narrative approach is specifically designed to flesh out the
subtle and variable ways individuals may meet the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, using prompts
and observations tied to the three core autism domains. Each element in the MIGDAS-2
triangle provides examples that are directly observable and can be linked to the DSM-5’s
core requirements for autism diagnosis, supporting both the identification and
individualized description of autism spectrum profiles. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]
⁂
1. https://www.txasp.org/assets/WS02 Monteiro Handout.pdf
2. https://www.scribd.com/document/687485603/Translating-the-MIGDAS-to-DSM-V
3. https://www.autismspeaks.org/autism-diagnostic-criteria-dsm-5
4. https://www.somersetft.nhs.uk/somerset-autism-spectrum-service/?document=autism-spectrum-disord
er-dsm-5-diagnostic-criteria
5. https://www.cdc.gov/autism/hcp/diagnosis/index.html
6. https://depts.washington.edu/dbpeds/Screening Tools/DSM-5(ASD.Guidelines)Feb2013.pdf
7. https://www.open.edu/openlearn/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=66953§ion=2.2
