Mental Health Across Borders: How Autism is Treated and (Mis)Understood in Scotland and the U.S. Autism has been highlighted in the general discourse of mental health in recent years. The increase in those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder has caused confusion as to what constitutes autism, and what may cause it. The most widely used guide for professionals to reference for diagnostic criteria is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The American Psychiatric Association, serves most helpful in providing the manual as a guide for mental health practitioners in diagnosing and treating mental health conditions. Updates to the manual, coincide with our world’s inevitable growth. As our culture changes and evolves, so do the mental disorders that permeate within our society. According to the DSM-5, the diagnostic criteria for autism includes: Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple con...