> Autism spectrum disorder is often misconstrued by the general public as a gradient, which is not accurate. If one accepts the dimensional model of psychiatri

> Autism spectrum disorder is often misconstrued by the general public as a gradient, which is not accurate. If one accepts the dimensional model of psychiatric diagnosis, then almost all psychiatric disorders are "gradients" – ASD included. If you are calling the dimensional model "not accurate", I disagree I think the biggest thing where the general public misconstrues things is with "autism"="spectrum". The DSM-5 contains both the autism spectrum and the schizophrenia spectrum, although the former is conceptualised as a single disorder, the latter as a family of related disorders. There is also a brief mention of the concept of the "obsessive-compulsive spectrum", although that concept did not make it into the main body of the text. In the research literature, you'll find heaps more "spectrums" proposed – for example, the "disruptive behaviour disorder spectrum" (composed of ADHD, oppositional-defiant disorder, conduct disorder and antisocial personality disorder) and the "bipolar spectrum" (bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymia – some add other conditions such as disruptive mood dysregulation disorder)