Abstract

This study addresses the diagnostic differentiation between Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and giftedness/high abilities, with an emphasis on the clinical, organizational, and legal analysis of frequently misinterpreted symptoms. The growing judicialization of mental health and the fragility of many psychiatric reports have led to the emergence of the problem of diagnostic inaccuracy and its social and legal side effects. The main objective was to propose a multidimensional model that optimizes diagnostic accuracy and promotes justice in expert interpretation. The research was conducted in light of the gifted neoperspectivist paradigm, which values the coexistence of absolute and relative truth, self-management, epistemological humility, and the promotion of inclusion and justice. The theories of Cognitive and Behavioral Psychology, Organizational Psychopathology, Theory of Mind, Restorative Justice, and Legal Epistemology were applied. Methodologically, the hypothetical-deductive method was used in all its phases, and a rigorous narrative bibliographic and documentary review was carried out, based on 104 high-impact scientific articles published in the journals Medical Hypotheses and Revista da Associação Médica Brasileira, using combined descriptors such as “diagnostic accuracy”, “gifted misdiagnosis”, “forensic psychiatry” and “overlapping symptoms”. The main findings revealed distinctive symptomatic criteria, recurring flaws in expert reports and the importance of an integrated approach. The main conclusions indicate the effectiveness of the proposed model, while the gaps lie in the absence of standardized and replicable protocols. The limitations involve sample scope and institutional variability. The theoretical, methodological and empirical contributions add value to science, postgraduate studies and society.

Keywords

clinical intersubjectivity, diagnostic justice, expert vulnerability, symptomatic convergence, applied epistemology