The patient, Mr. Caulfield, exhibits strong symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome. His childlike disposition and tendency towards social distress in uncommon situations are common tells of this syndrome. The patient has a history of being unable to cope in adult situations and has been expelled from numerous preparatory schools. From the beginning the patient tells that he feels his peers are “phonies” (Salinger 3). Calling people “phonies” and identifying phony qualities in people is such a prevalent theme in my discussions with him that I have come to the conclusion that this is indeed an obsession. In reviewing our discussion he has said the word phony approximately fifty-five times alone, not including any allusions that he makes to people
