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I'm a female Aspie who also grew up with a combination of mentally ill/neglectful parents, and my very own 'wicked stepmother' to boot. For what it's worth, Anna sounds pretty much exactly like me at her age. (And yes, I've had neuropsychological testing, so I'm an 'official' Aspie.) For my part, I'm pretty certain that autism and Asperger's aren't the same thing - they may share certain superficial similarities in terms of DSM checklist symptoms, but the sense of recognition and understanding I feel when I meet an Aspie is far from what I experience when I talk to someone with autism. Totally different wiring. Also, female Aspies tend to present substantially differently from males - their behavior isn't as stereotypical.
However, it's worth noting that this girl's experiences and environment are almost certainly exacerbating her difficulties. As many have noted, the less supportive and more frightening (and more difficult to understand) her surroundings are, the more she's going to withdraw into herself.
So anyway, my vote goes for Asperger's AND a shitty life.
