Abstract
In the treatment of infantile autism, behaviorists emphasize directed behavioral change while psychodynamic therapists tend to focus attention on the worker-child relationship. A review of the literature suggests that both of these aspects of intervention are important, and that both play a role in virtually all therapeutic efforts. The similarities in methods of intervention found in the work of investigators of very different theoretical persuasion raise the possibility that most treatment methods owe more to empirical clinical experience than to their presumed derivation from a theoretical model. This thesis is further examined with respect to a 50-year-old case history by Lightmer Witmer, and the work of the present writer with an 11-year-old autistic boy.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Berger, M. Opening remarks to discussion. In M. Rutter (Ed.),Infantile autism: Concepts, characteristics, and treatment. Edinburgh & London: Churchill Livingstone, 1971.
Berlin, I. N. A clinical note on the reversibility of autistic behavior in a 20-month-old child. In S. A. Szurek & I. N. Berlin (Eds.),Clinical studies in a childhood psychosis. New York: Brunner Mazel, 1973.
Bettelheim, B.The empty fortress: Infantile autism and the birth of the self. New York: The Free Press, 1967.
Bettelheim, B. Infantile autism. In S. Arieti (Ed.),The world biennial of psychiatry and psychotherapy (Vol. 1). New York: Basic Books, 1970.
Bettelheim, B.A home for the heart. New York: Alfred Knopf, 1974.
Boatman, M. J., & Szurek, S. A. In D. Jackson (Ed.),The etiology of schizophrenia. New York: Basic Books, 1960.
Bosch, G.Infantile autism: A clinical and phenomenological anthropological investigation taking language as the guide. Berlin, New York: Springer-Verlag, 1970.
Breger, L. Comments on “Building social behavior in autistic children by use of electric shock.”Journal of Experimental Research in Personality, 1965,1, 110–113.
Currie, K. H., & Brannigan, C. R. Behavioral analysis and modification with an autistic child. In S. J. Hutt & C. Hutt (Eds.),Behavior studies in psychology. New York: Pergamon Press, 1970.
DeMyer, M. K., & Ferster, C. B. Teaching new social behavior to schizophrenic children.Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 1962,1, 443–461.
Des Lauriers, A. M., & Carlson, C. F.Your child is asleep: Early infantile autism. Homewood, Illinois: Dorsey Press, 1969.
Ekstein, R. The acquisition of speech in the autistic child. In R. Ekstein,Children of time and space, of action and impulse. New York: Appleton, 1966.
Etemad, J. G., & Szurek, S. A. Mutism among psychotic children. In S. A. Szurek & I. N. Berlin (Eds.),Clinical studies in childhood psychosis. New York: Brunner Mazel, 1973.
Evans, I. M. The behavior modification approach. In M. Rutter (Ed.),Study group on infantile autism, 1970. London: Churchill Livingstone, 1971.
Ferster, C. B. Positive reinforcement and behavioral deficits of autistic children.Child Development, 1961,32, 437–456.
Ferster, C. B. Transition from animal laboratory to clinic. In A. Graziano (Ed.),Behavior therapy with children. Chicago: Aldine, 1971.
Ferster, C. B., & DeMyer, M. K. The development of performances in autistic children in an automatically controlled environment.Journal of Chronic Disease, 1961,13, 312–345.
Gianascol, A. J. Experiences in the psychotherapy of a non-verbal, self-destructive, psychotic child. In S. A. Szurek & I. N. Berlin (Eds.),Clinical studies in childhood psychosis. New York: Brunner Mazel, 1973. (a)
Gianascol, A. J. Historical introduction toWhat I did with Don by L. Witmer. In S. A. Szurek & I. N. Berlin (Eds.),Clinical studies in childhood psychosis. New York: Brunner Mazel, 1973. (b)
Goldfarb, W. Childhood psychosis. In P. Mussen (Ed.),Carmichael's manual of child psychology (3rd ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1970.
Graziano, A. M., & Kean, J. E. Programmed relaxation and reciprocal inhibition with psychotic children. In A. Graziano (Ed.),Behavior therapy with children. Chicago: Aldine, 1971.
Hewett, F. M. Teaching speech to an autistic child through operant conditioning. In A. Graziano (Ed.),Behavior therapy with children. Chicago: Aldine, 1971.
Hingtgen, J. N., & Bryson, C. Q. Recent developments in the study of early childhood psychoses: Infantile autism, childhood schizophrenia, and related disorders. In S. Chess & A. Thomas (Eds.),Annual progress in child psychiatry and child development (Vol. 6). New York: Brunner Mazel, 1973.
Hingtgen, J. N., Sanders, B. J., & DeMyer, M. K. Shaping cooperative responses in early childhood schizophrenics. In L. Ullmann & L. Krasner (Eds.),Case studies in behavior modification. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1965.
Jensen, G., & Womack, M. Operant conditioning techniques applied in the treatment of an autistic child.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1967,37, 30–34.
Kozloff, M. A.Reaching the autistic child. Champaign, Illinois: Research Press, 1973.
Leff, R. Behavior modification and childhood psychoses. In A. Graziano (Ed.),Behavior therapy with children. Chicago: Aldine, 1971.
Loomis, E. A., Jr. Autistic and symbiotic syndromes in children.Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 1960,25, No. 3 (Whole No. 77), 39–48.
Lovaas, O. I. A program for the establishment of speech in psychotic children. In J. K. Wing (Ed.),Early childhood autism: Clinical, educational, and social aspects. London: Pergamon Press, 1966.
Lovaas, O. I. Considerations in the development of a behavioral treatment program for psychotic children. In D. Churchill, G. Alpern, & M. DeMyer (Eds.),Infantile autism: Proceedings of the Indiana University colloquium (1968). Springfield, Illinois: Charles C Thomas, 1971.
Lovaas, O. I., Berberich, J. P., Perloff, B. F., & Schaeffer, B. Acquisition of imitative speech by schizophrenic children. In A. Graziano (Ed.),Behavior therapy with children. Chicago: Aldine, 1971.
Lovaas, O. I., Freitas, L., Nelson, K., &Whalen, C. The establishment of imitation and its use for the development of complex behavior in schizophrenic children.Behavior Research and Therapy, 1967,5, 171–181.
Lovaas, O. I., Schaeffer, B., & Simmons, J. Q. Building social behavior in autistic children by use of electric shock.Journal of Experimental Research in Personality, 1965,1, 99–109.
Metz, J. R. Conditioning generalized imitation in autistic children.Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 1965,2, 389–399.
O'Gorman, G.The nature of childhood autism. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1970.
Ruttenberg, B. A psychoanalytic understanding of infantile autism and its treatment. In D. Churchill, G. Alpern, & M. DeMyer (Eds.),Infantile autism: Proceedings of the Indiana University colloquium (1968). Springfield, Illinois: Charles C Thomas, 1971.
Schopler, E. Changes of direction with psychotic children. In A. Davids (Ed.),Child personality and psychopathology: Current topics (Vol. 1). New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1974.
Schopler, E., & Reichler, R. J. Developmental therapy by parents with their own autistic child. In M. Rutter (Ed.),Infantile autism: Concepts, characteristics, and treatment. Edinburgh & London: Churchill Livingstone, 1971.
Schopler, E., & Reichler, R. J. Parents as cotherapists in the treatment of psychotic children. In I. S. Chess & A. Thomas (Eds.),Annual progress in child psychiatry and child development (Vol. 5). New York: Brunner Mazel, 1972.
Waal, N. A special technique of psychotherapy with an autistic child. In G. Caplan,Emotional problems of early childhood. New York: Basic Books, 1955.
Weiland, I. H. Discussion of treatment approaches. In D. Churchill, G. Alpern, & M. DeMyer (Eds.),Infantile autism: Proceedings of the Indiana University colloquium (1968). Springfield, Illinois: Charles C Thomas, 1971.
Weiland, I. H., & Rudnick, R. Considerations of the development and treatment of autistic childhood psychosis.The Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 1961,16, 549–563.
Weiland, I. H., & Rudnick, R. Development of object relationships and childhood psychoses.Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 1964,3, 317–329.
Weiss, H., & Born, B. Speech training or language acquisition? A distinction when speech training is taught by operant conditioning procedures.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1967,37, 49–55.
Wenar, C., Ruttenberg, B. A., Dratman, M. L., & Wolf, E. G. Changing autistic behavior: The effectiveness of three milieus.Archives of General Psychiatry, 1967,17, 26–35.
Witmer, L. What I did with Don. In S. A. Szurek & I. N. Berlin (Eds.),Clinical studies in childhood psychosis. New York: Brunner Mazel, 1973. (Originally published, 1919; introduction by A. Gianascol.)
Wolf, M., Risley, T., Johnston, M., Harris, F., & Allen, E. Application of operant conditioning procedures to the behavior problems of an autistic child: A follow-up and extension.Behavior Research and Therapy, 1967,5, 103–111.
Wolf, M., Risley, T., & Mees, H. Application of operant conditioning procedures to the behavior problems of an autistic child. In L. Ullmann & L. Krasner (Eds.),Case studies in behavior modification. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1965.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Special thanks are due to Master Teacher Nancy Buckler whose insights and suggestions greatly contributed to the treatment approach adopted by the author.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Helm, D. Psychodynamic and behavior modification approaches to the treatment of infantile autism. J Autism Dev Disord 6, 27–41 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01537940
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01537940