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An inpatient treatment program and outcome for 57 autistic and schizophrenic children

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Abstract

The evolution and structure of a treatment program in a psychiatric hospital including a specialized sequential school and task curriculum, for autistic and schizophrenic children is presented and discussed. Therapeutic outcome for 57 patients treated in a specially designed unit over an 11-year period is reported. One-third of the children ultimately were discharged to their own homes. The rate of discharge showed a positive correlation with late onset, development of speech by age 5, and completion of bowel and bladder training at the time of admission. The 33 patients of the sample with early infantile autism tended to remain chronically hospitalized compared to cases with later onset. A suggestion is made for a profile of behavioral function as a useful prognostic indicator and method for classifying populations so that comparative treatment effectiveness in different samples can be meaningfully measured.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Winnebago State Hospital, 54965, Winnebago, Wisconsin

    Darold A. Treffert, John B. McAndrew & Paul Dreifuerst

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  1. Darold A. Treffert
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  2. John B. McAndrew
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  3. Paul Dreifuerst
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Treffert, D.A., McAndrew, J.B. & Dreifuerst, P. An inpatient treatment program and outcome for 57 autistic and schizophrenic children. J Autism Dev Disord 3, 138–153 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01537989

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