In the 1950s and 1960s, some psychoanalysts attributed autism to cold, unresponsive parenting, coining the term 'refrigerator mothers'. Treatment often involved separating children from their families for long-term psychotherapy, or utilizing harsh, repetitive behavioral conditioning to extinguish harmless self-regulatory behaviors (such as hand-flapping). These methods caused significant emotional distress and did not address the individuals' actual communication needs.
Autism was initially classified under 'childhood schizophrenia' in early medical manuals. It was not until the publication of the DSM-III in 1980 that infantile autism was finally established as a distinct developmental disorder, separate from schizophrenia.
In 2013, the DSM-5 consolidated several distinct diagnoses (including Autistic Disorder and Asperger’s Disorder) into a single category: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This shift recognized that autism presents on a wide and fluid spectrum, rather than as discrete, rigid sub-types.
More recently, the rise of the neurodiversity movement has challenged the traditional medical model, arguing that neurological differences should be recognized and respected as a natural variation in human biology, rather than as pathological deficits requiring a 'cure'.
This highlights how psychological frameworks and societal attitudes toward developmental differences are continuously reshaped by biological research and social advocacy.
Using your knowledge of psychology, suggest ways in which society can be encouraged to show greater acceptance and inclusion towards neurodivergent individuals (such as those on the autism spectrum).
