Bruno Bettelheim
(1965-1973)
Reported on only 3 of 40
patients.
Did not
objectively compare families of
autistic children to non-autistic
children.Autism was
believed related to
the mother's relation to the
child
The original study made
mothers into monsters
Bettelheim Theorized:
mother's lack of affection caused
the development of autism.
But this theory was based on
"Case Studies" that
were not representative of all
autistic children
He failed to use the scientific
method.
Instead of being
psychological like phobias and
fears, autism is due to
biological factors, for example
Neocerebeler vermus is 20% or
more smaller in autistics than
non-autistics
