Abstract
A treatment program for psychotic and autistic children in which parents are helped to function as primary developmental agents is described and evaluated. Research and clinical experience is reviewed suggesting that parents react to their child's developmental disorder, rather than cause the disability. Demonstrations to parents observing through a one-way screen have been focused on corrective approaches to relatedness, competence motivation, cognitive, and perceptual motor functions. Parental participation has also included program sessions and research activities at home. The latter corroborated clinical observations that autistic children responded best to high external structures for acquiring new patterns and to relative freedom to practice those which have been mastered. Initial outcome trends are presented, indicating that parents have been developing effective skills as cotherapists. Objective recognition of their children's disabilities has helped to improve family equilibrium. Substantial improvements in participating children have been noted. Optimal or normal levels of development are prognosticated, depending on IQ, consistency of appropriate education and degree of impairment.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Creak, M. Schizophrenic syndrome in childhood: Progress report of a working party.Cerebral Palsy Bulletin, 1961,3, 501–504.
Creak, M. Schizophrenic syndrome in childhood: Further progress report of a working party,Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 1964,4, 530–535.
Des Lauriers, A. M., & Carlson, C. F.Your child is asleep—early infantile autism. Homewood, Ill.: Dorsey Press, 1969.
Eisenberg, L. Psychotic disorders in childhood. In L. D. Eron (Ed.),Classification of Behavior Disorders. Chicago, Ill.: Aldine Press, 1967.
Ferster, C. B. Positive reinforcement and behavioral deficits of autistic children.Child Development, 1961,32, 437–456.
Freedman, D. G. The effects of kinesthetic stimulation on weight gain and on smiling in premature infants. Paper presented at the annual meeting of theAmerican Orthopsychiatric Association, San Francisco, 1966.
Gittelman, M., & Birch, H. G. Childhood schizophrenia: Intellect, neurological status, prenatal risk, prognosis, and family pathology.Archives of General Psychiatry, 1967,17, 16–25.
Hollingshead, A.Two factor index of social position. New Haven, Conn.: privately published, 1957.
Lidz, T. Intrafamilial environment of the schizophrenic patient: VI. The transmission of irrationality.Archives of Neurology and Psychiatry, 1958,79, 305–316.
Lovibond, S. The object sorting test and conceptual thinking in schizophrenia,Australian Journal of Psychiatry, 1954,5, 52–70.
Meyers, D. I., & Goldfarb, W. Studies of perplexity in mothers of schizophrenic children.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1961,31, 551–564.
Ornitz, E. M., & Ritvo, E. R. Perceptual inconstancy in early infantile autism.Archives of General Psychiatry, 1968,18, 79–98.
Pitfield, M., & Oppenheim, A. Child rearing attitudes of mothers of psychotic children.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 1964,1, 51–57.
Rosman, B. Thought disorders in the parents of schizophrenic patients: A further study utilizing the object sorting test.Journal of Psychiatric Research, 1964,2, 211–221.
Rutter, M. Concepts of autism: A review of research.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 1968,9, 1–25.
Rutter, M. The description and classification of infantile autism. Proceedings of the Indiana University Colloquium on Infantile Autism. Springfield, Ill.: Charles C Thomas, 1970.
Rutter, M., & Lockyer, L. A five to fifteen year follow-up study of infantile psychosis.British Journal of Psychiatry, 1967,113, 1169–1182.
Schopler, E. Early infantile autism and receptor processes.Archives of General Psychiatry, 1965,13, 327–335.
Schopler, E. Visual versus tactual receptor preferences in normal and schizophrenic children.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1966,71, 108–114.
Schopler, E. Parents of psychotic children as scapegoats. Paper presented at Symposium of the American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C., September, 1969.
Schopler, E., & Loftin, J. Thought disorders in parents of psychotic children a function of test anxiety.Archives of General Psychiatry, 1969,20, 174–181. (a)
Schopler, E., & Loftin, J. Thinking disorders in parents of young psychotic children.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1969,74, 3281–287. (b)
Schopler, E., & Reichler, R. J. Psychobiological referents for the treatment of autism. Proceedings of the Indiana University Colloquium on Infantile Autism. Springfield, Ill.: Charles C Thomas, 1970.
Schopler, E., & Reichler, R. J. Developmental therapy by parents with their own autistic child. Paper presented at Symposium under the auspices of CIBA and the Institute for Research into Mental Retardation, London, June, 1970. A version of this paper will appear in M. Rutter (Ed.),Infantile autism: Concepts, characteristics and treatment. London: Churchill (in press), 1971.
Singer, M., & Wynne, L. Thought disorder and family relations of schizophrenics.Archives of General Psychiatry, 1965,12, 201–212.
Wild, C. Disturbed styles of thinking: Implications of disturbed styles of thinking manifested on the object sorting test by the parents of schizophrenic patients,Archives of General Psychiatry, 1965,13, 464–470.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported in part by the National Institute of Mental Health Grant MH-15539-02.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Schopler, E., Reichler, R.J. Parents as cotherapists in the treatment of psychotic children. J Autism Dev Disord 1, 87–102 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01537746
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01537746