History of autistic disorder

Abstract

Autism is a neuropsychological disorder that began to be diagnosed just few decades ago. In 1943, Leo Kanner described it for the first time, being the beginning of the clinical study of a syndrome that, until that moment, was unknown. However, there are evidences indicating that the disorder has always existed, as shown by a number of publications. From the 60s until now, there have been numerous researches and contributions from diverse disciplines that reflect the enormous complexity of the disorder. The aim of this work is to make a historical trip to ascertain which has been the outcome of the clinical and developmental studies of the autistic disorder up till now. To this end, the most significant moments that have contributed to define autism as currently known are highlighted.

CITE AS:

López Gómez, S., Rivas Torres, R.M. & Taboada Ares, E.M. (2010). Historia del trastorno autista. Apuntes de Psicología, 28, 51-64.