Autism and Attachment
VERGE 3
Rooney 1
Autism and Infant Attachment: A Review of the Literature
Anna Rooney
Psychology 340 Professor Pederson November 28, 2005
VERGE 3 A Review of the Literature
Rooney 2
Even when Stephen Bohay was just a few months old, his parents knew there was something odd about him. Instead of developing the normal one consonant/one vowel sounds characteristic of three to eight month infants, Stephen remained silent and, according to his mother, never cuddled, never wanted to be picked up, and “never looked at [her]—ever” (Holloway, 1981). Finally, when he was three years old, a psychiatrist diagnosed Stephen with autism. At that age he “wouldn’t show any affection or love” and it “seemed to annoy him when [his mother] spoke to him” (Holloway, 1981). Then suddenly Stephen went through what his mother called a second baby-hood at six years. He started being very loving and affectionate: holding his arms out to her to be held, sitting on her lap, and wanting to be cuddled. It was only then Mrs. Bohay could say, “I really felt he loved me” (Holloway, 1981). Since its discovery in 1943 by Leo Kanner, autism has puzzled neurologists and psychologists alike. While there have been strides in the early detection and biological understanding of the disorder, the inner and social worlds of autistic individuals remain a mystery due to the large range of cognitive, verbal, and social skills in the autistic population. However, as Kanner stated, the one common denominator is social withdrawal (Holloway, 1981). Because this withdrawal is so characteristic, as is the lack of affect described in the case of Stephen, one question that arises is whether autistic infants are able to form the attachments to their caregivers John Bowlby described as so critical for healthy social development (Bowlby, 1988). Does the nature of the disorder prevent such a reciprocal relationship from building or at least postpone it, as seems to be the case with Stephen and his
Rooney 1
Autism and Infant Attachment: A Review of the Literature
Anna Rooney
Psychology 340 Professor Pederson November 28, 2005
VERGE 3 A Review of the Literature
Rooney 2
Even when Stephen Bohay was just a few months old, his parents knew there was something odd about him. Instead of developing the normal one consonant/one vowel sounds characteristic of three to eight month infants, Stephen remained silent and, according to his mother, never cuddled, never wanted to be picked up, and “never looked at [her]—ever” (Holloway, 1981). Finally, when he was three years old, a psychiatrist diagnosed Stephen with autism. At that age he “wouldn’t show any affection or love” and it “seemed to annoy him when [his mother] spoke to him” (Holloway, 1981). Then suddenly Stephen went through what his mother called a second baby-hood at six years. He started being very loving and affectionate: holding his arms out to her to be held, sitting on her lap, and wanting to be cuddled. It was only then Mrs. Bohay could say, “I really felt he loved me” (Holloway, 1981). Since its discovery in 1943 by Leo Kanner, autism has puzzled neurologists and psychologists alike. While there have been strides in the early detection and biological understanding of the disorder, the inner and social worlds of autistic individuals remain a mystery due to the large range of cognitive, verbal, and social skills in the autistic population. However, as Kanner stated, the one common denominator is social withdrawal (Holloway, 1981). Because this withdrawal is so characteristic, as is the lack of affect described in the case of Stephen, one question that arises is whether autistic infants are able to form the attachments to their caregivers John Bowlby described as so critical for healthy social development (Bowlby, 1988). Does the nature of the disorder prevent such a reciprocal relationship from building or at least postpone it, as seems to be the case with Stephen and his
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