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Making Sense of Autistic Spectrum Disorders

A critical review of fact, fiction, and speculation in the field of autism

Perfectionism
The 8-Ball from Hell of ASD: Perfectionism

James Coplan MD on September 7, 2016

Perfectionism is a dilemma with two prongs: the self-imposed need to get things exactly right, and self-inflicted criticism in the face of inevitable failure.

Perfectionism is a dilemma with two prongs: the self-imposed need to get things exactly right, and self-inflicted criticism in the face of inevitable failure.

Anxiety
Two Minutes to Wapner

James Coplan MD on August 23, 2016

"If our son isn't doing what he wants, when he wants, than all bets are off." What to do when the problem is not "disobedience," but cognitive rigidity and anxiety.

"If our son isn't doing what he wants, when he wants, than all bets are off." What to do when the problem is not "disobedience," but cognitive rigidity and anxiety.

Autism
Cognitive Rigidity: The 8-Ball from Hell

James Coplan MD on August 1, 2016

Cognitive Rigidity, difficulty changing mental sets, is a core feature of Autism Spectrum Disorder and is commonly associated with a suite of challenging traits.

Cognitive Rigidity, difficulty changing mental sets, is a core feature of Autism Spectrum Disorder and is commonly associated with a suite of challenging traits.

Behaviorism
023. Behaviorism, Part 3: O. Ivar Lovaas and ABA

James Coplan MD on September 26, 2010

Behaviorists set up the environment to include an antecedent condition and a consequence, that are likely to increase or decrease the likelihood of occurrence of the specified behavior.

Behaviorists set up the environment to include an antecedent condition and a consequence, that are likely to increase or decrease the likelihood of occurrence of the specified behavior.

Behaviorism
020. Thorndike & Watson: Founding fathers of behaviorism

James Coplan MD on August 29, 2010

Psychology... is a purely objective experimental branch of natural science. Its theoretical goal is the prediction and control of behavior. Introspection forms no essential part of its methods. JB Watson

Psychology... is a purely objective experimental branch of natural science. Its theoretical goal is the prediction and control of behavior. Introspection forms no essential part of its methods. JB Watson

Health
015 Whom to trust

James Coplan MD on July 26, 2010

The Usual Childhood Diseases, and why they aren't so usual any more.

The Usual Childhood Diseases, and why they aren't so usual any more.