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17 - Autism Spectrum and Intellectual Disability

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 March 2023

By
Jason C. Travers
Edited by
Stephen Hupp  and
Cara L. Santa Maria
Stephen Hupp
Affiliation:
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Cara L. Santa Maria
Affiliation:
Fielding Graduate University, California
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Summary

This chapter describes pseudoscience and questionable ideas related to autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. The chapter opens by discussing myths that influence treatment such as the idea of “refrigerator mothers.” Dubious treatments include facilitated communication (and its variants), hyperbaric oxygen chamber treatment, and auditory integration training. The chapter closes by reviewing research-supported approaches.

Keywords

autism spectrum disorderintellectual disabilityrefrigerator mothersfacilitated communicationrapid prompting methodletterboardinginformative pointinghyperbaric oxygen chamber treatmentauditory integration trainingapplied behavior analysis
Type
Chapter
Information
Pseudoscience in Therapy
A Skeptical Field Guide
 , pp. 282 - 296
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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