Autism is a lifelong difference in how people communicate, process information and experience the world. The National Autistic Society estimates that more than one in 100 people in the UK are autistic, and the real figure is likely to be higher. How we understand autism today is the result of a little over a century of research, some of it insightful and some of it badly wrong. Knowing that history helps explain why so many autistic adults, and especially women, were missed for so long.
Early descriptions
Eugen Bleuler and the word “autism”
The Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler introduced the word “autism” around 1910. He used it to describe withdrawal into an inner world among people with schizophrenia, which is very different from how the word is used now.
Grunya Sukhareva, 1925
In 1925 the Soviet child psychiatrist Grunya Sukhareva published detailed case studies of six children whose traits closely match what we would now call autism. Her work was largely overlooked in the West for decades.
Kanner and Asperger in the 1940s
Leo Kanner, 1943
The American child psychiatrist Leo Kanner published “Autistic Disturbances of Affective Contact” in 1943, describing eleven children. They shared a strong preference for sameness and routine, differences in social communication and, in many cases, strong memories and focused abilities. Kanner’s paper became the foundation of autism as a clinical category.
Hans Asperger, 1944
Working separately in Vienna, Hans Asperger published a study in 1944 based on four boys who spoke fluently and often had intense, specialised interests. His work was little known in the English speaking world until much later. Historical research has since shown that Asperger supported Nazi race hygiene policies and took part in the regime’s child “euthanasia” programme, which is one reason many people now avoid the term “Asperger syndrome”.
The “refrigerator mother” myth
In the late 1940s and 1950s an idea took hold that autism was caused by cold, distant parenting, particularly by mothers. Kanner’s own remarks helped establish it, though he later rejected it. The psychologist Bruno Bettelheim popularised the theory in his 1967 book The Empty Fortress. It caused enormous harm to families and has no basis in evidence.
The turning point came from Bernard Rimland, a psychologist and parent of an autistic son, whose 1964 book Infantile Autism: The Syndrome and Its Implications for a Neural Theory of Behavior argued that autism had biological rather than parental causes.
Behavioural therapy
In the 1960s Ivar Lovaas began developing intensive behavioural therapy for autistic children at UCLA. A 1965 Life magazine feature on his programme showed adults hitting autistic children as part of the training. Approaches that aim to make autistic people appear less autistic sit uneasily with the neurodiversity paradigm, which focuses on support and acceptance rather than normalisation.
Lorna Wing and the idea of a spectrum
The British psychiatrist Lorna Wing, whose daughter Susie was autistic, did more than anyone to shape the modern UK understanding of autism. In 1962 she co-founded what became the National Autistic Society with other parents of autistic children. Her research with Judith Gould in Camberwell, London led her to see autism as a spectrum rather than a set of separate conditions.
Wing’s 1981 paper “Asperger’s Syndrome: A Clinical Account” introduced Asperger’s work to English speaking clinicians and coined the term. A full English translation of Asperger’s thesis, by Uta Frith, followed in 1991.
Changing diagnostic labels
The American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic manual, the DSM, first set out autism as a distinct condition separate from schizophrenia in 1980. Asperger syndrome was added as a separate diagnosis in 1994. In 2013 the separate labels were merged into a single diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, which is the clinical name most used today.
Neurodiversity and autism today
In the late 1990s the word “neurodiversity” appeared in the work of the sociologist Judy Singer and the journalist Harvey Blume. It reframed autism, ADHD, dyslexia and other conditions as natural variation in human brains rather than defects to be cured. You can read more in our guide Neurodiversity: what you need to know.
Research continues into genetics and brain development, but the biggest change in recent years has been the voice of autistic people themselves. Autistic adults now shape research, policy and public understanding, and the focus has moved towards removing barriers in schools, workplaces and services. Media representation has changed too, as we explore in autism representation in the media.
The early focus on boys also left a long shadow. Diagnostic criteria built around male presentations are one reason autism in women has so often been missed.
What this history means for employers
Many autistic adults in work today grew up when autism was poorly understood, and some were diagnosed late or not at all. They may have learned to hide their traits to get by. Workplaces that offer clear communication, predictable routines and adjustments for sensory needs make it possible for autistic staff to do their best work without that cost. Our guide to autism in the workplace sets out practical steps, and our article on what a manager should do if an autistic employee isn’t performing covers one of the most common situations we are asked about.
How Enna can help
Understanding where outdated ideas about autism come from is a good first step for any team. Our Neurodiversity 101 workshop gives staff a clear, current grounding, and our Supporting and Managing Neurodivergent Employees course turns that into everyday management practice. Book a call to talk about what would suit your organisation.
If you are autistic and looking for a new role, browse our jobs board for employers who are actively hiring neurodivergent talent.
