Showing papers by "Michael Rutter published in 1974"

The development of infantile autism.

Abstract: An account is given of how research over the last 30 years has led to progress in the delineation of the mechanisms involved in the genesis of the behaviour covered by the term ‘infantile autism’. The validity, nature, and basis of the syndrome are discussed with reference to treatment.

Over‐ and under‐achievement in reading: distribution in the general population

Abstract: Summary. Empirical findings are presented on the distribution of over-and under-achievement in reading in five general population groups encompassing four age-groups and two parts of the country—a major city and an area of small towns. It is shown that reading achievement does not exactly parallel IQ at all levels of intelligence, confirming the inappropriateness of the achievement ratio and like statistics. It is argued that over- and under-achievement are best defined in terms of a regression equation based on IQ scores. Defined in this way, reading ability follows a generally normal distribution, over-achievement and under-achievement occurring with roughly the same frequency. However, there is a significant departure from normality at the extreme lower end of the curve such that gross under-achievement in reading occurs at well above the expected frequency. This suggests that there is a meaningful group of children with specific reading retardation which is not explicable simply in terms of the bottom of a continuum.

Children of west indian immigrants–i. rates of behavioural deviance and of psychiatric disorder

Abstract: SUMMARY A total population survey was made of all 10 yr old children in an inner London borough. Teachers' questionnaires were completed on all children, and teachers and parents of a representative subsample were interviewed using standardised and previously Lested methods. As part of this study, comparisons were made between children born to West Indian migrants and children from non-immigrant families, and within the West Indian group between children born abroad and those born in this country. It was found that West Indian children showed rather more behavioural difficulties at school but they did not differ from other children in terms of disorder shown at home, nor did they differ in terms of emotional disturbance in any setting. The findings are discussed in terms of the children's life experiences.

The use of personal pronouns by autistic children

Abstract: Spontaneously echolalic autistic children who had never used the pronoun Iwere exposed to short sentences containing several personal pronouns in all positions in a 3-word utterance. It was found that there was no tendency for children to avoid the repetition of I,once sentence position was controlled. A number of children echoed the final word of the sentence while others repeated the whole utterance. The findings provide no support for a psychogenic theory of speech behavior in autistic children.

Graded change in the treatment of the behaviour of autistic children.

Abstract: SUMMARY A method of introducing slight and gradual changes into the autistic child's environment is discussed. Two case histories are given where this technique has been used to reduce the attachment to objects, at the same time working on increasing sociability and attachment to people. The theoretical implications of such attachments are discussed together with more general applications of such a treatment technique.