The Development of Autism: Perspectives from Theory and Research

The Development of Autism: Perspectives from Theory and Research edited by Jacob A. Burack, Tony Charman, Nurit Yirmiya, and Philip R. Zelazo Mahwah, NJ, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers, 2001, 374 pp, $33.95. This book is the product of an international collaboration of presenters and other contributors to a symposium on the development of autism, which was presented at the Fifth European Congress of Psychology in Dublin, Ireland, in August 1997. All presenters contributed chapters, and other researchers were invited to submit chapters. The content of this symposium reflects a trend from the early 1990s towards merging the study of autism with the understanding of general developmental processes and developmental psychopathology. The collaboration of the presenters combines the perspectives of the study of typical development versus psychopathology to enhance understanding of the developmental characteristics and behaviors of persons with autism. To get the maximum benefit from this book, the reader must have a good understanding of the lexicon, theories, and tenets of developmental psychology. In Part I, the editors provide an overview of the developmental framework underlying the behavior of persons with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). It highlights the contrast between traditional study of the normal or typical course of developmental processes and the study of specific areas of functioning that uniquely differentiate one atypical group from another. Several chapters investigate the role of genetic and familial factors in the functioning of children with autistic spectrum disorders. Part II expands on some of the theoretical foundations of early symptoms of autism: joint attention and gaze following in children with ASD and typical children. Other chapters review the concept of enhanced perceptual functioning and its role in perseverative behaviors, as well as the inability of children with ASD to recognize similarities between stimuli or situations. The series of chapters in Part III review and critique aspects of the major cognitive theories of autism, theory of mind, and the central coherence hypothesis, also drawing on models of typical development. Lastly, Part IV looks at additional foci of research, including examination of developmental dysfunction of communication and symbols, social relationships, and repetitive behaviors. The contributors and editors have done a masterful job presenting and discussing the range of theories behind autism and psychopathologic behavior. As noted on the back cover of the book, “this volume is both a state-of-the-art resource about the contributions of developmental theory to understanding persons with autism and a unique contribution to the study of development.” It will be of interest to the sophisticated reader who is already well versed in the psychological theories of autism and its complex lexicon. This book is not for the faint of heart or for a novice to the field of autism and developmental disorders.