Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

The primary consequence of a diagnosis of “infantile autism” has been to focus, almost exclusively, upon a segment of the child rather than the whole person. The functions typically selected for attention reflect a “pathology perspective” which fails to capture the complexity of a human being. However, as “normality” cannot be effectively assessed without considering liability, “autism” cannot be fully understood without exploring potential. When the appropriate atmosphere is established, considerable artistic talent can be elicited in “autistic” adolescents and young adults. The art of three “autistic” young men has been selected to demonstrate-parallel to the growth of all artists-the development of a variety of personal styles each of which interprets life in a unique way. The unfolding process provides evidence of conscious intention and of increasing technical skill with the medium of paint and canvas. At the present time, these individuals exhibit a sensitive awareness of the world and an effort to communicate to others in both their paintings and their discussions with the staff. In addition, the communicative effectiveness of their compositions is apparent in the degree of interest aroused in other artists and in the wider community which has culminated in a series of public exhibits.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Kanner

, Autistic Disturbances of Affective Contact, Nervous Child, 2, pp. 217–250, 1943.

Ginott

H. G.

and Harms

, Mental Disorders in Childhood, in Handbook of Clinical Psychology, Wolman

B. B.

(ed.), McGraw-Hill, New York, 1965.

Goldfarb

, Distinguishing and Classifying the Individual Schizophrenic Child, in American Handbook of Psychiatry, Vol. II, Arieti

(ed.), Basic Books, New York, 1974.

Neubauer

P. B.

, Disorders of Early Childhood, in American Handbook of Psychiatry, Vol. II, Arieti

(ed.), Basic Books, New York, 1974.

Rutter

, Concepts of Autism: A Review of Research, in New Directions in Childhood Psychopathology, Vol. 2, Harrison

S. I.

and McDermott

J. F.

(eds.), International Universities Press, New York, 1982.

White

R. W.

and Watt

N. F.

, The Abnormal Personality, 5th edition, Wiley, New York, 1981.

Bettelheim

, The Empty Fortress, Free Press, New York, 1967.

Ekstein

, Children of Time and Space of Action and Impulse, Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York, 1966.

Ekstein

, The Challenge: Despair and Hope in the Conquest of Inner Space, Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York, 1971.

10.

Buck

L. A.

Freshley

Lee

J. K. Y.

, and Shapiro

, Communication Therapy: A Reexamination, in Mental Health in Children, Vol. III, PJD Publications, Westbury, New York, 1976.

11.

Parker

, My Language Is Me, Basic Books, New York, 1962.

12.

Kris

, Psychoanalytic Explorations in Art, International Universities Press, New York, 1952.

13.

Arieti

, Creativity: The Magic Synthesis, Basic Books, New York, 1976.

14.

Kramer

, Art as Therapy with Children, Schocken, New York, 1971.

15.

Buck

L. A.

and Kramer

, Opening New Worlds to the Deaf and the Disturbed, in Poetry The Healer, Leedy

(ed.), Lippincott, Philadelphia, 1973.

16.

Selfe

, Nadia: A Case of Extraordinary Drawing Ability in an Autistic Child, Academic Press, New York, 1977.

17.

Selfe

, Normal and Anomalous Representational Drawing Ability in Children, Academic Press, New York, 1983.

18.

Buck

L. A.

Goldstein

, and Kardeman

, Art as a Means of Interpersonal Communication in People Labeled “Autistic,” presented at 41st Annual Convention, International Council of Psychologists, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, California, August 22–25, 1983.

19.

Buck

L. A.

, “Autism” Reconsidered: Creative and Interpersonal Growth, presented at Symposium, Growing Through the Arts, Creativity, Communication and Change, Adelphi University, Garden City, New York, September 30, 1983.

20.

Buck

L. A.

and Kramer

, Creative Potential in Schizophrenia, Psychiatry, 40, pp. 146–162, 1977.

21.

Kramer

and Buck

L. A.

, Poetic Creativity in Deaf Children, American Annals of the Deaf, 121, pp. 31–37, 1976.

22.

Sullivan

H. S.

, The Interpersonal Theory of Psychiatry, Norton, New York, 1953.

23.

Sullivan

H. S.

, The Psychiatric Interview, Norton, New York, 1954.

24.

Sullivan

H. S.

, Clinical Studies in Psychiatry, Norton, New York, 1956.

25.

Sullivan

H. S.

, Schizophrenia as a Human Process, Norton, New York, 1962.

26.

Szasz

T. S.

, Ideology and Insanity, Anchor, New York, 1970.

27.

Laing

R. D.

, The Divided Self, Pantheon, New York, 1969.

28.

Mahler

M. S.

Pine

, and Bergman

, The Psychological Birth of the Human Infant, Basic Books, New York, 1975.

29.

Mahler

M. S.

, On Human Symbiosis and the Vicissitudes of Individuation, Vol. I: Infantile Psychosis, International Universities Press, 1968.

30.

Mahler

M. S.

, The Selected Papers of Margaret S. Mahler, Vol. I, Infantile Psychosis and Early Contributions, Aronson, New York, 1979.

31.

Arnheim

, Art and Visual Perception: The New Version, University of California, Berkeley, 1974.

32.

Gombrich

E. H.

, Art and Illusion, Pantheon, New York, 1961.

33.

Janson

H. W.

, History of Art, 2nd edition, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1977.

34.

May

, The Courage to Create, Norton, New York, 1975.

Artistic Talent in “Autistic” Adolescents and Young Adults

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References