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A review by joebathelt
Autism: A New Introduction to Psychological Theory and Current Debate by Sue Fletcher-Watson, Francesca Happé
5.0
This is a truly inspiring book that provides a glimpse of what a progressive approach to clinical psychology/psychiatry can look like. The authors provide a broad overview of autism in terms of presentation, scientific theory, lived experience, and cultural perception. Different theories are introduced that span the neural, cognitive, and cultural level. This book is full of many strength and progressive ideas that elevate it far above any textbook in psychology that I have read so far.
A particularly strong aspect of this book is that the theories are critically discussed in terms of their scientific merit, their utility for clinical practice, and their reception by the autistic community. The ‘big questions’ section at the end of the chapters further contributes to this. These questions about current gaps in the knowledge brought home that scientific inquiry is a process and that even textbook knowledge is constantly evolving.
Another groundbreaking aspect of this textbook is the many contributions from the autistic community. The comments at the end of each chapter provided a different view of the scientific theories and made me see these theories in a different light.
Another innovative addition were the illustrations that summarised each chapter. These illustrations made me feel like I could digest and remember the chapters more easily.
Altogether, this is the best textbook in any area of psychology/psychiatry that I have come across. I think it is the best book on autism that any researcher, parent, educator, or person with an interest in autism can read.
A particularly strong aspect of this book is that the theories are critically discussed in terms of their scientific merit, their utility for clinical practice, and their reception by the autistic community. The ‘big questions’ section at the end of the chapters further contributes to this. These questions about current gaps in the knowledge brought home that scientific inquiry is a process and that even textbook knowledge is constantly evolving.
Another groundbreaking aspect of this textbook is the many contributions from the autistic community. The comments at the end of each chapter provided a different view of the scientific theories and made me see these theories in a different light.
Another innovative addition were the illustrations that summarised each chapter. These illustrations made me feel like I could digest and remember the chapters more easily.
Altogether, this is the best textbook in any area of psychology/psychiatry that I have come across. I think it is the best book on autism that any researcher, parent, educator, or person with an interest in autism can read.