Conversation with Dr. Gary Mesibov, former Director of TEACCH,  and Eustacia Cutler.  A Look At The History of Autism Over The Last 65 Years. 

A discussion of their personal history with autism over the past 65 years with Eustacia Cutler, Temple Grandin’s mother and Gary Mesibov, a professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill for 35 years and director of  Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) for 35 years until 2012.

This discussion will look at the development in treatment of autism beginning with the arrival of Bruno Bettelheim, a psychotherapist from Vienna who believed that Autistic children were schizophrenic because they had been driven mad by their cold mothers. Dr. Mesibov will talk about Eric Schopler, who came to this country to study under Bettelheim at his school in Chicago, only to be horrified by Bettelheim’s cruelty—not only to parents, but to autistic children placed under his care by intimated parents.    To understand the history read “Autism and the Minefield of Blame” by Eustacia Cutler.