Has anybody read Asperger 1944?

[marc_101]

I just read Asperger's 1944 article (search for "Asperger 1944"). It's very, very helpful. I understand why it's probably not as useful for most women, but it could be for some or all if one changes the specific descriptions while keeping the essence of the feature. Some of the descriptions and insights are so on the point for me (as a kid).

I liked in particular the discussions about the contradiction on viewing autism as a form of disconnection from the world while at the same time an autistic person clearly has a lot of insights and deep interest in the world. The other was the description about attention, which with our current understanding it sounds like a distinction between ADHD and autism -- mostly distracted by the inner world. The parts on learning are helpful too: the distinction between learning by following teachers' procedures versus having the develop our own procedures to understand concepts. Sometimes it leads to clever new insights and ways of doing things, and sometimes it leads to over-complicated and wrong answers.

Has anybody experienced the same after reading it? (I know Asperger's life was complicated and subject to many contractions and controversies. I'm trying to focus on the article itself, not the person who wrote it. And yes, the language is old and also subject to a lot of of -ims.)

 

[Hypnalis]

Do you have an "un-paywalled" link?

 

[marc_101]

None of them are paid.

https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs...Autistic-Psychopathy-in-Childhood-2h51vw4.pdf

 

[Neonatal RRT]

https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs...Autistic-Psychopathy-in-Childhood-2h51vw4.pdf
In this, Hans Asperger presents a series of case studies of individuals, and of course, his theories from the perspective of a clinician in the 1930s-40s.

By today's standards, I do not believe any of these individuals would have been described as "psychopaths" or "schizophrenics", but back in the day, with their limited understanding, it was clear that they presented "outside the norm" for society, enough to be under the care of a psychologist in a mental health institution. So, my guess here, is that these individuals may have had obvious and rather significant differences from "the norm" of the time. It is unclear, by today's standards, if these individuals would be categorized as ASD-1, but more likely ASD-2 variants, as from the descriptions, suggested at least normal intelligence.

 

[marc_101]

The use of the terms "schizophrenic" and "psychopath" were different then than now. There are 4 cases described to provide detailed descriptions in the first part of the article. But the second part focuses on a summary of characteristics with additional examples.

The range of patients covered wide levels of disability and intelligence. He also described adult outcomes in a very positive way.

It's worth reading the entire article.