Dr. Hannah Spier on Autism

[ndrosen]

I have expressed skepticism about the allegedly much increased prevalence of autism, while admitting that I am not a psychologist. The September issue of Commentary magazine has an article by a psychiatrist, Dr. Hannah Spier, expressing similar views in more depth, “The Overdiagnosis and Mistreatment of Autism,” explaining how, for example, different editions of the DSM greatly expanded the category. To quote from her article, “Questionnaires like the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) are so broad and subjective that a 30-year-old who recalls feeling ‘socially overwhelmed’ in school and not liking itchy clothing can receive the same diagnosis as a nonverbal child requiring lifelong care.”

She is described as the author of the Psychobabble Substack; people may want to check this out.