Nikolaas Tinbergen - Autism

Autism

Tinbergen applied his observational methods to the problems of children with autism. He recommended a "holding therapy" in which parents hold their autistic children for long periods of time while attempting to establish eye contact, even when a child resists the embrace. However, his interpretations of autistic behavior, and the holding therapy that he recommended, lacked scientific support and the therapy is described as controversial and potentially abusive.