Early Intervention and Autism: The Impact of Positivism and the Call for Change

Abstract

AbstractEarly childhood intervention in autism has over three decades of empirically validated study, but has very limited qualitative analysis. There is a wealth of research in this field, but it remains very much within a solely positivist paradigm and researchers are constantly striving to prove that their method is the most effective In this paper I explore the impact of this paradigm on our approach to intervention, and our understanding of what it means to be autistic. I will look at some of the common themes in early intervention research across a range of approaches, and will state the case for a more ethical methodology when researching young children with autism. I will argue against the medicalization of a disorder that in its nature cannot be defined as a 'medical truth', and subsequently state the case for moving forward into a more qualitative, critical disability paradigm in this field.