EVALUATE REFRIGERATOR MOTHER

Question 1

FOR

Answer 1

• supported by Freud
• supported by Bowlby
• often found that mothers of ASD are overwhelmed by stress and depression this can cause ASD

Question 2

AGAINST

Answer 2

• lack of evidence rimland found description of mother did not match majority of mothers of ASD children those who do match don’t have ASD children
• Campbell et al estimated 93% of ASD children’s siblings do not have ASD
• arguing against stress and depression is ASD is the cause in mother rather than other way around
• theory misinterprets direction of causality and blames mother

Question 3

APPLICATION

Answer 3

• due to wasted years of this being central theory this highlights the importance of conducting on going research and the need to stop avoiding ideas without question
• the fact this theory was considered scientific in its day has lessons for science today

Question 4

ALTERNATIVE

Answer 4

• by assuming this theory is only explanation for ASD this is reductionist and ignores other equally plausible explanations eg twin studies