Uploaded January 2023 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Autism Research Institute Founder Bernard Rimland, PhD, a research psychologist and father of a son with autism, was a key leader in the shepherding the transition from psychogenesis to biogenesis in discussions of causation of autism. He was a founding member of the Autism Society of America in 1965 and founded ARI in 1967. His 1964 book, "Infantile Autism: The Syndrome and Its Implications for a Neural Theory of Behavior," helped to close the door on theories that defined autism as an emotional disturbance to be blamed on parents.
In this 1995 interview, Dr. Rimland discusses his life's work as a father, advocate, and researcher in the autism community.
Autism Research Institute Founder Bernard Rimland, PhD, a research psychologist and father of a son with autism, was a key leader in the shepherding the transition from psychogenesis to biogenesis in discussions of causation of autism. He was a founding member of the Autism Society of America in 1965 and founded ARI in 1967. His 1964 book, "Infantile Autism: The Syndrome and Its Implications for a Neural Theory of Behavior," helped to close the door on theories that defined autism as an emotional disturbance to be blamed on parents.
In this 1995 interview, Dr. Rimland discusses his life's work as a father, advocate, and researcher in the autism community.
