University of Groningen Autism's anatomy Verhoeff, …...Autism's Anatomy A dissection of the...

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University of Groningen Autism's anatomy Verhoeff, Berend IMPORTANT NOTE: You are advised to consult the publisher's version (publisher's PDF) if you wish to cite from it. Please check the document version below. Document Version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Publication date: 2015 Link to publication in University of Groningen/UMCG research database Citation for published version (APA): Verhoeff, B. (2015). Autism's anatomy: A dissection of the structure and development of a psychiatric concept. [Groningen]: University of Groningen. Copyright Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons). Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Downloaded from the University of Groningen/UMCG research database (Pure): http://www.rug.nl/research/portal. For technical reasons the number of authors shown on this cover page is limited to 10 maximum. Download date: 21-06-2020

Transcript of University of Groningen Autism's anatomy Verhoeff, …...Autism's Anatomy A dissection of the...

Page 1: University of Groningen Autism's anatomy Verhoeff, …...Autism's Anatomy A dissection of the structure and development of a psychiatric concept Proefschrift ter verkrijging van de

University of Groningen

Autism's anatomyVerhoeff, Berend

IMPORTANT NOTE: You are advised to consult the publisher's version (publisher's PDF) if you wish to cite fromit. Please check the document version below.

Document VersionPublisher's PDF, also known as Version of record

Publication date:2015

Link to publication in University of Groningen/UMCG research database

Citation for published version (APA):Verhoeff, B. (2015). Autism's anatomy: A dissection of the structure and development of a psychiatricconcept. [Groningen]: University of Groningen.

CopyrightOther than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of theauthor(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons).

Take-down policyIf you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediatelyand investigate your claim.

Downloaded from the University of Groningen/UMCG research database (Pure): http://www.rug.nl/research/portal. For technical reasons thenumber of authors shown on this cover page is limited to 10 maximum.

Download date: 21-06-2020

Page 2: University of Groningen Autism's anatomy Verhoeff, …...Autism's Anatomy A dissection of the structure and development of a psychiatric concept Proefschrift ter verkrijging van de

Autism’s Anatomy

A dissection of the structure and development of a

psychiatric concept

Berend Verhoeff

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ISBN: 978-90-367-8160-2

© 2015 by Berend Verhoeff

Printed and bound by Ipskamp drukkers, Amsterdam 2015

Cover art: M.C Escher (1898-1972), Bird Fish Symmetry Drawing E22, 1938

© 2015 The M.C. Escher Company – Baarn – The Netherlands

www.mcescher.com

All rights reserved

Cover design: Paul Gangloff

Publication of this dissertation was supported by the University of Groningen

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Autism's Anatomy A dissection of the structure and development of a

psychiatric concept

Proefschrift

ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan de

Rijksuniversiteit Groningen

op gezag van de

rector magnificus prof. dr. E. Sterken

en volgens besluit van het College voor Promoties.

De openbare verdediging zal plaatsvinden op

donderdag 5 november 2015 om 12.45 uur

door

Berend Verhoeff

geboren op 29 augustus 1977

te Amsterdam

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Promotores

Prof. dr. D. Draaisma

Prof. dr. G.C.G. Dehue

Beoordelingscommissie

Prof. dr. P. de Jonge

Prof. dr. M.H.N. Schermer

Prof. dr. N. Rose

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Voor Paulien, Elin en Leonard.

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Contents

Acknowledgements ix

1 │ Introduction: A focus on autism 1

2 │ What is this thing called autism? 17

Supplement: Challenging a mechanistic model of mental disorders 53

3 │ Autism in flux 65

4 │ Stabilizing autism 93

5 │ Two kinds of autism 137

6 │ Fundamental challenges for autism research 167

7 │ Kurt Goldstein on autism 177

8 │ Conclusion: Searching for autism in a sea of flux 205

Summary 221

Samenvatting 227

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Acknowledgements

First of all, I would like to thank my primary supervisor professor Douwe

Draaisma. After an informal chat in a café in Groningen, he offered me a small

position at the Theory and History of Psychology Department at the University

of Groningen. This position gave me the opportunity to combine working as a

psychiatrist with doing the type of historical and conceptual research I aspired

to do, within a stimulating and unique multidisciplinary department. From the

very start, professor Draaisma has been a steady support in my struggle to make

sense of the history and science of autism.

I have been exceptionally fortunate to be supervised not only by him, but

also by another prominent Dutch academic and celebrated author of important

books on the interwovenness of psychiatry and society, professor Trudy

Dehue. Her work provided me with numerous significant and original

perspectives on contemporary psychiatry. As a Dutch psychiatrist I am very

happy to notice that her contextualizing and historicizing approach to mental

ailments is no longer feared and resisted by many of those in the field, but is

increasingly appreciated and internalized by Dutch psychiatry. Both my

supervisors have been invaluable sources of inspiration and motivation for

developing my own thoughts on the science and practice of psychiatry. They

underpinned and sustained my commitment to understanding mental health

problems as problems of entire human beings in complex worlds and not

merely as problems of human bodies and brains.

Many others have made a contribution to this dissertation. Various

anonymous article reviewers are gratefully acknowledged for sharpening my

analysis with their remarks and thoughtful suggestions. I am also very grateful

to Des Fitzgerald and the following participants of the Theory and History of

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x │ Acknowledgements

Psychology Forum meetings at the University of Groningen for taking a lot of

time and effort to improve my preliminary manuscripts: Carlos Baum, Jonna

Brenninkmeijer, Jessica Cadwallader, Maarten Derksen, Robin Rymarczuk,

Felix Schirmann, Stephan Schleim, Hilde Tjeerdema, Martijn Wit, and of

course, Trudy Dehue and Douwe Draaisma.

I would also like to thank Dominic Murphy for welcoming me as a research

visitor at the History and Philosophy of Science Unit at the University of

Sydney. Despite all the attractions of living in the beautiful city of Sydney, I was

able to make valuable progress on my dissertation during my months at the

University of Sydney. Cycling to the beautiful campus at 7:00 AM for a focused

day of writing, and joining my family in the afternoon for a swim, some

desperate attempts to surf, and a barbecue at Bronte Beach was an awesome

experience I will never forget.

The Philosophy Department at the University of Amsterdam is also

thankfully acknowledged for accepting me as a visitor and for providing me

with a perfect place to work close to my house. The fellow PhD candidates at

the UvA, Martin Boeckhout, Guus Dix, Pim Klaassen, Floortje Moes, Lukas

Verburgt, Sara Vermeulen and Willemine Willems, are all thanked for the

discussions and many lunches we had. In particular, I would like to thank Pim

Klaassen. As the teacher who introduced me to the work of Ludwik Fleck and

Nikolas Rose during my Master’s in Philosophy; as the colleague who

introduced me to the Philosophy of Science Unit at the UvA; and now as a

good friend and neighbor at ‘Camping Geversduin,’ Pim has been of

immeasurable value. It is not putting it too strongly to say that, in many ways,

this dissertation would not have been possible without Pim’s enthusiasm,

generosity and intellectual input.

I also owe much to Maria Kamphuis for correcting my persistent

grammatical errors and badly written sentences. Writing in English remains a

struggle for me.

Furthermore, I want to thank my wonderful parents Pom and Guus, who

have been extremely supportive in multiple ways. Throughout the years, they

have always encouraged me to do the things I considered important and they

have always showed confidence in the decisions I have made. And, of course,

the many days they have babysat my children have been (and still are) priceless.

Further, for many unexpected hours of babysitting – before unavoidable

deadlines and lectures – I am also indebted to my mother-in-law Marieke, my

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Acknowledgements │ xi

sister Emma, my brothers Otto and Stijn, and my (future?) brothers and sisters-

in-law Peter Paul, Luc, Kristina, Nathalie and Annet.

Finally, there is, of course, my very dear and wonderful wife Paulien. Even

at times when I was hardly able to explain what it was that I was analyzing, not

to mention the practical implications of it, she had faith in the project’s

significance and positive outcome. Throughout the years, Paulien has always

been there for me and I also thank her for our children, Elin and Leonard, the

most beautiful little creatures one could desire. These little ones helped – and

more often forced – me to take some distance from my work. Above all, they

made me realize that compared to all the amazing things a child is able to do in

the first five years of her life, this five-year project is a rather dull achievement.

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Autism’s Anatomy

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