An insider’s critique of the dominant psychological models of autism

This paper critically reflects upon the most recent attempts to build a psychological explanatory model of autistic spectrum conditions, from the viewpoint of an ‘insider’. This paper contains an overview and critique of the three dominant theories of more recent times: ‘theory of mind’ deficit, executive dysfunction, and weak coherence theory, followed by a critique comparing and contrasting two of the most recent models: empathising-systemising theory and monotropism theory. A major criticism of the majority of these models that is highlighted in this paper, is that they are formed from a perspective of a cognitive paradigm overly restricted by its total adherence to scientific method, often blind to sociological issues, and restrictive of the ‘autistic voice’ being heard. It is argued in this paper that the inconsistencies of these models need to be critiqued, in order to subvert the dominance they enjoy in defining what it is to be autistic.