On Friday an article was published in the Irish Examiner by clinical pyschologist Tony Humphreys. It is one of the most inflamatory pieces of pseudo science I’ve read ever. As someone who works with people living with autism and knows many families who have family members diagnosed I know how dangerous and misguided the views expressed by Humphreys are and the potential impact of these views on both government policy and the attitudes of society for people living with the condition. Siobhan O’Neill responds to Humphreys here.
Have you ever read a newspaper article and felt a bit stupid because you couldn’t understand it? A number of people pointed me in the direction of this article yesterday and it took me a good three attempts to get the gist of what Tony Humphreys has to say about autism, or “autism” as I’m sure he likes to call it. After my third attempt, I decided I couldn’t understand the article not because I’m thick, but because it’s the biggest pile of steaming excrement I’ve ever read on the subject.
The gist, as I understood it, is that there’s this clinical psychologist with a book to sell who has decided to call into question the very existence of autism and that for those who are diagnosed with autism, the mammies are to blame for a) not resolving their own ‘emotional turmoil’, b) rearing boys differently to girls and c) living “predominantly in their heads and possess few or no heart qualities”.
So, Tony, my mother clearly showered me with love and affection, nurturing me more than my twin brother and , obviously reared him differently because he’s a boy, therefore he’s autistic and I’m not. Easy.
Ma, your unresolved emotional turmoil is responsible for my twin’s autism. Scarlet for ya. The only emotional turmoil my mother suffers is muttonheads implying that it’s all her fault because she didn’t hug him enough as a child. The fact is, my twin is more loving and openly affectionate than anyone else in my family – he’d make a show of you in Tesco shaking hands with the men and hugging the women on the tills! Is that because he doesn’t get enough love at home? Come on now, Tony, get real.
Ma, you know the way you reared me and my twin totally differently, just for the craic like? Well guess what, it made me twin autistic. You were obviously bored, having reared your first three children in the usual way and decided to have a little experiment when your twins came along. I don’t blame you Ma, it was the days of only two channels and sure you had to make your own fun.
Missus, your child is autistic because you lack heart qualities. What does ‘heart qualities’ even mean? Compassion, patience, love? I don’t know about you Tony, but I’d say watching the same episode of Postman Pat 20 times a day because it makes your autistic child happy demonstrates quite a lot of ‘heart quality’. But then, I’m not a clinical psychologist.
Parents and teachers force children to go through the process of being assessed and diagnosed with autism because it’s easier than facing their own inner turmoil. Seriously? This nonsense got past an editor at the Irish Examiner? Have you ever tried having a child assessed when you don’t have the means to pay for private psychologists? Camping outside the headquarters of the then Eastern Health Board to shame the state into providing decent services for your child? Sure that’s a great distraction altogether from all that inner turmoil. I’d highly recommend it.
Shame on you, for taking a cheap shot at the dedicated, hard-working, loving and often exhausted parents of children with autism. Shame on you for upsetting mothers for the sake of some publicity for your book. Shame on the Irish Examiner for publishing this contemptible, self-serving diatribe.
Good piece Siobhan. Humphreys piece is yet another brick to batter mothers with. I remember reading an academic piece in college which stated that autism was a result of ‘coldness’ from the mothers before birth (ie during the pregnancy) and after. I was more disturbed that my lecturer saw nothing misogynist in this thesis… sure aren’t we to blame for everything.
Thank you. I’ll write more, when I’m able?For now all I am able to produce from the bottom of my heart is a visceral ‘Thank You’.
Fuck. Bastard. Isn’t he some guy peddling quackery to the gullible? He should be fucking shot, and never allowed near anyone actually living in the real world. Clinical psychologist my arse. He should be stripped of whatever online mickey mouse university degree he got to call himself that with.
Fantastic writing Siobhán, thanks for it.
Well done… I’m still so upset at this article, I must be the worst mother ever with 2 sons on the spectrum…
Well said Siobhan ‘patronising prick’ still at a loss for words
Thank you Suzy for summing up what so many of us are feeling. I am still in shock that this article was printed. Like you I had to re-read it as I just couldn’t believe what was being said. I don’t have a direct family experience but I have met plenty of families and their children and in none of these instances did I recognise anything in the article.
spelt my surname wrong in last comment! oops
And it’s Siobhan you can thank
Yay!
For those many of you who don’t know, I was a psychoanalyst for 30 years before being an MEP. We thought we had shut down the ” refrigerator mother” theory of autism years ago, as an absolute. Clearly not. Of course there are grey areas in certain aspects of ASD. but this……being speechless is wiser for me for fear of losing ” impulse control” .
I have 2 boys, eldest is autistic and I have never read such a load of rubbish in my life. We are a very loving caring family and both my boys still loves their hugs and cuddles with their mum. This is an old theory that was put to rest many years ago. Autism is aneurological disorder in the brain and Dr. Humphreys as a learned man and psychologist should know better than this. I assume he may be looking for publicity for his book as even negative publicity is as good if not better than no publicity. I was offended by this article and how dare he judge me and other autistic families like this.
There are many idiots. Most confirm this just by speaking. Only the most simple confirm it permanently by writing it all down, signing it and getting some other idiot to print it. If I find the time to wonder if Mr.Humphreys is such a person I will read his piece. But I think I will probably not bother .. as I am far too busy enjoying my beautiful child (ASD) and her wonderful mother. All the best ….
Fantastic response, good one Siobhan!
I did my experiment on child 2- he’s autistic unlike his older sister and younger brother.
Tony Humphreys- reputation in shreds. The Irish Examiner- shocking lack of foresight and editorial values.
Siobhan excellent reply. Tony’s article was a journalistic and allegedly clinical disgrace. Well done
The Myth of Autism Part 3 | Penumbrage // Feb 5, 2012 at 21:02
[...] This twaddle has been roundly criticized by Three Mile Limit mentioned above, The Family Voyage, Maman Poulet and Bock the Robber. It is also criticized by The Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism and Irish [...]
Apologise man, apologise. This is damaging stuff full of misogyny and lacking heart, hiding behind theory and professional constructs.
Open FM » Today’s Links // Feb 6, 2012 at 09:36
[...] Guest Cluck: Responding to Tony Humphreys On Friday an article was published in the Irish Examiner by clinical pyschologist Tony Humphreys. It is one of the most inflamatory pieces of pseudo science I’ve read ever. As someone who works with people living with autism and knows many families who have family members diagnosed I know how dangerous and misguided the views [...] [...]
Does Tony Humphreys has a doctorate, or has a degree in medicine with a licence to practice? If not either, then he is not a Doctor.
All Tony Humpreys web pages has say he is Dr, but none web pages has his doctorate and his degree is psychology.
Is he real Doctor or not real Doctor?
He is s Clinical Pyschologist – hence the PhD so he is a Dr.
What PhD? Clinical Psychologist is job title and is not requiring PhD in the Ireland. He is not listing PhD anywhere in web pages, but other qualifications lower than PhD. It is seeming that DR is courtesy title only.
Well done and thank you for taking the time to respond to this prick. Im only sorry that you have been upset by him.
Denial of disabilities is a common reaction to them, dont you find? Followed closely by blame the victim, and of course, blame the mother. So there’s nothing new in here.
The pain and anger I recognise as the result of the accumulated lifetime’s worth of putting up with these kind of judgements.
Since my diagnosis Ive been able to establish boundaries much better. These poor sods are willfully ignorant and as such dont deserve your time and energy, even to pour scorn on them.
Keep up your good work and clear vision, I look forward to reading more from you in future K8x
Me thinks Mr.Humphreys is missing a sensitivity chip, either that or maybe he didn’t get enough love as a child.
Having just discussed the above pieces with my partner, she noted the absence of even indicators from a basic search as to where Humphreys got his D. Clinical (the qualification necessary to enable him to professionally practice and make these claims from a position of recognised authority). As Patna said, there is legally nothing to stop someone from claiming to be a clinical psychologist, or indeed any kind of counsellor or psychologist, in spite of the PSI’s best efforts to establish statutory regulations of same (government approval has been pending since 2009.)
In effect, we’re looking at an alternate profession version of Gillian McKeith.
And it’s turned out that one of the cited authors has condemned the article: https://twitter.com/#!/sbaroncohen/statuses/166435324074008576
Commenters may find this piece by Bock the Robber on Tony Humphries and his views on autism of interest: http://bocktherobber.com/2012/02/autism-spectrum-tony-humphreys-clinical-psychologist-blames-the-parents/
I have yet to read the other comments to this article. It is important to say that. This article reminds me of talking to a psychologist in the early 1990′s about Independent Living regarding physical disabilities. I should point out here I am very aware that autism is something very different. I am making the point to this “doctor” that able bodied children learn their independence very gradually over many years and to take a young person of about 18 out of an institution and put them in an apartment and expect them to cope normally is totally unrealistic. I expected him to agree with me and because he was a pshycologist I expected him to expand on what I was trying to say better than I said it myself. Instead he told me I would be aware of that because I was a wheelchair user. I didn’t get angry I just mentally threw my hands up in despair. I think I am the first to coin the phrase “well educated gobshite”. There are a lot of them about.
Well done Siobhan
A lesson in love from Down syndrome, a lesson in emotional distance regarding ASD « Our Jacob // Feb 7, 2012 at 21:56
[...] Siobhan O’Neill guest blogs about it on Suzy’s Maman Poulet. [...]
Well said siobhain and as a single mum with a non verbal nine year old thank you. The man is a numbskull and should feel ashamed of what he has written. In fact they can now scan babies brains at birth and tell you if they have autism. I suppose mr humphries would say that was due to a ‘cold’ pregnancy
Great response
Well done Shiobhan
“Maman Poulet // Feb 6, 2012 at 18:04
said He is s Clinical Pyschologist – hence the PhD so he is a Dr.”
No you must have a medical dgree or have written a 1000 page accepted PhD thesis to be a Dr. in Ireland, otherwise ???
I think many comments here came from people who did not fully read the article. Humphreys does not blame people personally for the nature of their children’s conditions. He is asking for more critical thought about the approach to naming illnesses and symptoms that are not adequately understood and then labelled on young people. The pharmaceutical industry, especially in the US is especially guilty in this regard.
Many comments here are knee jerk reactions, I would urge people to fully read his piece again.
Humphreys confirmed to the Irish Examiner (todays paper) that he has a degree and doctorate from a university of Birmingham.
“Humphreys does not blame people personally?” Perhaps you did not read the part that says “the glaringly obvious fact that if the adults they researched live predominanently in their heads and possess few or no heart qualities, their children will need to find some way of defending themselves against the absence of expressed love and affection and emotional receptivity. After all, the deepest need of every child is to be unconditionally loved and the absence of it results in children shutting down emotionally themselves because to continue to spontaneously reach out for love would be far too painful.”
It is very hard not to read that, and many other pieces by Tony Humpreys, as a statement of cause and effect, as an assertion that parents cause their childrens’ illness.
I hope trainee teachers no longer have to read his stuff in college – ironically he writes about promoting self-esteem in children. He definitely has issues with women/mothers and should sort out his own emotional problems before lifting another pen.
Trainee teachers, parents, counsellers and disability professionals are all in his audience, in several courses that he both teaches on and directs at University level in Ireland – http://www.tonyhumphreys.ie/events/index.html
I see. He is very successful. I am sure he has helped lots of people but hopefully it has been as a result of applying rigour and intelligent unbiased interpretation of actual research and studies to his work . We should not be educated by someone who cannot see past own neuroses. Many people have become successful through the passionate way they communicate ideas which are based purely on their own infantile insecurities and resentments e.g. Hitler. Is this the case here?
Ah Mameecat please don’t play Godwins Law here! There are other examples you could give?
For those who do not know me I am a wheekchair user with cerebral palsy. I also have significant speech disability. I have watched a few TV programmes of parents trying to give love to the children who have autism. It has made me realise how serene my own life is in comparison.
Never heard of that law but yes I take its point! Margaret Thatcher? People hear you when you are absolutely passionately convinced about something as a result of your own experiences, even if it contravenes what is regarded as normal or decent. An educated person especially in the field Mr Humphreys operates, should be aware of his own emotional tendencies and examine them so they do not cloud his intelligent and educated judgement. Maybe he is just an ego driven law on to himself and feels powerful enough at this stage of his career to say just about anything. Then again, I would feel sorry for him if it is a case that he losing his marbles.
@Mameecat, yes, he is very successful and has a current role training carers, parents, parent-mentors and other who have a direct role in the lives of people with autism. Given the PSI response to his beliefs (http://www.thejournal.ie/controversial-autism-article-should-be-retracted-psychological-society-of-ireland-350914-Feb2012/) and his shocking delivery of these beliefs to parents (http://www.facebook.com/Irishautism/posts/366224463390852), he should not be passing these views on, Godwin’s law or not.
I would like to focus on some action. I have no hope for Dr Tony Humphreys acting. I would like the following:
1) The HSE, PSI, Department of Health – State whether Humphreys is entitled to use the terms “consultant clinical psychologist” or “clinical psychologist” or even plain “psychologist” to describe himself. He is not a registered psychologist and probably has not met the training requirements for clinical practice. Does his use of the titles comply with the Health & Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2005/en/act/pub/0027/print.html)
and the Psychological Society of Ireland (www.psihq.ie) accreditation of Clinical Psychologist guidelines? (http://www.psihq.ie/ACCRED%20-New%20PSI%20Clinical%20Acc%20Guidelines%20-%20Jan%20%2709.pdf)
2) The Irish Examiner – Retract the article. The Examiner has removed the article without comment or explanation (and despite a defence of freedom of speech). Dr Andrew Wakefield’s retracted paper on autism remains on the Lancet website with the word “RETRACTED” in large red type (http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2897%2911096-0/abstract) and accompanied by an editorial explaining precisely why it has been retracted (http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2810%2960175-4/fulltext).
3) The Irish Examiner (and all news outlets) – Do not permit “experts” to style themselves with unverified titles and expertise.
4) University College Cork – Restrict Dr Humphreys titles to those appropriate to an university psychologist, prevent his use of the university for advertising his private enterprises and ensure that he does not teach material in direct conflict with the Psychological Society of Ireland guidelines on diagnosis and treatment of autistic spectrum disorder (unless he wishes to formally state that has exited the psychological profession).
Reality Check » 200 Words // Feb 20, 2012 at 21:12
[...] journalists) produce the goods often enough to keep me coming back. Whether its Tony Humphreys‘ views on autism, a questionable advertising claim, or alleged social welfare fraud, the [...]
I would urge people to be very careful of any “experts” they place their trust in. A close relation had a child who was being diagnosed with ADHD and possible Aspergers. It turned out that the child was actually highly gifted and the psychologist who assessed him had no expertise at all in this area or in the similarities between some highly gifted children and those children who have Aspergers. We should never give up expanding our knowledge so there should always be room for discussion and debate.
Sadly, Maria Conroy, you are so right about so-called “experts”, especially in Ireland. Unfortunately any body can call themselves a psychologist and treat patients, or claim to have the answers, or even (like this “Dr” Humphreys) claim to have the cure to autism. It is a horrible abuse of the trust of parents to do this to them.
I think I have studied the socio/political history of disability more than most people, and I find that most progress in this area has been initiated by people with disabiliities themselves, or parents of children with disabilities. History has shown that the professional “experts” have in the main reacted against this because they have seen it as a threat to their status and professional egos. Professionals have an important role to play just like a mechanic is important to me when my car is broken. Thie difference is the mechanic does not assume he has a right to tell me how to live my life.