Download or read book Autism as an Executive Disorder written by James Russell and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 1997 with total page 313 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Autism continues to fascinate researchers because it is both debilitating in its effects and complex in its nature and origins. The prevalent theory is that autism is primarily characterised by difficulties in understanding mental concepts, but the contributors to this book present new andcompelling arguments for an alternative theory. Their research points strongly to the idea that autism is primarily a disorder of "executive functions", those involved in the control of action and thought. As such, the book provides a new and controversial perspective on this importantquestion.