ABSTRACT
This chapter describes similarities and differences in the course of psychotherapy as well as typical characteristics both of adult patients with autistic capsules and of autistic children. In the case of psychotherapy with autistic children, the analyst can feel doubly uncomfortable, because the child is indifferent or refuses an emotional relationship and because the parents may put pressure on the analyst to bring about a rapid change in the child's behaviour. Monotonous and unchanging rituals have the function of expressing great strength and power in the transference relationship. Unlike autistic children, adult patients with autistic capsules seem to be intelligent and can apparently interact socially, to a greater or lesser degree. One of the typical characteristics of autistic children is represented by a type of voice that can be flat, sing-song, or echolalic. Psychotherapeutic work with autistic and psychotic patients, both children and adults, benefits from observing the body. Autistic children live mainly in a sensation-dominated world.
