ABSTRACT
The formulations which will be suggested in this and the following chapters are based on a large quantity of observational and clinical material from which selected examples have been quoted in previous chapters. In the present chapter three main systems of pathological autism will be described and differentiated from each other. A precipitating factor for all types of pathological autism seems to be the mouth-experienced ‘hole’ type of depression associated with feelings of terror, helplessness and defectiveness. This has been termed psychotic depression. The first system of pathological autism to be discussed will be termed Abnormal Primary Autism (A.P.A.).
