Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition recognized globally for its distinct patterns in communication, social interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviors. Understanding why the condition is called “autism” requires tracing its linguistic origin and following its migration through the history of psychiatric classification. The term has evolved from a narrow description of a specific symptom to a comprehensive label for a wide spectrum of neurological difference.
The Linguistic Foundation
The word “autism” is constructed from two elements of the ancient Greek language, providing a linguistic foundation for its meaning. The root of the word is autos, which translates simply to “self” or “spontaneous,” emphasizing an inward focus.
The second part is the suffix -ismos, which denotes a state, condition, or process. When combined, the resulting word, autismos, literally means “a state of being focused on oneself” or “isolated self.” This etymological definition is purely descriptive of self-absorption or detachment, and it predates any specific medical application.
Eugen Bleuler and the Term’s First Use
The term “autism” was first formally introduced into medical literature by the Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler in the early 20th century. Bleuler, who also coined the term schizophrenia, first used autismus in 1908 to describe a specific symptom of that condition. He observed in his adult patients a profound withdrawal into an internal fantasy world.
Bleuler defined this “autism” as a detachment from reality, where inner life superseded connection to the outside world. This application was meant to describe one of the “four A’s” of schizophrenia. In this original context, Bleuler’s “autism” was not considered a stand-alone disorder, nor was it primarily associated with childhood. It was understood as a degenerative symptom of a severe mental illness, signifying a retreat from social engagement.
Leo Kanner and the Defining of Early Infantile Autism
The critical moment that connected the name “autism” to the modern neurodevelopmental condition occurred in 1943 through the work of Austrian-American psychiatrist Leo Kanner. Kanner published his landmark paper, “Autistic Disturbances of Affective Contact,” based on his meticulous study of 11 children. He observed a unique pattern of behaviors in this cohort, which he recognized as distinct from the adult condition Bleuler had described. Kanner noted that these children shared a profound “extreme aloneness” and an inability to relate to people from the beginning of life.
Kanner chose to borrow Bleuler’s term because the children’s profound difficulty with social connection resonated with the autos root. He redefined it as a unique, inborn condition, which he termed “early infantile autism.” Kanner’s work established that the condition was present from birth and centered on an inherent difficulty in affective contact.
The Evolution to Autism Spectrum Disorder
The understanding of autism continued to evolve, broadening significantly beyond Kanner’s initial, narrow description. Independently of Kanner, Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger described a group of children with similar social difficulties but often with intact language and average or above-average intelligence, which would later be recognized as Asperger syndrome. The eventual recognition of both Kanner’s and Asperger’s work highlighted the wide variability in the condition’s presentation.
This variability led to the development of the “spectrum” concept, formally consolidating several related diagnoses under the umbrella of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) in 2013 officially merged previous separate labels, such as Asperger’s syndrome and Autistic Disorder, into ASD. The name “autism” endures because the core feature, a difference in social interaction and an internal focus rooted in the Greek autos, remains central to the diagnosis across the entire spectrum. This single term now encapsulates a continuum of characteristics, acknowledging the diverse ways the condition manifests.