Which historical description of autism referred to "refrigerator mothers"?

The correct answer is rooted in the historical context of autism research and how it was understood in the mid-20th century. In the 1960s, particularly in 1967, the term "refrigerator mother" was coined by psychiatrist Leo Kanner to describe a theory suggesting that autism was caused by a lack of emotional warmth from mothers. This idea implied that mothers who were distant or unloving were responsible for their children's autism, reflecting the societal attitudes and misconceptions about the disorder at that time.

This concept was widely discussed and became part of the psychoanalytic theories that dominated thinking about autism in that era. It emphasized the importance of maternal behavior in the development of children with autism, often placing blame on mothers which had significant social and emotional repercussions for families. This theory has since been discredited, and research now emphasizes biological and genetic factors in the etiology of autism rather than attributing it to parental behavior.

The other years listed do not correspond with the origin of the "refrigerator mother" concept. The 1980s and 1990s marked periods of significant advancement in understanding autism, with a shift towards recognizing the neurological and genetic underpinnings rather than psychosocial factors. Therefore, the significance of 196