An ethological approach to autism: an analysis of visual behaviour and interpersonal contact in a child versus adult interaction.

Eighteen children classified into 4 diagnostic categories were compared based on their behaviour in a child-adult interaction. The categories consist of autistic children with full syndrome, autistic children in a residual state, hyperactive children, and mentally retarded children. An ethological analysis of the interpersonal distance, the amount of physical contact, and the direction of the look/gaze was carried out to describe some behavioural aspects of infantile autism. The autistic children with full syndrome were found to be different from the other categories by a relatively close interpersonal distance, a high frequency of physical contact, and a low frequency of "look at face".