Refrigerator Mothers

From the 1950s to the early 1970s, an average of one in 500 children in the U.S.--typically from white, middle class families with college educated parents--were struck with a mysterious childhood disorder marked by early social withdrawal and bizarre behavior. At the time, noted psychologist Bruno Bettelheim claimed the disorder was caused by a lack of maternal bonding: the mothers weren't being affectionate, loving, or caring enough, leading the child to simply withdraw. Labeled by professionals as “refrigerator mothers,” these women were urged to get psychological help before their emotionally cold mothering style ruined any future offspring. Surprisingly, the medical community bought into this theory for nearly twenty years before scientific research proved that what we now call autism was a biological disorder of the brain. Filmmakers David E. Simpson, J.J. Hanley, and Gordon Quinn's illuminating Refrigerator Mothers introduces us to seven mothers whose poignant stories of guilt and shame (and ultimately courage as they defied contemporary thinking and sought out the best care and treatment available for their children) are interwoven with commentary from Harvard's Dr. Robert Coles, Bettelheim biographer Richard Pollak, and research psychologist Bernard Rimland, who challenged Bettelheim's theories in his 1964 book Infantile Autism. An outstanding, thought-provoking title that, while uncovering a sad chapter in medical history, also raises awareness of ethical issues surrounding medical research in a sensitive, empathetic manner, this is highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: H, C, P. (L. Stevens)