English

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Etymology

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pre- +‎ autistic

Adjective

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preautistic (not comparable)

  1. Before the onset of autism.
    • 1989, Johnny L. Matson, Chronic schizophrenia and adult autism:
      Bettelheim's (1967) theory of autism proposes that for several possible reasons (e.g., pain or discomfort, misperception) the preautistic child perceives that his mother has rejected him/her and begins to withdraw from him/her []