Published : 2026-10-16

Was it a Woman Who First Noticed and Described the Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Psychiatrist Grunya Efimovna Sukhareva

Abstract

Sukhareva’s work is little known and largely underappreciated outside Russia. In addition to calling for greater recognition of her key contribution to the genesis of the conceptualization and categorization of autism, this article reflects on possible explanations for the late and incomplete recognition of Sukhareva’s role in contemporary psychiatry, analyzing her biographical and historical background. Attention was also drawn to its strong roots in pedology, as well as its contribution to curative education. She postulated individualization in the therapy of autistic people and – most importantly – she always paid attention not only to the deficits resulting from autism, but above all to the potential inherent in the child and its positive features. Her achievements were pioneering in many fields, but above all, she was the first to draw attention to the problem of the impact of gender differences on the symptomatology of autism.

Keywords:

Grunya Efimovna Sukhareva, pedology, curative education, autism, gender differences on the symptomatology of autism



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Buława-Halasz , J., & Chilman, A. (2026). Was it a Woman Who First Noticed and Described the Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder? Psychiatrist Grunya Efimovna Sukhareva. Biografistyka Pedagogiczna [Biographical Studies in Education], 11(1), 169–185. https://doi.org/10.36578/bp.2026.11.05

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"Biografistyka Pedagogiczna" received funding for the years 2022-2024 from the funds of the Minister of Education and Science under the programme „Rozwój Czasopism Naukowych”.

Project duration: 2023-2024.

The amount of co-financing is 65 992,00 PLN

Contract number: RCN/SP/0434/2021/1