La prise en charge de l'autisme : le traitement médiatique

The controversies about French autism care services receive heavy media coverage. The parents' associations of autistic children, who obtained that autism became “The Great National Cause for 2012”, heap criticism on psychoanalysis and promote behavioural methods. The notion of French scandal is taken up by most of the media. Only few of them adopt a more moderate attitude and take into account the fieldwork of professionals aiming to help families and children. The shortage of public services, the first aim of the mobilization for the parents' associations in the 1960-1990s, is relegated to the background. The co-construction of public problems by the media and the associations is analyzed to better understand how public opinion is built.