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disorder (ADD), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyspraxia and dyslexia in addition to ASDs. He believes that these 'labelled disorders' are avoidant behavioural adjustments that enable a threatened child "to survive in a painful world of conditionality" and are curable through "unconditionally valuing and caring" relationships. He has made similar claims for emotionally challenging environments causing the onset of asthma. Both professional and advocate groups have decried his theory of the aetiology of schizophrenia.
43:, where he contributed a psychology column for over ten years until 2012 when it ceased. At that time he wrote a controversial article on autism. The Irish Examiner removed the article from its website because “Tony Humphreys’ assertions made in the article are not supported by the vast body of published research in the field of Autistic Spectrum Disorders and are unhelpful and likely to cause upset”.
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a period of 7 years. He left the monastery a month before taking his vows "having lost all belief in
Catholicism" immediately left his devoutly religious family, who had rejected him. He sought alternative spirituality and put himself through night school to obtain a degree and higher diploma in Physical Education, followed by an MA in 1977 and PhD in 1983 in Psychology.
63:
Upbringing left a significant psychological imprint on Tony
Humphreys and on his philosophy. He was "constantly and unfavourably compared with his twin brother" and sought approval by assuming the role of carer for his invalided mother. He left school at fifteen and joined a monastery at eighteen for
100:
Humphreys has taken the
Refrigerator Mother theory further than others, with claims that abuse and emotional neglect are the cause of schizophrenia and a range of other childhood behaviours that are 'labelled' as medical disorders, including oppositional-defiant disorder (ODD), attention-deficit
96:
and his retirement by members of ICAAN (The Irish
Council for Aspies and Autistic Networking). He continues to maintain that frigid parenting – conscious, subconscious or unconscious – is the root cause of 'autistic' behavioural issues in the family. The Press Ombudsman of Ireland
19:
is an Irish educator, a consultant clinical psychologist, the founder of the
Relationship Mentoring modality of Psychotherapy and the author of eleven self-help books translated into 15 languages and available in 28 countries. They notably include
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adjudicated that "the offence was not only widespread but grave, could have been interpreted as gratuitously provocative, and might have been avoided or at least minimized if the topic had been presented in a different manner".
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He believes strongly in the impact of unconditional love, or its absence, on physical health. He is the
Director of a number of courses in Parent Mentoring, Interpersonal Communication and Relationship Studies at
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583:
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Humphreys, Tony (28 October 2011). "Our rigid labels: Neglect does not irretrievably 'hard-wire' infants – Damage can be undone with unconditional love". p. 5.
739:
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Humphreys, Tony (3 February 2012). "Core connection: A diagnosis of
Asperger's syndrome does little to help a child troubled by unhappy relationships".
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540:
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Cognitive, non-cognitive, biographic and demographic correlates of students' performance in first university examinations. Dissertation Thesis (M.A.)
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Humphreys, Tony (21 May 2010). "An inner longing: The absence of unconditional love in the home is a factor in the onset of asthmatic attacks".
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Brenda Power (12 February 2012). "Peers may take issue with Tony
Humphreys's claim to be "Ireland's most influential psychologist"".
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Humphreys is a parent-mentor and motivational speaker. He regularly wrote about psychology and illness in the
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An experimental investigation of hypnosis as an adjunct to the behavioural treatment of phobias. Thesis (PhD)
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88:(ASD). His published opinions have drawn vociferous complaints from the Minister for Health and Children,
92:, from groups representing families affected by autism and a censure calling for retraction from the
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32:(1998) and ‘'Relationship, Relationship, Relationship: The Heart of a Mature Society'’ (2010).
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Ciara Doyle (Communications
Assistant, Schizophrenia Ireland) (6 June 1996). "Schizophrenia".
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446:, Birmingham: Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Birmingham
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A Different Kind of
Teacher, Self-esteem: the Key to your Child's Future
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A Different Kind of Teacher, Self-esteem the Key to your Child's Future
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81:
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Kathryn Holmquist (21 May 1996). "The power of negative thinking".
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Humphreys, Tony (7 February 1995). "Learning about your 'worth'".
431:, Cork: Department of Applied Psychology, University College Cork
561:"Psychologist Humphreys shocked by Reaction to Autism Comments"
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of the aetiology of autistic behaviours first popularised by
508:"We don't need to defrost an assumption over 70 years old"
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Controversial autism article should be retracted - PSI
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Controversial autism article should be retracted - PSI
584:"Mr Mark Connolly and Others and the Irish Examiner"
363:"It's good for the soul to feel bad about yourself"
381:"Support and encourage is the message for parents"
412:Humphreys, Tony (22 July 2011). "Heaven within".
541:"ICAAN calls for Dr Tony Humphreys' resignation"
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209:Self-Esteem, The Key to Your Child's Future
247:All About Children, Questions Parents Ask
582:Press Council of Ireland (17 May 2012).
489:"Reilly calls autism claims outrageous"
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740:21st-century Irish non-fiction writers
735:20th-century Irish non-fiction writers
730:Alumni of the University of Birmingham
571:from the original on 13 February 2012.
287:. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan.
268:. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan.
249:. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan.
230:. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan.
211:. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan.
192:. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan.
154:. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan.
135:. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan.
116:. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan.
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521:Stephen Rogers (10 February 2012).
487:Ronan McGreevy (14 February 2012).
190:Work and Worth: Take Back Your Life
523:"Comments 'likely to cause upset'"
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725:Alumni of University College Cork
588:Decisions of the Press Ombudsman
506:Kevin Whelan (7 February 2012).
133:The Power of "Negative" Thinking
94:Psychological Society of Ireland
26:The Power of "Negative" Thinking
152:A Different Kind of Discipline
1:
389:. 9 June 2004. Archived from
361:Fergal Keane (2 April 2000).
72:Tony Humphreys promotes the
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442:Anthony Humphreys (1983),
427:Anthony Humphreys (1977),
315:Autistic spectrum disorder
228:Whose Life are you Living?
86:autistic spectrum disorder
74:Refrigerator mother theory
68:Refrigerator mother theory
680:Tony Humphreys' home page
264:Humphreys, Tony (2004b).
245:Humphreys, Tony (2004a).
169:Humphreys, Tony (1998b).
150:Humphreys, Tony (1998a).
283:Humphreys, Tony (2005).
226:Humphreys, Tony (2003).
207:Humphreys, Tony (2002).
188:Humphreys, Tony (2000).
131:Humphreys, Tony (1996).
112:Humphreys, Tony (1995).
59:Early life and education
49:University College Cork
695:Former Roman Catholics
55:, Drumcondra, Dublin.
171:Children Feeling Good
30:Children Feeling Good
567:. 11 February 2012.
705:Irish psychologists
594:on 24 October 2012.
320:Asperger's syndrome
173:. Dublin: Veritas.
53:All Hallows College
367:Sunday Independent
285:Myself, My Partner
720:Self-help writers
294:978-0-7171-3914-9
275:978-0-7171-3734-3
256:978-0-7171-3740-4
237:978-0-7171-3662-9
218:978-0-7171-2990-4
199:978-0-7171-3122-8
180:978-1-85390-374-8
161:978-0-7171-2807-5
142:978-0-7171-2443-5
123:978-0-7171-3790-9
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39:and in the
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715:Motherhood
689:Categories
326:References
569:Archived
546:Facebook
304:See also
28:(1996),
24:(1995),
51:and at
397:23 May
310:Autism
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82:autism
105:Books
399:2023
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