Soma Mukhopadhyay Explained

Soma Mukhopadhyay is credited with creating rapid prompting method (though others have developed similar techniques, known as informative pointing or alphabet therapy), a pseudoscientific technique that attempts to aid people with autism or other disabilities to communicate through pointing, typing, or writing.[1] It is also known as RPM and Spelling to Communicate.[2] Mukhopadhyay's use of RPM with her autistic son Tito Mukhopadhyay garnered media attention in America in the late 1990s and early 2000s.[3]

Career

Mukhopadhyay came to the United States in 2001. In 2003, Mukhopadhyay gained recognition when featured on the popular news program 60 Minutes. She joined Helping Autism through Learning and Outreach (HALO) in Texas in 2005. She also hosts workshops involving RPM worldwide.[4] [5]

Criticism

RPM is closely related to the scientifically discredited[6] [7] [8] technique facilitated communication (FC).[9] [10] [11] Practitioners of RPM have failed to assess the issue of message agency using simple and direct scientific methodologies, saying that doing so would be stigmatizing and that allowing scientific criticisms of the technique robs people with autism of their right to communicate.[12] The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association has issued a statement opposing the practice of RPM.[13] [14]

It has been noted that when using RPM Mukhopadhyay gives a high rate of verbal, gestural, and physical prompts even to the most independent students, and uses circular logic to explain why she claims RPM is legitimate.[15] Mukhopadhyay has also acknowledged that a teacher who wants to move quickly could accidentally guide the student's arm through touch, although that is not allowed in RPM.[16]

Recognition

The release of the BBC documentary Tito's Story led to a fellowship offer from the Cure Autism Now foundation to Mukhopadhyay.[17]

Publications

External links

Notes and References

  1. Tostanoski. Amy. Lang. Russell. Raulston. Tracy. Carnett. Amarie. Davis. Tonya. Voices from the past: Comparing the rapid prompting method and facilitated communication. Developmental Neurorehabilitation. August 2014. 17. 4. 219–223. 10.3109/17518423.2012.749952. 24102487. free.
  2. Web site: Clayton . Renee . A boy with autism learns life-changing communication skills . Stuff.NZ . 24 January 2018 . 4 January 2020.
  3. Book: Todd, James T. . Old Horses in New Stables . Foxx . Richard M. . Mulick . James A. . 2015 . Controversial Therapies for Autism and Intellectual Disabilities: Fad, Fashion, and Science in Professional Practice . Routledge . 374 . 9781317623830.
  4. News: Montague . Jules . Apple's 2017 Webby-nominated ad featured autism pseudoscience . 17 July 2019 . The Verge . 9 January 2018.
  5. Web site: Kreidler . Marc . Syracuse, Apple, and Autism Pseudoscience . Skeptical Inquirer . 17 July 2019 . 28 April 2016.
  6. Web site: Why debunked autism treatment fads persist. Science Daily. Emory University. etal. Lilienfeld. 10 November 2015.
  7. http://www.apa.org/research/action/facilitated.aspx Facilitated Communication: Sifting the Psychological Wheat from the Chaff.
  8. 13 July 2012. The moral obligation to be empirical: Comments on Boynton's 'Facilitated Communication – what harm it can do: Confessions of a former facilitator'. Evidence-Based Communication Assessment and Intervention. 6. 1. 36–57. 10.1080/17489539.2012.704738. Todd. James T.. 143043194.
  9. Book: Todd. James. Rapid Prompting. Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders. 2497–2503. 10.1007/978-1-4419-1698-3_1896. 2013. 978-1-4419-1697-6.
  10. News: Chandler. Michael Alison. The key to unlock their autistic son's voice. 14 April 2017. The Washington Post. March 1, 2017. Washington, D.C.. A.1.
  11. News: Beach. Patrick. Understanding Tito. Austin Statesman. January 20, 2008. Austin, Texas. J.1.
  12. Web site: Vyse . Stuart . Stuart Vyse . Autism Wars: Science Strikes Back . 7 August 2018 . Center for Inquiry . 9 November 2018.
  13. Web site: Association (ASHA) . American Speech-Language-Hearing . Rapid Prompting Method . American Speech-Language-Hearing Association . 7 July 2019 . en . 2018.
  14. Beals . Katharine . Review of Communication Alternatives in Autism: Perspectives on Typing and Spelling Approaches for the Nonspeaking . Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work . 2020 . 17 . 3 . 361–367 . 10.1080/26408066.2020.1729284. 239764348 .
  15. Tostanoski . Amy . Lang . Russell . Raulston . Tracy . Carnett . Amarie . Davis . Tonya . 2014 . Voices from the past: Comparing the rapid prompting method and facilitated communication . Developmental Neurorehabilitation . 17 . 4 . 219–223 . 10.3109/17518423.2012.749952. 24102487 . free .
  16. Schlosser . Ralf . Hemsley . Bronwyn . Bronwyn Hemsley . Shane . Howard . Todd . James . Lang . Russell . Lilienfeld . Scott . Trembath . David . Mostert . Mark . Fong . Seraphine . Odom . Samuel . 2019 . Rapid prompting method and autism spectrum disorder: Systematic review exposes lack of evidence . Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders . 6 . 4 . 403–412 . 10.1007/s40489-019-00175-w .
  17. Web site: Tito breaks the silence . . 24 December 2008.

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