The paper first reviews previous studies made of the causes of schizophrenia as seen by mental health professionals in Western countries and in the Third World. The study at hand focuses on infantile autism and how it is viewed by professionals in the United States and Europe. Questionnaires addressed issues, characteristics and etiology, (genetic-organic, environmental-physical, and social-familial factors). Analysis of questionnaire responses indicated that professionals in the United States, regardless of discipline, are more convinced that organic/genetic factors are responsible for autism than European professionals are. U.S. professionals also gave greater importance to environmental factors than did the Europeans. Europeans were more likely than Americans to suggest parental psychopathology as a factor in autism. (CL)