ARAPI was born around 1980 with one innovative goal: gathering parents and psychiatrists around scientific researchers. Since then, ARAPI organise every other year a professional colloquium -- the "Fall University" -- that gathers physicians, parents, and stakeholders of the autism sector around researchers coming from France and internationally. In addition, ARAPI is the editor of the "Bulletin Scientifique", a peer-reviewed publication issued several times a year to communicate on the current state of research in the field of autism.