Social Skills - Autism Research Institute https://autism.org/category/webinar/social-skills/ Advancing Autism Research and Education Wed, 08 May 2024 21:09:01 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.3 Motor Skills and Executive Function in Autism https://autism.org/motor-cognitive-development/ Wed, 08 May 2024 01:07:13 +0000 https://autism.org/?p=17943 Learn about emerging research on the relationship between the development of motor skills and executive function in autistic children. Handouts are online HERE The speakers: Megan MacDonald, PhD is a professor of kinesiology, the early childhood research core director at the Hallie E. Ford

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Learn about emerging research on the relationship between the development of motor skills and executive function in autistic children.

Handouts are online HERE

The speakers:

Megan MacDonald, PhD is a professor of kinesiology, the early childhood research core director at the Hallie E. Ford Center for Children and Families and the OSU IMPACT for Life faculty scholar – all housed within the College of Health. Her vision is that every child is active and accepted.

Megan McClelland, PhD, is the Katherine E. Smith Professor of Healthy Children and Families at Oregon State University (OSU) where she serves as Endowed Director at the Hallie E. Ford Center for Healthy Children and Families. Her research focuses on optimizing children’s development, especially as it relates to children’s self-regulation, early learning, and school success. Her recent work has examined links between self-regulation and long-term outcomes from early childhood to adulthood, recent advances in measuring self-regulation, and intervention efforts to improve these skills in young children. She works with colleagues and collaborators around the world and is currently involved with a number of national and international projects to develop measures of self-regulation and improve school success in young children.

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How Games Foster Social Connection https://autism.org/how-games-can-help-teach-social-skills/ Thu, 21 Mar 2024 04:33:48 +0000 https://last-drum.flywheelsites.com/?p=16610 Learn about research that suggests that fostering game skills may serve as a lifelong bridge to engaging with peers. Handouts are online HERE The speakers: Gray Atherton, PhD, has a BSc in Child Development from Vanderbilt University, a Master’s in Counselling from University of Houston,

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Learn about research that suggests that fostering game skills may serve as a lifelong bridge to engaging with peers.

Handouts are online HERE

The speakers:
Gray Atherton, PhD, has a BSc in Child Development from Vanderbilt University, a Master’s in Counselling from University of Houston, and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Individual Differences from University of Houston. She has previously lectured at University of Houston and the University of Wolverhampton. Prior to entering academia, Gray was a counselor for adolescents with neurodevelopmental conditions. “I am interested in understanding how people with autism spectrum condition see the social world. Specifically, I explore individual differences in social processing and how these differences often found in people with autism also exist in the general population. I also investigate anthropomorphism, or seeing the human in the non-human, and how this relates to social processing in autism. To investigate this, I am developing virtual reality techniques that allow for anthropomorphic experiences. My other research interest lies more broadly in embodied social processing. I am particularly interested in how movement can affect the way we see ourselves and our social partners, and how this can be used to understand special populations.”

Dr. Liam Cross “I have a BSc in Psychology from Lancaster University and a PhD in Psychology from Leeds Beckett University. My PhD focused on how and why engaging in Coordinated Rhythmic Movement affects interpersonal relations and group processes and relations. Basically how moving in coordinated ways (dancing, singing or even walking) fosters greater affiliation, cooperation & conformity towards our co-actors & changes in our social identity.” Dr. Cross’s research interests include whether the theory of mind deficits in those with ASD can be alleviated by changing the object of evaluation in these measures from human to cartoon and animal stimulus, and, most recently the overlap between tabletop games and autism.

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Gender and Autism https://autism.org/gender-and-autism/ Tue, 06 Feb 2024 04:04:41 +0000 https://last-drum.flywheelsites.com/?p=16605 Gray Atherton, Ph.D., details the socialization of the female gender experience and how that plays into autism gender biases. The speaker discusses the experiences of autistic women, highlighting that gender is a critical barrier to diagnosis and care. Atherton details recent investigations into implicit gender biases in autism and their impact on

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Gray Atherton, Ph.D., details the socialization of the female gender experience and how that plays into autism gender biases. The speaker discusses the experiences of autistic women, highlighting that gender is a critical barrier to diagnosis and care. Atherton details recent investigations into implicit gender biases in autism and their impact on medical care and autism understanding. She evidences contemporary shifts in the zeitgeist of gender and autism and provides suggestions for future research. The presenter offers sources and acknowledgments before the Q&A, where she discusses masking, minorities and misdiagnosis, videogaming and autism, and much more. 

In this webinar:

1:00 – Agenda and introduction
4:40 – Gendered development & autism descriptions
8:00 – Female protective effect
10:00 – Male brain theory
12:35 – Gender and autism
16:20 – Masking
18:50 – Study 1: Age of diagnosis and quality of life
26:10 – Effects of late diagnosis
30:00 – Gender biases and a new ratio
35:12 – Study 2: Implicit gender biases against female autism
40:11 – Findings
42:40 – Study 3: The zeitgeist of gender and autism
44:50 – Summary and future research
48:08 – Q&A

Female gender experiences

Atherton discusses the construction and socialization of the female gender experience, underscoring observed differences in toys, colors, expectations, and language used with female versus male children (2:15). She explains that females show more relational aggression (indirect) compared to males by age four (4:40) and tend to consider hierarchies and reputation in social interactions and communication from a very young age (6:15). These differences, the speaker continues, result, in part, from contrasting developmental pressures and environments between females and males. 

Gender and autism

Historical descriptions of autism are skewed toward the male presentation due to classic gender biases (6:40). Atherton outlines two prominent hypotheses that aim to explain observed gender differences in autism: the Female Protective Effect (8:00) and the Male Brain Theory (10:10). While these theories have been widely investigated, contemporary understandings of gender and autism reveal them to be limited in scope and understanding. 

Atherton cites research showing higher rates of gender diversity in autism, where transgender and gender-diverse people are three to four times more likely to be autistic than cisgender people (12:35). She discusses masking (16:20), or the process of copying other people and learning how to socialize, and how repetitive behaviors and other signs of autism can be easily mistaken for the expected “nice” “quiet” or “organized” qualities of girls and women (13:35)

Age of diagnosis and quality of life

The speaker details a recent investigation into the effect that age at autism diagnosis has on an individual’s quality of life (QoL) (18:50). The study found that women are significantly more likely to be diagnosed in adulthood compared to men and that women actually reported higher thresholds of autistic traits, but were still missed by practitioners (21:13). QoL scores were negatively associated with age of diagnosis and masking. In a subsequent interpretive phenomenological analysis of lived autistic experiences, participants reported that their gender kept them from receiving a diagnosis – that they would have received a diagnosis much younger if they were male (22:16). These findings suggest that women do have autism at least as frequently as men and that women are primarily underdiagnosed in adolescence, which leads to lower overall QoL (25:05).

A study by Rodgaard et al., 2021 found that women who received a late diagnosis were misdiagnosed at least once with depression, anxiety, sleep issues, etc. (28:35). Atherton underscores that without early diagnosis and proper medical care, individuals are more likely to develop co-occurring conditions. In fact, 26% of late-diagnosed women have co-occurring conditions compared to 13% of late-diagnosed males and 3% of the general population (26:10)

Implicit gender biases

The presenter outlines a study by Burrow et al., 2022 where researchers conducted direct assessments of autism symptoms at six to nine (6-9), twelve to fifteen (12-15), twenty-four (24), and thirty-six to sixty months (36-60) (30:00). Data revealed a 1:1 gender ratio of male/female children with “high concern” for autism – a stark contrast to the historically accepted 4:1 ratio. Clinician notes often referenced ‘monitoring’ girls over time but not needing a diagnosis in the same way as the boys did (33:00). These findings, Atherton asserts, suggest that although there is no biological bias, there seems to be different symptoms in females, perhaps as a result of female socialization, and subsequent bias in autism understandings and diagnosis.

 To determine whether there are implicit biases held against female autism, Atherton and her team paired vignettes of autistic descriptors with male and female names and asked participants to say how autistic each vignette seemed (35:12). She explains that implicit biases may never be cognizantly acted upon, but that they still affect the way we understand and respond to information (38:15). Results from the study showed that participants were slower to respond and made more mistakes when autistic descriptors were paired with female names compared to male names. Item-by-item differences were also recorded, where words that were explicitly autistic were viewed as male, and those that were the opposite of autistic were considered female (40:11). The speaker asserts these findings show implicit biases associated with females being autistic. 

Conceptualizing autism

To properly care for autistic individuals, it is critical to understand the zeitgeist or cultural climate around autism and gender. To test this, the speaker collected photos that represented autism from 163 people. Many participants sent pictures of females and wrote about the struggles that autistic women face. Many participants also noted that we need to reimagine autism in accordance with gender (42:40)

The speaker summarizes her presentation, highlighting the difficulties in diagnosis and care faced by autistic females, that women have the same amount or more autistic traits compared to men, that there are implicit biases against autism as a female experience, and that the cultural zeitgeist of autism and gender is changing according to the unique struggles and voices of autistic females (44:50). Atherton provides signup information for individuals interested in participating in future research projects about female autism trait presentation, gender diversity in autism, and adult experiences of neurodiverse people, specific to improving QoL (45:50). She provides references and thanks before the Q&A session (48:08)

The speaker:
Gray Atherton, PhD, has a BSc in Child Development from Vanderbilt University, a Master’s in Counselling from University of Houston, and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Individual Differences from University of Houston. She has previously lectured at University of Houston and the University of Wolverhampton. Prior to entering academia, Gray was a counselor for adolescents with neurodevelopmental conditions. “I am interested in understanding how people with autism spectrum condition see the social world. Specifically, I explore individual differences in social processing and how these differences often found in people with autism also exist in the general population. I also investigate anthropomorphism, or seeing the human in the non-human, and how this relates to social processing in autism. To investigate this I am developing virtual reality techniques that allow for anthropomorphic experiences. My other research interest lies more broadly in embodied social processing. I am particularly interested in how movement can affect the way we see ourselves and our social partners, and how this can be used to understand special populations.”

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Gender Discomfort and Autism

June 16th, 2023|News|

"I think society has an expectation where you have to be male or female, or you can be somewhere in between [...]. But they don't get that, actually, there are many genders and

  • gender dysphoria

Gender Dysphoria and ASD

January 6th, 2019|Adults on the Spectrum, Webinar|

Wenn Lawson, Ph.D., discusses gender dysphoria (GD) and how it shapes the lives of many individuals with autism. He outlines a single-minded focus concerning social and cultural constructs of gender identity and constantly reiterates

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Effective Coping Strategies for Sensory Differences and Executive Function https://autism.org/compensation-skills/ Tue, 30 Jan 2024 17:15:40 +0000 https://last-drum.flywheelsites.com/?p=16895 Drs. Greg Wallace and Goldie McQuaid share their research on strategies autistic adults develop to compensate for non-social challenges they experience, including sensory sensitivities and executive function differences. Handouts are online HERE (printable PDF) The speakers: Greg Wallace, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the

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Drs. Greg Wallace and Goldie McQuaid share their research on strategies autistic adults develop to compensate for non-social challenges they experience, including sensory sensitivities and executive function differences.

Handouts are online HERE (printable PDF)

The speakers:

Greg Wallace, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at The George Washington University. His research focuses on neuropsychological and structural brain development in autism spectrum disorder and other neurodevelopmental disorders across the lifespan and their impacts on real-world outcomes. He is also particularly interested in eating-related behaviors and their cognitive and neural correlates in typical and atypical (e.g., autism spectrum disorder) development. Dr. Wallace has published extensively and presented his work widely on these and related topics.

Goldie McQuaid, Ph.D., is research faculty in the George Mason University Department of Psychology. Before joining the JackLab, she received her Ph.D. in Theoretical Linguistics from Georgetown University, followed by post-doctoral training in developmental neuroimaging at Georgetown University Medical Center and the Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute at George Washington University. She is a 2020-2022 Fellow in the Society for Neuroscience Neuroscience Scholars Program. Her research focuses on sex, gender, and the transition to adulthood in autism, with a particular focus on how alexithymia and camouflage impact well-being in autistic adults. Currently, she holds a National Institutes of Health K01 award that will allow her to conduct research related to emotion processing, gender identity, and risk for anxiety and depression in autistic adults.

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Anthropomorphism and Autism https://autism.org/anthropomorphism-and-autism/ Tue, 24 Oct 2023 06:01:01 +0000 https://last-drum.flywheelsites.com/?p=16599 Dr. Gray Atherton, Ph.D., explores the connection between autism and anthropomorphism. She provides a brief historical and social context for anthropomorphism in our daily lives before diving into the prevalence and advantages of anthropomorphism in autism. The speaker details recent studies that challenge prevalent theories about socialization, Theory of Mind, and

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Dr. Gray Atherton, Ph.D., explores the connection between autism and anthropomorphism. She provides a brief historical and social context for anthropomorphism in our daily lives before diving into the prevalence and advantages of anthropomorphism in autism. The speaker details recent studies that challenge prevalent theories about socialization, Theory of Mind, and anthropomorphism in autism. Atherton asserts that many autistic people use anthropomorphism prolifically in everyday life and often outperform their non-autistic peers in this aspect of Theory of Mind. The presenter highlights anthropomorphism as a strength for many autistic individuals and suggests using it to support learning and interventions for autism. 

Handouts are online (.pdf) HERE

In this webinar:

1:58 – What is anthropomorphism?
5:00 – Importance of anthropomorphism
8:05 – Autism and anthropomorphism
10:00 – Social Motivation Theory of Autism
14:00 – Study 1: Theory of mind processes in autistic adolescents
18:50 – Study 2: Review of studies with anthropomorphic stimuli
23:45 – Study 3: Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test – anthropomorphized
29:00 – Study 4: Intellectual disability and emotion recognition
32:25 – Study 5: Verbal anthropomorphism and theory of mind
35:30 – Study 6: Pets and anthropomorphism in everyday life
39:50 – Recap
41:30 – Flip the narrative
46:00 – Applications and interventions
48:20 – Q & A session

History and importance of anthropomorphism

Atherton defines anthropomorphism as the attribution of human-like qualities, emotions, or behaviors to non-human entities, such as animals or objects (1:58). Examples of anthropomorphism are seen throughout history in our deities and legends, who often assume human characteristics. The speaker explains the importance of anthropomorphism in religion, connection, and socialization. She explains that wanting to understand something that isn’t human drives us to anthropomorphize and highlights that anthropomorphism is frequently related to loneliness (5:00). Atherton touches on the presence of anthropomorphism in childhood media and notes its increasing use in contemporary care work and technology (6:25)

Autism and Anthropomorphism

The presenter discusses the Social Motivation Theory of Autism and outlines publications supporting the claim that autistic people are less socially motivated than their peers (9:00). Theory of Mind (ToM), or the capacity to ascribe emotions to other people based on facial expressions and personal characteristics, is closely related to anthropomorphism. Atherton outlines a study that tested ToM in relation to a video of moving shapes. Results showed that non-autistic respondents used human-like adjectives to describe the shape interactions, while autistic participants used more concrete descriptives and less mental state language (10:56). Given the contrast in responses, researchers concluded that autistic people have lower ToM and are less likely to anthropomorphize or use human-like descriptors. Atherton describes her own professional experiences with autistic individuals as totally contrary to these assumptions and asserts the need for further exploration into ToM and autism (12:10)

Study 1: Theory of Mind processes in autistic adolescents 

To explore the Theory of Mind experiences of autistic adolescents, the speaker conducted an open-response interview and interpretive phenomenological analysis (14:00). The study revealed four overarching themes concerning how autistic people engage with ToM processes: honesty, humor, visualization, and anthropomorphism (15:00). Atherton presents sub-themes and quotes from participants that reflect their prolific use of anthropomorphism in daily life. She asserts that these findings challenge accepted notions that autistic people have low ToM and social motivation (17:23)

Study 2: Review of investigations with anthropomorphic stimuli

Although anthropomorphism isn’t often explicitly studied, many investigations use anthropomorphic stimuli as a control in comparative studies (18:50). In reviewing such studies, the speaker found that autistic individuals perform significantly better on ToM tests when the stimuli are non-human instead of human (20:00). She outlines three publications that revealed:

  1. Autistic people prefer anthropomorphized images over human ones.
  2. Autistic people actually have an advantage in this area of ToM compared to their non-autistic peers.
  3. This advantage may have to do with the expertise or familiarity that autistic people have with non-human social agents (22:30). 

Study 3: Reading the Mind in the Eyes test – anthropomorphized

Reading the Mind in the Eyes test (RME) is a classic ToM exercise where participants determine emotions based on photos of a person’s eyes. Atherton and colleagues created a cartoon (anthropomorphic) version of the RME and compared autistic and non-autistic group responses for both versions (23:45). Results showed that the non-autistic group had higher success on the human RME test but that the autistic participants outperformed their counterparts on the cartoon test (27:00). These results, the presenter posits, suggest that anthropomorphism may be a strength for autistic individuals, further challenging the preconceived notions that autistic people have low ToM and emotion recognition capabilities.

Study 4: Intellectual disability and emotion recognition

Around 40% of autistic individuals also have some co-occurring intellectual disability, and many are non-verbal. Atherton explains how communication barriers often exclude this part of the autistic community from research participation (28:00). She outlines a recent study that took these differences into account and assessed whether the prolific use of anthropomorphism revealed in previous studies defines the entire autism spectrum (29:00). Researchers used a combination of human faces and animal face filters to test ToM. They found a significant increase in correct answers for the photos with animal filters on them, suggesting participants better understand anthropomorphized stimuli compared to human faces (31:20). The presenter discusses study limitations, noting the aspect of visual salience. 

Study 5: Verbal anthropomorphism and theory of mind

To see if anthropomorphism extends beyond visual context, Atherton and colleagues used a verbal ToM Faux Pas test (32:25). They tested participants’ ability to determine whether someone said something awkward in both human and anthropomorphized stories provided in text. Similar results to previous studies were found: autistic people struggled with human-based wording but performed at the same level as, if not better than, the non-autistic group with anthropomorphized stories (34:00). Atherton asserts that these findings suggest anthropomorphism may play a critical role in how autistic people engage in perspective-taking and conceptualize ToM. 

Study 6: Pets and anthropomorphism in everyday life

As human beings, we often anthropomorphize our pets to relate to them and create connections. Atherton describes a study on differences between autistic and non-autistic groups in their anthropomorphism of pets. Results showed that the autistic group was equally attached to their pets and used similar amounts of anthropomorphism as their non-autistic counterparts. Interestingly, the presenter states, Autism Quotient scores correlated with anthropomorphism and autistic people were more likely to substitute pets for people (mediated by social avoidance) (35:30). Interpretive phenomenological analysis of 16 interviews with autistic pet owners showed that pets can often act as a social alternative and/or a social lubricant. Participants frequently noted that with animals, “you don’t have to wear a mask – they don’t know what social rules you may be breaking” (37:15)

Atherton states that these real-life examples show how autistic individuals intentionally create anthropomorphic connections to compensate for social deficits or avoidance. These intentional connections manifest in various ways, from donating to animal charities to becoming a cat behaviorist. The speaker asserts that we need to understand anthropomorphism as a strength and something that autistic people may be particularly good at. Perhaps, she continues, they are engaging with and becoming experts in anthropomorphism because it’s a way to have connections that don’t feel judgmental or forced (39:00)

The big picture

The speaker summarizes the presentation, highlighting that evidence suggests autistic people anthropomorphize at least to the same degree as their non-autistic peers and that anthropomorphism may play a role in the way autistic people conceptualize or engage in ToM and perspective-taking (39:50). She presents a diagram of the Social Motivation Theory and suggests that we flip the narrative. Instead of saying autistic people have decreased human/social motivation or recognition, we can say they have increased non-human attention to faces and understand non-humans much more (41:30)

The presenter notes that anthropomorphism may vary across developmental stages and cites a multi-age study where anthropomorphism decreased with age (44:15). She suggests leveraging anthropomorphic stimuli, like cartoons, in educational and therapeutic settings with autistic individuals. For example, a pilot study using Hololens glasses is underway, which could allow for more meaningful interactions using anthropomorphism and digital projections (46:00). Atherton invites viewers to share their real-life experiences with anthropomorphism and provides her contact information (47:15) before beginning the Q & A session (48:20)

The speaker:
Gray Atherton, PhD, has a BSc in Child Development from Vanderbilt University, a Master’s in Counselling from University of Houston, and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Individual Differences from University of Houston. She has previously lectured at University of Houston and the University of Wolverhampton. Prior to entering academia, Gray was a counselor for adolescents with neurodevelopmental conditions. “I am interested in understanding how people with autism spectrum condition see the social world. Specifically, I explore individual differences in social processing and how these differences often found in people with autism also exist in the general population. I also investigate anthropomorphism, or seeing the human in the non-human, and how this relates to social processing in autism. To investigate this I am developing virtual reality techniques that allow for anthropomorphic experiences. My other research interest lies more broadly in embodied social processing. I am particularly interested in how movement can affect the way we see ourselves and our social partners, and how this can be used to understand special populations.”

Take the knowledge quiz

Can’t see the quiz below? Take it online HERE

LGBTQIA+ and Autism

June 13th, 2022|News, Parenting|

Contemporary research on the intersection of autism, sexuality, and gender identity asserts that autistic individuals are more likely to identify as LGBTQIA+ than the neurotypical population. Similarly, the prevalence of autism is

Understanding Social Development in ASD

June 25th, 2019|Adults on the Spectrum, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Challenging Behaviors, Educational Therapies, Infants, Social Skills, Webinar|

Dr. Matthew D. Lerner, Ph.D., discusses social development in individuals with autism. He emphasizes understanding theoretical mechanisms that underly processes generally accepted as social “skills.” The presenter outlines recent findings and discusses their implication

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Social Media Use and Autism – Teens and Adults https://autism.org/social-media-use-and-autism-teens-and-adults/ Wed, 20 Sep 2023 04:27:03 +0000 https://last-drum.flywheelsites.com/?p=16566 Pamela Wisniewski, PhD, presents new research about the online and social media experiences of autistic teens and young adults. Her research findings emphasize teaching teens how to leverage technology to their advantage, stay safe while doing so, and cope with online risks when they are encountered. The presenter asserts that, as

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Pamela Wisniewski, PhD, presents new research about the online and social media experiences of autistic teens and young adults. Her research findings emphasize teaching teens how to leverage technology to their advantage, stay safe while doing so, and cope with online risks when they are encountered. The presenter asserts that, as parents and educators, it is our job to teach autistic teens online safety skills so they can become well-informed and independent adults. She explains how autistic teens can be disproportionately affected (positively and negatively) by social media experiences, making it important to take evidence-based precautions that protect them from harm without limiting their ability to benefit from what the internet has to offer. The speaker highlights that digital guidelines will vary based on each individual’s needs. 

Handouts are online HERE

In this webinar: 

0:35 – Fear-based narratives and online safety
3:55 – Finding the middle ground
5:05 – Study 1: Online exposure diary study
7:20 – Quotes from teens
11:00 – Parents’ knowledge
13:49 – Why teens don’t tell
15:25 – End of study findings
16:35 – Study 2: Ethnographic study on risks and benefits of social media use
18:20 – Benefits of social media use for autistic youth
21:30 – How young autistic adults perceive digital affordances
24:40 – Quotes and examples from the study
28:50 – Effects of mediating social media use
32:30 – What can we do?
36:55 – Online safety as a developmental process
38:40 – Guidelines for parental control software/applications
40:35 – Study 3: Parental control application reviews from teens
41:50 – Resist fear-based narratives
42:45 – Acknowledgements and thanks
43:25 – Q & A

Fear-based narratives and the middle ground

Wisniewski describes the fear-based narratives that surround online safety for teens, particularly in the context of autism (0:35). She asserts that fear-based beliefs lead to reactive, fear-based decisions such as limited access or total abstinence from technology. The speaker states that our aim should be to find ways to protect our children while giving them the opportunity to benefit from what the internet can afford them (1:30). Wisniewski shares a personal story about opportunities her daughtered gained through online learning and highlights that access to the internet allows youth and adults to create relationships, learn, build essential communication and social skills, and much more (3:55). These skills will assist youth and young adults to live well-adjusted and independent lives when they grow up (4:50)

Study 1: Online exposure diary study

The presenter outlines a diary study of 68 parents and teens (ages 13 – 17) in a representative sample of both neurodiverse and neurotypical individuals (5:05). She notes that although participants did not disclose autism diagnosis, this study shows that we all face the same struggles, regardless of whether or not our teen is autistic (5:35). The study found that the majority of youth did not intentionally seek out risks and that most risks were medium to low severity (6:08). 47% of teens took active measures to cope with online risk, and almost half of reports were resolved within a week. Many reports also showed that online experiences allowed teens to build important social skills, like boundary setting, problem-solving, and empathy (7:00). These findings, Wisniewski asserts, speak to the intelligence and capability of our teens and the need for support and education for online risks. 

Online experiences

Wisniewski states that study findings show clear evidence of the complex and heavy things our youth are seeing online. However, these data should also give hope and a better understanding that youth are intelligent and do know how to protect themselves online (7:20). She reiterates the need for parents and caregivers to readjust and meet young adults where they are and shares a quote: 

A friend of mine was feeling particularly sexual, and it showed in her texts. It’s not like I planned it, but I certainly wasn’t opposed to it (9:45).” – 16 year old male

The presenter understands that this may make parents uncomfortable at first but asks viewers to remember what they were doing and what they were interested in when they were 16. Interest in sexuality is developmentally normal, she continues, but we need to be sure that both youth and parents/caregivers are being healthy about it. 

Challenges in parent-teen communication

The study found that teens often perceive parents’ attempts to address online issues as lectures or punishments (12:08). Teens also reported that they didn’t ask parents for help due to concerns about unnecessary awkwardness, overreactions, punishments, or making things worse (13:49). Wisniewski highlights that at the end of the study, parents reported significantly lower levels of family communication than in pre-surveys (15:25).

Study 2: Risks and benefits of social media use for autistic adults

The speaker outlines a collaborative ethnographic study that included autistic young adults, parents, and support staff (16:35). Social connections with distant family members, reduction of boredom, pursuit of special interests, and meeting like-minded individuals were identified as valuable aspects (18:20). However, she continues, the sensitivity of autistic youth to negative online experiences was also highlighted. Specific drawbacks included difficulty understanding online social queues, online harassment and social drama, and privacy concerns (19:40). Wisniewski explains that autistic teens and young adults are more likely to take online social drama to heart and may ruminate over these interactions, which can cause additional anxiety even if they are not directly related to the social situation. She highlights the role that parents/caregivers can play in helping youth self-regulate in these instances (21:00)

The study found that autistic youth perceive online affordances differently from their non-autistic peers. Four major themes were found:

Sharing content

According to the study, autistic young adults frequently assume that content is directed specifically to them, with a specific purpose (21:40). They also tend to take things literally and may overshare personal information regarding themselves or others without considering the need to protect themselves (26:35).

I had to do that [share my phone number] because when I made my account, it said phone number or email.” – Participant

Connecting with others

The study showed that boundaries are often very rule-based (i.e., you shouldn’t post this or that) and that autistic young adults find it challenging to process and understand when someone breaks those rules. Participants explained that social media helps autistic youth maintain positive relationships. However, it can sometimes be difficult to differentiate between online and real-life friends, so they may expect more from a digital relationship than others and get hurt when their expectations aren’t met (22:40)

[They] have a hard time telling the difference between a Facebook friend and a real friend. So you’re friends on Facebook, you’re friends. When that’s not really what it is.” – Staff

Consuming content

The study revealed that autistic young adults have visceral reactions to emotional content and often trust things at face value instead of considering the possibility that it is false information. Findings suggest that the internet can sometimes lend to addictive consumption as well, as it’s easy to become overly interested in a narrow subject or obsessive tendencies with things like pornography (23:25).  

Networked interactions

Findings showed that online activity enables social engagement with larger communities with shared interests. Simultaneously, however, it connects individuals with strangers who may have malicious intent. Participants reported difficulty in interpreting the intentions of others in a way that facilitates positive interactions and said they are sometimes overly direct, making it difficult to maintain online relationships (23:55)

I thought I was her friend, but she said, ‘You’re not because we don’t know each other well enough.’” – Participant

Wisniewski summarizes the findings, explaining that the literal way of thinking common in autism, combined with the unwritten social queues and ambiguity of the internet, make safely navigating the internet especially difficult for autistic individuals and their families (26:35).

How parents and support staff mediated risk

Recorded strategies for online risk mediation included restricted technology access, monitoring/parental control software, and, in rare cases, formal training and curriculum (28:50). “Joint trouble-shooting,” or help from a parent or staff, reinforced appropriate online social behaviors and mediation provided direct support for emotional co-regulation. Wisniewski notes that perceived punishment led youth to go into defense mode and hide their online behaviors. She also highlights the overall reliance on support networks instead of personal problem-solving development and cites a lack of training and education as a root cause (30:40)

Guidelines for responsible technology use

Wisniewski asserts the need to reframe access to technology as a responsibility instead of a privilege. She relates common online mediation tactics to giving teens the keys to a car but taking away their driving privileges when they get in an accident, even though you didn’t teach them anything about driving. She asserts that being able to use the internet safely is a learned skill. Therefore, parental involvement should focus on teaching responsible online behavior rather than restricting access (32:30)

The speaker states that online safety should become part of the everyday discussion for developing socio-emotional skills (e.g., bullying), mental health education (e.g., self-harm, depression), and sexual education (e.g., forming a healthy relationship) (34:15). The presenter urges listeners not to treat online risks as more deviant than offline risks and reiterates that the abstinence approach limits open communication. She highlights that teens report wanting to share information with parents/caregivers, so we must allow them to engage with a sense of curiosity and safety instead of judgment (36:00).

Online safety as a developmental process

Successful online safety strategies include setting up parental controls, transparent communication, and gradual increases in privacy as responsible behavior is demonstrated (36:55). For example: 

  1. Set parental controls when a child is first given access to technology (ages 8 to 12).
  2. Teach them how to navigate potentially risky situations. Focus on risk-coping skills. Give them exit strategies (ages 8 – 14).
    1. Example: Discuss hypothetical situations, walk through the scenario, and teach them the safety skills required for safe sexting, pornography, and healthy relationships.
  3. Trust your teen to make good decisions on their own. Set clear boundaries and let them know you are there to help if they need you (ages 15 – 18).

Most importantly, Wisniewski reiterates, take a deep breath and withhold judgment. Note that the appropriate age for each step will vary according to the individual. The speaker provides guidelines for parental control software/applications (38:40). She outlines an app review study from Google Play that found teens often feel parental control apps harm their relationships with their parents (40:35). No app can guarantee safety – so parents and caregivers must be involved. Wisniewski reminds viewers to resist fear-based narratives and suggests that instead, we figure out the ways to best support autistic young adults in their lives online and offline (41:50). She provides thanks and acknowledgments (42:45) before the Q & A (3:25).

The speaker:

Pamela Wisniewski, PhD, is an endowed, Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Vanderbilt University. She is a Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) scholar whose research lies at the intersection of Social Computing and Privacy. Dr. Wisniewski is an expert in the interplay between social media, privacy, and online safety for adolescents. She was one of the first researchers to recognize the need for a resilience-based approach, rather than an abstinence-based approaches to adolescent online safety, and to back this stance up with empirical data. She has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and has won multiple best papers (top 1%) and best paper honorable mentions (top 5%) at top conferences in HCI. She has been awarded over $4.72 million in external grant funding, including two prestigious career awards. She is the recipient of the National Science Foundation’s prestigious CAREER Award for her innovative, teen-centric approach to adolescent online safety, “Safety by Design: Protecting Adolescents from Online Risks,” and was the first computer scientist to ever be selected as a William T. Grant Scholar. Her research has been featured by popular news media outlets, including ABC News, NPR, Psychology Today, and U.S. News and World Report. In addition to her scholarly research with teens, Dr. Wisniewski is the wife of an AuDHD man and mother to an AuDHD daughter.

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Understanding and Treating Challenging Behaviors https://autism.org/understanding-and-treating-challenging-behaviors/ Tue, 24 May 2022 15:55:13 +0000 https://last-drum.flywheelsites.com/?p=15058 Part One: Challenges when your son or daughter is experiencing a difficult time Paul Shattock provides a parent's perspective on handling his son Jamie’s challenging behaviors and describes the experiences of other families who have navigated similar situations. This webinar was produced in partnership with the World Autism Organization.

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Part One: Challenges when your son or daughter is experiencing a difficult time

Paul Shattock provides a parent’s perspective on handling his son Jamie’s challenging behaviors and describes the experiences of other families who have navigated similar situations. This webinar was produced in partnership with the World Autism Organization.

In this webinar

0:00 – History of World Autism Organization|
1:25 – 5:00 – Jamie’s life from birth to age 8
4:40 – First signs of aggression
6:08 – Difficulties with hair cuts
8:40 – Sunderland parents and school
9:45 – Experiences with aggressive outbursts
12:15 – Age patterns for aggression and SIB
13:48 – Experience with pharmacological remedies
16:30 – Jamie’s life today 

Shattock details his son’s behaviors across his lifetime and describes the experiences of his family and community in creating supportive environments for Jamie and his peers. He recounts Jamie’s diagnosis, the disparity between autism science today compared to the 1970s, and their journey through various schools, medication, and community support. Shattock closes by noting that Jamie is now able to work and live away from his parents and that his aggressive behaviors dissipated over time. 

To explore the perspectives of another parent, a pediatrician, and a behavior analyst on aggression and SIB, take a look at Aide Canada’s interview series on Understanding and Supporting Children with Self-Injurious Behaviour

Part Two: Teaching Children with Autism How to Communicate Their Wants and Needs 

Lauren Moskowitz, Ph.D., discusses teaching children with autism how to communicate their wants and needs. She reviews communication difficulties in the autistic population and highlights understanding challenging behaviors as communication functions. Moskowitz defines function-based behavior intervention plans and details functional communication training. She provides various examples and advises how to select and teach replacement skills and ensure they are used correctly. Moskowitz describes successful treatment plans and emphasizes the importance of learning to tolerate delays in reinforcements before closing with a Q&A session.

Handouts for Dr. Moskowitz’s talk are online HERE

In this webinar: 

1:00 – Communication in children with autism
3:55 – Communication impairment and challenging behaviors
5:25 – Challenging behaviors as functions of communication
9:40 – Functions of communication
11:18 – How to teach children with autism to communicate wants and needs
12:55 – Principle of functional equivalence
13:50 – How to identify the function
15:50 – ABC flowchart and examples
21:00 – Creating function-based behavior interventions
23:10 – Building replacement skills
24:10 – Functional communication training
25:36 – Replacement skills for gaining attention
27:54 – Replacement skills for escaping disliked activities
29:27 – Replacement skills for obtaining tangible item/activity
30:12 – Replacement skills for obtaining sensory stimulation
32:03 – What communication skills to teach?
32:40 – How will communication skills be taught?
34:17 – How to ensure communication skills will be used?
37:03 – When to teach communication skills?
38:30 – FCT Case Example – Eli
48:37 – Competing with challenging behaviors
50:23 – Learning to tolerate delays
53:12 – Notes from Dr. Stephen Edelson, Executive Director at ARI
56:20 – Q & A

Language and communication difficulties are core symptoms of autism, and around one-third of children with autism are nonverbal or minimally verbal. Moskowitz explains that verbal children often struggle with communication in moments of distress (1:00; 10:45). She emphasizes that communication impairments do not cause challenging behaviors (CB). However, the likelihood of an individual using CB can increase if they have difficulty communicating their wants or needs (3:55). Individuals engage in CB because those behaviors serve a specific function, and behaviors persist because they meet an immediate need (5:25). Throughout the presentation, Moskowitz emphasizes the difference between behaviors and their functions (8:35). She suggests viewing CB as functions of communication and focusing on why an individual exhibits CB instead of the behavior itself (9:40)

Moskowitz describes functional communication training (FCT) as teaching appropriate functional communicative behaviors to replace CB (11:18). She outlines the principle of functional equivalence (12:55), functional behavior assessments (FBA) (13:50), and the ABC (antecedent, behavior, consequence) flowchart (15:50). She underscores looking for patterns of behavior via direct observations. The speaker presents three examples of observed behaviors and circumstances in the ABC format (16:46) and suggests video recording to help track patterns of behavior and caregiver reactions (19:19). Once antecedents and consequences (outcomes) are understood, treatment teams can create a function-based behavior intervention plan (BIP) that will (21:00):

  1. Prevent CB by changing the circumstances that trigger behaviors
  2. Teach appropriate replacement skills that allow individuals to get what they need
  3. Respond to CB by changing consequences to no longer reinforce those behaviors

The presenter refers viewers to her previous webinars for information on prevention strategies and notes a variety of skills that can serve as alternative behaviors (23:10). Moskowitz stresses teaching skill sets that match the function and outcome of the CB specific to each individual (24:10). She provides examples of replacement skills that can be taught when the function of a behavior is to gain attention (25:36), to escape/avoid disliked or strenuous activities (27:54), to obtain a tangible item/activity (29:27), and to obtain sensory stimulation (30:12). Selected replacement skills should be something the individual is capable of learning and executing on their own. They must serve the same function and work as well or better than the CB (32:03)

Moskowitz asserts that replacement strategies must be taught with prevention interventions and learned in situations that provoke the CB. It is best to practice new skills in contrived conditions before prompting them in naturally occurring situations (32:40). To ensure continued use of communication skills, the presenter explains that the new behaviors must be easier to perform than the CB and the consequence of the replacement skill should be more reinforcing than that of the CB. Replacement behaviors should also be responded to immediately and consistently, or an individual may revert to the CB (34:17). Moskowitz discusses when to teach replacement communication techniques and emphasizes that new skills can only be learned during teachable moments before escalation or after recovery (37:03). The presenter stresses that after the communication skill is well-established, individuals must learn to tolerate delay in responses/reinforcement so they can eventually use the technique independently (50:23). Moskowitz provides an in-depth case example of FCT broken down into seven steps: 

  1. Assess the function of CB (38:34)
  2. Select mode of communication (40:55))
  3. Arrange the environment to create teaching opportunities (42:40)
  4. Prompt communication (43:44)
  5. Fade prompts (46:00)
  6. Teach new forms of communication and expand settings where requests are made (47:33)
  7. Modify the environment (48:25)

Before the question and answer session (56:20), Dr. Stephen Edelson, Executive Director at ARI, notes ARI’s free online screening tool (ATEC) as well as the development of an online program to help provide insight into various behaviors via a decision tree about causes and functions of CB (53:12)

View Dr. Moskowitz’s past talks on:

Also Featured: Resources

Read Dr. Edelson’s editorial HERE

This is a joint presentation by ARI and The World Autism Organisation.

About the speakers:

Lauren Moskowitz

Lauren Moskowitz, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Psychology at St. John’s University and a core member of the School Psychology (Psy.D. and M.S.) programs. She earned her B.S. from Cornell University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Stony Brook University. Dr. Moskowitz completed her clinical internship at NYU Child Study Center and Bellevue Hospital and her postdoctoral fellowship at NYU Child Study Center. She is on the editorial board of the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions (JPBI), serves as a peer reviewer for many other leading journals in the field, and was Co-Chair of the Autism Spectrum and Developmental Disabilities (ASDD) SIG for the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) from 2016-2018.

Paul Shattock (B.Pharm, Dip.Ag.Vet.Pharm, OBE), a pharmacist and parent of an autistic son, was Honorary Director of the Autism Research Unit (ARU), University of Sunderland, UK now called ESPA Research. He is Chairman of ESPA (Education and Services for People with Autism) which provides teaching and residential services for young adults with autism and President-Elect of the World Autism Organisation (WAO) having previously been secretary for Autisme-Europe. His research interests include rights and models of service provision for people with autism, biomedical and environmental factors implicated in autism, and the use and abuse of medication for autism.

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Social Skills and ASD https://autism.org/social-skills-baker/ Tue, 27 Oct 2020 09:18:36 +0000 https://last-drum.flywheelsites.com/?p=11986 Jed Baker, PhD presents strategies for lowering anxiety and helping individuals with ASD confront their fears while increasing social skills. Handouts in PDF format are available for download HERE Jed Baker's publications page is HERE No More Meltdowns videos are on YouTube HERE About

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Jed Baker, PhD presents strategies for lowering anxiety and helping individuals with ASD confront their fears while increasing social skills.

  • Handouts in PDF format are available for download HERE
  • Jed Baker’s publications page is HERE
  • No More Meltdowns videos are on YouTube HERE

About the speaker:

Jed Baker, Ph.D. is the director of the Social Skills Training Project, a private organization serving individuals with autism and social communication problems. He is on the professional advisory board of Autism Today, ANSWER, YAI, the Kelberman Center and several other autism organizations. In addition, he writes, lectures, and provides training internationally on the topic of social skills training and managing challenging behaviors. He is an award winning author of eight books, including Social Skills Training for Children and Adolescents with Asperger’s Syndrome and Social Communication Problems; Preparing for Life: The Complete Handbook for the Transition to Adulthood for Those with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome; The Social Skills Picture Book; The Social Skills Picture Book for High School and Beyond; and No More Meltdowns: Positive Strategies for Managing and Preventing Out-of-Control Behavior. His work has also been featured on ABC World News, Nightline, the CBS Early Show, and the Discovery Health Channel.

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Preparing for Back-to-School During COVID-19 https://autism.org/back-to-school-covid19/ Tue, 04 Aug 2020 20:57:29 +0000 https://last-drum.flywheelsites.com/?p=10791 As students prepare to return to school during the COVID-19 pandemic, you may have questions about how to help your loved ones on the spectrum cope with social distancing, distance learning, and ongoing change. About the speaker: Amanda Tami, MA, BCBA, LBA, LPC, holds

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As students prepare to return to school during the COVID-19 pandemic, you may have questions about how to help your loved ones on the spectrum cope with social distancing, distance learning, and ongoing change.

About the speaker:

Amanda Tami, MA, BCBA, LBA, LPC, holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology and has completed a recertification program in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). In addition to being a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Amanda is a Licensed Professional Counselor.  She has experience working with both children and adults, including those who have autism spectrum and other pervasive developmental disorders, ADD/ADHD, anxiety issues, and trauma, both as a BCBA and as a counselor. She has additional specialized training as a counselor in EMDR therapy and its applications to children.

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Back-to-School Resources

August 22nd, 2022|News|

Whether you’re a parent preparing a child for grade school or an adult transitioning into or out of college, the back-to-school season can present unique challenges for families and individuals with autism.

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ASD Support: The Ins and Outs of Dating https://autism.org/support-for-individuals-with-asd-dating/ Wed, 01 Jul 2020 18:25:17 +0000 https://last-drum.flywheelsites.com/?p=10377 Dr. Aarti Nair discusses the ins and outs of dating as it specifically applies to individuals with autism. She considers the need for teaching such skills to autistic adults and answers common questions she receives in her work. The presenter uses the UCLA PEERS program to discuss sources for potential partners, how to

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Dr. Aarti Nair discusses the ins and outs of dating as it specifically applies to individuals with autism. She considers the need for teaching such skills to autistic adults and answers common questions she receives in her work. The presenter uses the UCLA PEERS program to discuss sources for potential partners, how to give compliments, digital communication, and more. Nair shares positive and negative role-playing videos for dating steps and uses a perspective-taking exercise to point out non-verbal social cues and outcomes. She underscores dating safety and comfort before the question-and-answer session

Handouts are online HERE
Learn more about our speaker, Dr. Aarti Nair, HERE
Take the knowledge quiz for this webinar, HERE

In this webinar:

1:55 – PEERS program background
2:48 – Evidence-based methods PEERS
5:12 – Choosing appropriate people to date
6:59 – Dating sources
9:16 – Appropriate online dating sources
10:20 – PEERS outline and role-play videos: Talking to mutual friends
13:45 – PEERS outline and role-play videos: Flirting with your eyes
18:06 – Social coach practicing
19:35 – PEERS outline and role-play videos: Asking if they are dating anyone
23:10 – PEERS outline and role-play videos: Give in compliments
27:04 – PEERS outline and role-play videos: Asking someone on a date
28:08 – Five W’s
34:17 – PEERS outline and role-play videos: Accepting rejection
38:46 – PEERS outline and role-play videos: Turning someone down
41:58 – PEERS outline: Electronic communication
44:34 – PEERS outline: Planning and preparing for a date
45:30 – PEERS outline: Beginning a date
47:46 – PEERS outline: During a date
49:32 – PEERS outline: Making conversation on a date
50:10 – PEERS outline: Staying safe on dates
51:13 – PEERS outline: Paying on a date
53:06 – PEERS outline and role-play videos: Ending a date
56:30 – PEERS Dating Do’s
56:40 – PEERS outline: Handling dating pressure from a partner
59:13 – Role-play video library website
59:53 – Q & A

Summary

Dr. Nair outlines the evidence-based social skills teaching methods employed in the UCLA PEERS program (1:55). She describes their role-playing techniques and small group format (2:48). The speaker notes that many of the skills they discuss may seem intuitive to non-autistic people, which, she continues, makes explicitly teaching these skills to autistic adults a necessity (5:12). She provides characteristics of people you would want to date and not want to date based on how they treat and respect individuals (5:54). Nair answers common questions that autistic adults ask about dating and shows social story video examples for many of the topics. 

Where do people find potential partners to date? 

Some appropriate dating sources include mutual friends, community gatherings, the park, church groups, and many other places (6:59). As most individuals with autism often attend few social events, online dating is also a great way to meet potential partners as well (8:00). Nair lists inappropriate dating sites and tips for spotting questionable websites (9:16). She lays out the PEERS rules for talking to mutual friends (10:20), shares a role-playing video, and explains the perspective-taking exercise used to point out non-verbal social cues throughout the presentation (11:34)

How do people who don’t know each other flirt in real life? 

The speaker suggests flirting with your eyes and giving compliments and notes that if someone asks about your dating status, they may be interested in you as a potential partner (13:45). She gives a negative and positive example (14:43) of flirting with your eyes and lists the corresponding PEERS steps (15:53)

How do you ask someone if they are dating anyone?

Nair suggests that, instead of abruptly asking such a question, you begin a conversation by trading information and discussing common interests (18:16). That way, the question can naturally slip into the discussion (19:35), as portrayed in the positive role-play video (21:16)

How do you give good compliments?

As a general rule, Nair suggests using specific compliments (i.e., “That was really interesting”; “You have a nice smile”) for people you do not know well and general compliments (i.e., “You are so smart or funny or beautiful”) for individuals you know well (23:10). Physical compliments, she continues, should be from the neck up and too many physical compliments can be seen as creepy or awkward, as shown in the role-play videos (24:30)

How do you ask someone on a date?

The presenter discusses knowing when you are ready to ask someone on a date and how you can tell if someone wants you to ask them out (27:04). She presents PEERS guidelines for what to do before asking someone out (28:06) and conversation instructions reflected in the positive role-play video (31:40).  

How do you handle rejection?

Nair underscores that rejection is something everyone experiences. She emphasizes that adults with autism need to know how to reject people they are not interested in as well as how to accept rejection (34:17). The speaker provides PEERS steps for accepting rejection (34:17) and turning someone down (38:46) along with negative and positive role play examples for both scenarios. She suggests keeping things friendly and maintaining respect in all interactions. 

What are the rules for electronic/digital communication?

It is important to remember, Nair states, that things shared online can be seen, read, or heard by anyone. Therefore, the PEERS rules for electronic communication suggest not to get too personal and to identify yourself when contacting someone new online. Nair discusses emoji use and respectful contacting hours as well (41:58)

How do you plan and prepare for a date?

The five W’s (who, what, where, when, and how) are a good outline to use for planning a date. Nair also suggests confirming the plan the night before and provides tips for preparing yourself before the event (44:34)

The speaker briefly discusses suggestions for beginning a date (45:30), what to do during a date (47:46), how to make conversation on a date (49:32), paying on a date (51:13), ending a date (53:06), and what to do after a date (55:58). She also emphasizes the importance of safety on dates. This includes letting friends and family know where you are going and who you are with, knowing what dangerous situations may look like, and much more (50:10). Nair provides suggestions for handling dating pressure from a partner (56:40), noting that you should not feel pressured to do something with which you are not comfortable. She provides resources and acknowledgments (59:13) before the question-and-answer session (59:53)

About the speaker:

Aarti Nair, Ph.D.

Dr. Aarti Nair is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Psychology and Neurology at Loma Linda University, CA. She received her Masters’ degree in clinical psychology from UNC, Charlotte. Upon graduating from this program, she worked at the Center for Autism Research, Childrens’ Hospital of Philadelphia sparking her long-standing interest in the neural substrates of autism spectrum disorder as well as neuropsychology. She continued this line of research as a graduate student in the SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program and obtained her Ph.D. in neuropsychology in 2015. Dr. Nair completed her clinical internship and postdoctoral training at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. Her research has been supported by grants awarded by Autism Speaks, Autism Science Foundation, and the National Institute of Mental Health. Dr. Nair’s current research interests are in the neural basis of social cognition deficits in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and early-onset psychosis. She is specifically interested in applying multimodal neuroimaging techniques to examine changes in neural architecture affected by targeted interventions in these populations.

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Sexual Victimization in Autism

August 23rd, 2023|News|

In this article: Chronic maltreatment and sexual victimization Trauma and quality of life Risk Factors What can we do? A safer future Resources Despite evidence to the contrary, misperceptions of autistic

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