Autism and Asperger s: Challenges in Emotional Regulation

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Autism and Aspergers Challenges in Emotional
Regulation

• Heather Crawford
• Scott Wood

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Autism and Aspergers

• Autism is a complex developmental disability that
  affects an individual in the areas of social
  interaction and communication. It is a spectrum
  disorder that affects each individual differently
  and to varying degrees of severity. (Autism
  Society of America)
• Aspergers Syndrome lies within
• the Autistic Spectrum Disorder

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Comparing Autism and Aspergers
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• Amy C. Laurent and Emily Rubin
• Challenges in Emotional Regulation in Asperger
  Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism

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Thesis

• Emotional regulatory challenges commonly faced by
  individuals with Aspergers Syndrome and
  individuals with high-functioning autism hinder
  success in social interactions.
• (Laurent and
  Rubin, 2004)

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Development of Emotional Regulation

• Emotional regulation we control our internal
  feelings (self-regulation) and the emotions felt
  when interacting with others (mutual regulation)
  using learned strategies
• Children with Aspergers and High Functioning
  Autism lack the ability to learn these strategies
  in typical ways (ex. Imitation or
• memory of past events)

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Why?

• Neurophysiological factors hinder
• the ability to discriminate between
• salient and irrelevant
• environmental factors
• Lack ability to share and interpret emotional
  states (especially those of other people)

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Strengths

• Clear, generally well organized
• Considers the importance of emotional regulation
  attributes not only to deficits in social
  skills, but also to neurological differences and
  different learning styles (does not blame
  children for their behaviour)
• Indicates certain actions that may be displayed
  by people with AS and HFA and illuminates the
  reader on what thought processes are going on in
  the mind of the individual
• Clearly illustrates the complexity in brain
  function required to make simple decisions in
  social situations

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Weaknesses

• does not define important terms HFA or AS
• not practical for teachers helps to understand
  reasons for behaviours, but does not practically
  outline strategies to assist students in
  developing strategies for emotional regulation
• little application to real-life examples (putting
  theory into context)
• does not acknowledge the individuality
• symptoms in children with
• AS and HFA

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Summary

• Children with Aspergers and High Functioning
  Autism lack the skills to socially interact
  effectively and appropriately due to
  neurophysiological differences and an inability
  to interpret socially appropriate behaviour
  individually and in a group
• Through understanding of how children with
  Aspergers and Autistic process social
  situations, we are better able to teach effective
  and appropriate strategies for coping

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• Questions?
• Comments?