Counteracting Anxiety, Depression, and Social Withdrawal in College
Researchers investigated possible predictors of first year success for college students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. Eleven freshmen students enrolled at two universities. Each student received specialized supports for ASD at their respective colleges and participated in periodic assessments of social, emotional, and academic functioning. Investigators examined factors related to academicContinue Reading
The Two Types of Reinforcement for Individuals with Aspergers or HFA
Reinforcement in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) focuses on the outcome of the behavior and increasing the likelihood of certain behaviors occurring in the future. There are two types of reinforcement: positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is when a response is followed immediately by the presentation of a stimulus and, asContinue Reading
Using a Checklist & Self Evaluation to Avoid Behavioral Difficulties
Since the inception of this blog, we have explored a variety of specific strategies. I encourage all educators and parents to be creative, and mix and match to best meet the individual needs of your child and/or student. In a previous blog, we learned that mini-maps can help to preventContinue Reading
Behind the Wheel with Autism: A Personal Perspective
Having lived in several different cities, I can attest that it most certainly is not a regional thing: you’ll run into idiot drivers no matter where you live. It isn’t profound at all; many casual conversations begin with a gripe about traffic on the way to someplace or another, or end upContinue Reading
Hard Skills with Aspergers: Teachable Abilities and Skill Sets in the Workplace
I have often been asked: What is the hardest part of your job? The majority of the time the answer is discovering what skills my clients have to offer to an employer. As an employment specialist I recognize that prospective employers are talking about hard skills. So, what are hard skills? Hard skillsContinue Reading
Seeking Help For Depression with Aspergers: The Specifics
If you have: lost interest in your usual activities; trouble sleeping, wake up early or sleep all the time; a change in appetite (more or less); withdrawn from people with a down mood (for Aspies it might be sad, irritable or a sense of hopelessness – whatever negative mood orContinue Reading
Managing the Crushing Blow of Disappointment & Lies
Aspergers101 for the Parent As neurotypicals, disappointments come early in life. We learn quickly that all we desire is not all that is intended for us. We learn, through a trail of unrealized dreams, to be content with our lot or find another pathway toward our goal(s). Having a childContinue Reading
Using Art to Facilitate Skill Building in College Students with Aspergers
Eszter Kiss is a Provisionally Licensed Counselor employed by the West Virginia Autism Training Center at Marshall University. Kiss presented “Adding Color to Cognitive Behavior Therapy,” at the WV Counseling Association. The presentation centered on the use of art as a tool to facilitate communication of thoughts and behavior for individuals with ASD.Continue Reading
Is Mindfulness Logical for Asperger’s and Depression?
Mindfulness, meditation and self-talk are important ways of helping yourself when you’re depressed, stressed out, anxious or emotional. They’ve been shown to help handle feelings and are actually often used as components of the most helpful forms of therapy, cognitive therapy. Why is it important to talk about these threeContinue Reading
Understanding Special Interests and Aspergers
Q:Dear Lisa, “I have a son diagnosed with moderate to high-Functioning Autism who is currently enrolled in public Middle School. Though he is going through a natural teenage rebellion, I feel his autism is playing a huge role in the challenges he (and we, his parents) is currently facing. HeContinue Reading
ABA and Aspergers: The Three Step Plan You Can Use
The main use of ABA for individuals on the autism spectrum is to decrease challenging behaviors and increase appropriate skills. Here are the three steps for utilizing ABA to decrease challenging behaviors and increase appropriate skills: Step 1: Assessment The first step in decreasing problem behavior is to conduct aContinue Reading
Deciding if a Job is Right For You: The Work Assessment
If you were given the chance to work at a job you were interested in for a few hours to assess your skills and abilities, and to decide if you are comfortable and really enjoy it before starting the application process would you do it? This is called a work assessment,Continue Reading
