Strategies for Advisors

 Autism is a set of neuro

differences

and experiencing sensory input in processing  In Autism Spectrum Disorders, the brain is wired differently than it is in people with neurotypical nervous systems  Asperger’s is high functioning autism  Diagnostic criteria are changing  Students in the future will most likely have a diagnosis of “Autism Spectrum Disorder”

 Currently, they are classed as “pervasive developmental disorders”  Autistic Disorder   Aspergers Syndrome Pervasive Development Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (NOS)   Childhood Disintegrative Disorder Rett Syndrome

 Lack of eye contact and/or lack of response to being called by name  Lack of joint attention (lack of paying attention to the same item or topic as others)  Lack of reciprocal conversation (turn taking in conversation) and/or ability to engage in play with other children  Atypical sensory and/or motor processing  Not all people with autism will show these signs

 ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ Autism Significant cognitive and language delays Self-isolation or rigid social approaches Preoccupations, rituals and repetitive activities Marked distress with change  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ Asperger’s No significant cognitive or language delays “Eccentric, one-sided” communication with others (p. 83) Pursuit of circumscribed interests Rigidity and distress with change ◦ (DSM-IV-TR)

 Have a wide range of “symptoms” and/or levels of functioning  May or may not be diagnosed in childhood  Are often diagnosed as having learning disabilities, ADHD, obsessive compulsive disorder, and/or behavior disorders  Have received varying treatment approaches by the time they reach the university

 Above average, even brilliant academic performance in certain subjects with lower achievement in others  Good adherence to routines  Good at working independently  Excellent attention to detail and memory  Can maintain focus for long periods of time  Tend to have job longevity

 Your advisee may not reveal that he or she is on the autism spectrum. It is up to the student whether or not to disclose his or her diagnosis  The student may not want to reveal his or her diagnosis due to past rejection, stigma and misunderstanding of the challenges  Each person has a unique configuration of characteristics and autism exhibits differently in each person  It can be hard to tell whether behaviors are a result of autism or of being a typical student ◦

         Difficulty with eye contact Difficulty with reciprocal conversation Difficulty understanding curriculum requirements Personal hygiene issues Missed appointments Difficulties finding your office and/or recognizing you Repetitive behaviors and compulsions “Meltdowns” or emotional outbursts Others?

      Sensory experience may be unusual Spatial orientation challenges may occur Relationships may be exhausting and perplexing ◦ It may be hard to understand and express emotions (especially when the student has co-occurring disorders such as anxiety and depression) Organizational skills may be lacking Life skills may be lacking There may be frustration due to uneven academic performance (such as a sophisticated understanding of grammar, but challenges writing an essay)

 Visual fields distorted and broken up or print may “jiggle” (may not show up on vision test)  May have a very dominant learning style (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, etc.)  So detail-oriented that student may not understand the “big picture”  Sound may fade in and out or seem jumbled ◦ Delay in understanding what is heard or may hear only last part of a sentence

 There may be sensitivity to light, touch, sound and smell ◦ e.g. fluorescent lighting, running water, and scents  Multi-tasking due to inability to filter input may be a problem  Noisy and/or unpredictable environments may be overwhelming  Clothing can be painful to wear and touch/eye contact can hurt

 May have difficulty getting from place to place or finding way to new places  Disorientation in new places is common  Lack of a sense of direction (“north” may not mean anything) is typical  Student may have difficulties finding your office even if he or she has been there several times

 Be exhausted by small talk  Talk non-stop about particular interests and not engage in conversational give and take  Have difficulty reading body language and facial expressions  Have difficulty recognizing people, especially out of context

 Have frustration about not understanding how relationships work  Experience loneliness and fear of rejection (history of bullying)  May misinterpret intentions of others

 ◦ Anxiety and panic attacks are common Fear is the most common emotion of autism – T. Grandin ( Autism & Asperger’s syndrome: an insightful presentation by Dr. Temple Grandin .)  Student may not recognize signs of an oncoming “meltdown” (especially due to frustration, anxiety and fear)  Student may have difficulty identifying and expressing feelings  Student may have trauma from past bullying

 Challenges with ◦ Scheduling ◦ Remembering to bring, complete, or turn in paperwork ◦ Personal hygiene ◦ Paying bills/financial management ◦ Inflexibility (rigid thinking and taking things literally)

 Literal interpretation of instructions with little flexibility  Difficulty with changes to routine (field trips, guest speakers, library tours, etc.)  Difficulty with understanding the give and take of class discussions ◦ Monopolizing discussions  Anxiety about participating in group projects with other students  Fear of interactions with professors

 If the student self-identifies as being on the autism spectrum, you can encourage them to discuss what will be helpful for them  Whether or not your advisee self-identifies, it may still be very helpful to try some of the strategies in this presentation if you can see that the student is struggling with some of these challenges

 If your advisee reveals his or her diagnosis, ask about their preferred way to get information  Photocopy paperwork or instructions on colored paper to make instructions easier to read  Provide written instructions to accompany oral directions  If you suspect that oral information is hard for advisee to process, you can prime by saying “Now we are going to . . .”

 If your office has a lot of noise or activity, it might be helpful to move to a quieter area or private room.

 In academic planning, help advisees schedule down time between classes in order to de-stress  It may even be helpful to help advisee identify “safe places” in between classes

 Provide a campus map with your office and your advisee’s classes highlighted  Provide a list of contact people/offices  Use landmarks and street names to orient the student

 Use straightforward speech and be direct  Set and model clear boundaries and expectations  If your advisee doesn’t recognize you out of context, remind them who you are  Help student identify faculty mentors  Encourage participation in natural cohorts (like student clubs) where interests are shared

 Help student put schedule in academic planner  Remind students that schedules can change, classes can be cancelled, rooms can be changed, etc.

 Encourage students to ask faculty for heads-up on class changes  Help advisee identify a person to contact in case of confusion/changes  Encourage participation in workshops (college success, budgeting, etc.)

 Schedule challenging subjects early in day to help with fatigue  If possible, consider advising into upper division classes first to engage student (It improves motivation)  It is better to take lighter load and succeed  Reinforce the use of planners to prioritize daily tasks  Encourage students to schedule enjoyable and de stressing experiences

 If you have an opportunity, teach classroom culture and acceptable behaviors  Encourage communicating with faculty  Encourage tutoring for difficult subjects  If you can identify advisee’s dominant learning style, advise into classes that will be rewarding

 Visual ◦ Images are stored as photorealistic images (symbols may be unrecognizable)  Auditory/Verbal ◦ Learn by hearing – good at language and writing  Touch ◦ Learn by doing and manipulating models  Pattern ◦ Learn by processing symbols in patterns – good at math and music

    American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (Revised 4 th ed.). Washing, D.C.: Author.

Future Horizons. (2009) syndrome: an insightful presentation by Dr. Temple Grandin . [Videorecording]. Arlington, TX: Future Horizons. Autism & Asperger’s Dawn Prince-Hughes, E. (2002). Aquamarine blue 5; personal stories of college students with autism.

Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Press.

Grandin, T., & Barron, S. (2005). rules of social relationships.

Future Horizons.

The unwritten Arlington, Texas:

    Harper, J., Lawlor, M., & Fitzgerald, M. (2004). Succeeding in college with Asperger Syndrome.

London and Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

National Education Association. (2006). of autism.

The puzzle Washington, DC: National Education Association.

Wolf, L. E., Brown, J. T., & Bork, G. R. (2009). Students with Asperger Syndrome: A guide for college personnel.

Shawnee Mission, Kansas: Autism Asperger Publishing Company.

Zaks, Z. (2006). Life and love: Positive strategies for autistic adults. Overland Park, KS: Autism Asperger Publishing Company.

Elizabeth Miles, M.Ed.

Manager, Raven Scholars Program University of Idaho Idaho Commons 347 PO Box 442537 Moscow, Idaho 83844-2537 (208) 885-9107 copyright © 2011 Elizabeth Mary Miles

A. Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across contexts (all 3)

 1.

Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity; ranging from abnormal social approach and failure of normal back and forth conversation through reduced sharing of interests, emotions, and affect and response to total lack of initiation of social interaction

 2.

Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction; ranging from poorly integrated- verbal and nonverbal communication, through abnormalities in eye contact and body language, or deficits in understanding and use of nonverbal communication, to total lack of facial expression or gestures.

 3.

Deficits in developing and maintaining relationships, appropriate to developmental level (beyond those with caregivers); ranging from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit different social contexts through difficulties in sharing imaginative play and in making friends to an apparent absence of interest in people

 1.

Stereotyped or repetitive speech, motor movements, or use of objects  2.

Excessive adherence to routines, ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior, or excessive resistance to change  3.

Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus;  4.

Hyper-or hypo-reactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of environment;