Before I might possibly give the wrong impression of Tony Attwood’s book, “The Complete Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome,” I need to point out that this book is so far one of the best ones available for explaining Asperger’s. I don’t expect anything as complex as Asperger’s to be able to be explained perfectly, but what should be achieved is doing so without creating more confusion.
I’m going to address the section Problem Solving in Chapter 9 that explains about the cognitive abilities of Asperger’s people. He is quite accurate in saying that, “Adults with Asperger’s syndrome may be famous (or notorious) for being an iconoclast and rejecting popular beliefs and conventional wisdom.” He suggests that teachers encourage AS children “to consider conventional strategies first.”
What Mr. Attwood said next is what causes confusion: “It is important to encourage flexibility in thinking and this can start at an early age.” I get the idea of what he is thinking, but when he goes on with his suggestions as to what games to play with AS children, he begins to contradict what he is saying. There is absolutely NO need for an adult to play the game of “What else could it be?” with an AS child. Aspies have excellent creative and imaginative powers. They make the best inventors!
An AS child (just like an AS adult) will be misjudged as being close-minded in regards to new ideas. That’s only an illusion. AS people usually ’see’ conventional strategies immediately. The difference is that Aspies often times ‘know’ there is a better way to solve problems. Novel problem solving should be encouraged — always! Being close-minded is what happens AFTER the mind has been opened to suggestions. The problem is that the time period of being open-minded can be so brief and invisible that others don’t even know that the conventional strategies have already come and gone through the AS mind. In fact, I would bet that even many Aspies don’t even realize it since it’s so automatic.
The whole problem with books is that they tend to neglect the workable solutions. Teachers and parents may want AS children (and AS adults) to do things in a conventional fashion that typical children (and NT adults) follow. It makes sense when schools are like assembly line factory institutions for traditional education methods, BUT it makes NO sense for AS students!
The potential that AS students have cannot even begin to be tapped into in an environment that’s geared for neurotypical learners. The mentality behind NTs in charge is to force AS people to change as much as possible to fit into the ways that the rest of the world operates. AS students need much more than a ’special ed’ classroom. Aspies need their own school systems. Ideally the best place for most Aspies to learn presently is at home; to be taught by their parents — NOT by any government funded agency!
The experts love to say Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the most comprehensive and most effective intervention for young children. That claim may be true according to their subjective, relative, and opinionated statement. BUT that doesn’t necessarily make it true in the objective, absolute, and factual reality. Basically ABA is like dog training in that good behavior is rewarded while bad behavior is “corrected.” To me, I don’t see this method of therapy being any different than brainwashing techniques that cults use. I know I sound harsh, but I have good reason to feel as I do, especially knowing what I now know.
For adults, the experts have created Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). This is a step above ABA in that at least CBT respects the thought process involved behind behavior. Even though CBT is based on the idea that our thoughts cause our feelings and behaviors (rather than external things, like people, situations, and events), the potential for ‘mind control’ still remains. The outcome for both types of therapy totally depend on both the coach and the trainee.
I am ever so thankful I never allowed myself to get trapped too long by any psychologist and that I learned to educate myself in this area. I know without any doubt that I could never be as content as I am today if I had compromised my standards by giving in to what the experts thought was best for me. I never did think any psychologist or psychiatrist displayed enough logic to match my own when it comes to psychological behavior. I always knew it was time for me to exit while possible whenever I’d notice irritation starting to crop up from my, “If that’s so, then how come . . . ?” questions. I will even go so far as to say that it happens way too many times when a person gets more insane by going to mental health.
There are some good psychologist out there, but the more disordered you’re conned into thinking you are, the more likely you’re going to be vulnerable to becoming messed up by the authoritarian text-book psych docs in the long run.
The best solution for solving any problem is always the same → think for yourself and do NOT let someone else think for you!
