Ep. 144: Professor Tony Attwood - The Asperger’s Syndrome
Apr 5, 2021
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Professor Tony Attwood discusses the nature of Asperger’s syndrome and the remarkable abilities of individuals on the Autism Spectrum. He explores challenges faced by those with Asperger's, including social interactions, self-blame, and understanding emotions. The podcast also covers unique struggles of girls with Asperger's, societal factors, building resilience, and the influence of books on understanding autism.
Understanding Asperger's vulnerabilities can hinder social interactions.
Improving Executive Function skills can enhance social reciprocity.
Individuals with autism need support in building resilience and enhancing social skills.
Deep dives
The Importance of Understanding the Prefrontal Cortex and Its Influence on Behavior
Understanding the role of the prefrontal cortex in areas such as focus, planning, problem solving, emotional balance, and independence is crucial as it acts as an orchestra conductor guiding actions and decisions to create a harmonious life. Social skills, relationships, and conflict resolution are pivotal components that are influenced by the prefrontal cortex, emphasizing the significance of exploring executive function and its impact on relationships.
Insights from Professor Tony Atwood on Autism and Social Skills
Professor Tony Atwood, with almost 50 years of experience in exploring autism, brings valuable insights into understanding social skills and the ability to relate to others. His personal journey, growing up in a household with Asperger's influences, provides a unique perspective on social interactions. By sharing experiences from his own childhood, Professor Atwood sheds light on the challenges and strengths encountered by individuals with autism.
Defining Asperger's Syndrome and its Perceptual Differences
Asperger's syndrome, though now integrated into the autism spectrum disorder diagnosis by DSM-5, is characterized by distinct perceptual, thinking, learning, and relating processes. Individuals with Asperger's may exhibit detailed perception, pattern recognition, and system-oriented thinking, presenting unique challenges in social learning environments. The diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorders emphasize a different way of perceiving, processing information, and relating socially.
Challenges Faced by Individuals with Autism in Social Interactions
The social and emotional makeup of individuals with autism can lead to challenges in understanding social cues, emotional reciprocity, and interactions with others. While they may struggle with reading facial expressions and emotional signals, individuals with autism can possess a heightened awareness of negative emotions in others. These challenges can impact their social connections, making them vulnerable to exploitation and manipulation in various social contexts.
Strategies for Building Resilience and Enhancing Social Skills in Autism
Building resilience and enhancing social skills in individuals with autism involves fostering self-acceptance, understanding one's identity, and developing emotional management strategies. Explaining personal traits, preferences, and communication styles to others can facilitate smoother social interactions and foster acceptance. Interventions that focus on environmental modifications, emotional regulation, and pragmatic social skills training can empower individuals with autism to navigate social complexities with confidence and authenticity.
What do wigs, cookie jars, pizza dough, supermarket flyers, unpaid invoices, airplane menus, and a mummified human foot have in common? Those are some of the Andy Stuff found amongst 641 boxes left behind by the Pop Art legend Andy Warhol, which is now on display at the Andy Warhol museum in Pittsburg. Truman Capote was once said to refer to Warhol as 'a sphinx without a riddle’; a callous jab at the artist whose quirks and idiosyncrasies accentuated his highly restrictive interests and extremely limited social-interactional interactions. Many individuals on the Autism Spectrum present with Warhol’s vulnerabilities and find social navigation difficult if and when the world around them is less than accepting.
For World Autism Awareness Month, our podcast guest, clinical psychologist, adjunct Professor at Griffith University in Queensland, and consultant psychologist at the Minds and Hearts Clinic, Professor Tony Attwood, discusses the nature of Asperger’s syndrome and the upside and downside of these individuals’ remarkable abilities in a chosen area of expertise. Improving Executive Function skills can positively impact social reciprocity skills allowing mutualized harmonious engagement with the world which has room for all of us.
About Professor Tony Attwood Tony Attwood, PhD is a clinical psychologist, adjunct Professor at Griffith University in Queensland, and consultant psychologist at the Minds and Hearts Clinic, in Brisbane, Australia. Professor Attwood has over four decades of experience with individuals with ASD and has helped thousands of individuals across the autism spectrum. His books and videos on Asperger’s Syndrome and High-functioning Autism include The Complete Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome, Asperger’s Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals, and the Exploring Feelings program manuals.
About Host, Sucheta Kamath Sucheta Kamath, is an award-winning speech-language pathologist, a TEDx speaker, a celebrated community leader, and the founder and CEO of ExQ®. As an EdTech entrepreneur, Sucheta has designed ExQ's personalized digital learning curriculum/tool that empowers middle and high school students to develop self-awareness and strategic thinking skills through the mastery of Executive Function and social-emotional competence.
