INTRODUCTION

As a group, persons on the Autism Spectrum  (ASD) have profiles for perceiving and processing sensory information that are different from neurotypical Adults.

It follows that many ASD Adults have different strengths and weaknesses and require different strategies to succeed personally and professionally.

Unfortunately, there is a startling lack of services and support for ASD Adults.

Further complicating the issue is that in a typical school, work, or social environment with a heterogeneous population, it is doubtful that ASD Adults will receive sufficient guidance and understanding.

Neither are they likely to be taught skills and strategies appropriate to their natural abilities.

Experience has shown us that the lack of appropriate skills and strategies is the source of many ASD Adult struggles.

Even more than temporary accommodations, most struggles are resolved and replaced with success when ASD-appropriate skills and strategies are provided.

Essential Skills for Adults on the Autism Spectrum is intended to provide many of those critical skills and strategies and so provide relief from many of the struggles commonly experienced by many ASD Adults.

It is important to note that Essential Skills for Adults on the Autism Spectrum is NOT a medical text. There is NOTHING in this text intended to diagnose, fix, or cure any medical issue.

There is nothing within this text that would take the place of competent medical advice. If you suspect a medical, psychological, or neurological issue, you should consult a licensed medical professional.

Essential Skills for Adults on the Autism Spectrum has one purpose: to provide struggling Adults with the basic skills to make their personal and professional lives easier, faster, and more enjoyable.

“Unlike ABA, CBT and other behavior-based therapies, these essential skills are designed to help Adults on the Autism Spectrum achieve their personal and professional goals—NOT by masking or managing their behavior but by becoming fully self-expressed human beings.” -- Gerald Hughes

AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Before we go into specific skills and strategies, I think it’s important that we briefly review Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as the context and foundation for these essential skills.

In a model developed at the Neurolinguistic Learning Center, the ADHD and ASD spectrum are described as including eight distinct sensory profiles, each with its strengths and weaknesses.

These sensory profiles are NOT a diagnosis. We’ve included familiar diagnostic terms as labels only. These profiles are NOT for diagnostic purposes. They are observable patterns for perceiving and processing sensory information within the ADHD and ASD Spectrum.

Notice that each profile consists of four dominant neurological traits or functions. It is the combination of these dominant traits that drive our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

It’s important to understand that each of these traits naturally occurs as a spectrum from one extreme to mild to the opposite extreme. The more extreme a person’s neurological traits, the more pronounced will be that person’s strengths and weaknesses related to that trait.  

I cannot stress enough that THESE TRAITS ARE NEITHER BINARY NOR EXCLUSIVE! They always occur as a spectrum.

The fact that these functions are not binary means there is an almost infinite variation of abilities and weaknesses within the Autism Spectrum.

Our intention in identifying these sensory profiles is NOT to limit or define a person but to increase awareness of each person’s strengths and weaknesses and to provide interventions, skills, and strategies appropriate to that person.

In so doing, we are better equipped to help each person make the most of their natural abilities—to help each ASD person more effectively achieve their goals while becoming more fully self-expressed human beings.

As we see in this graphic, we see the flow of sensory information as a cycle. Just as we are affected by our results (Feedback), our perception of these results is affected by a variety of factors, including our current emotional state (Dominant Feeling), how we perceive the world (Dominant Access), how we evaluate sensory information (Dominant Consideration), and our response/reaction to sensory information (Dominant Excitement).

The first step in the flow of sensory information is our Dominant Feeling. How we feel provides the context or filter through which we both express ourselves and perceive all sensory information.

At any given moment, how we feel is a function of our Sympathetic Nervous System (Reactive) or our Parasympathetic Nervous System (Responsive). For almost all people, one of these systems is dominant.

If our Dominant Feeling is Reactive, we may tend to be quick on our feet, and may perform well in a crisis or under stress. We may lack patience and struggle with impulsivity. We may also struggle with focus and attention.

If our Dominant Feeling is Responsive, we will tend to be more thoughtful and less reactive. We are likely to be more patient and focused and less subject to impulse and distraction.

The second step in the flow of sensory information is our Dominant Access. As human beings, our dominant access to sensory information is typically Visual-Spatial or Auditory/Verbal. Depending on which trait is dominant determines to a large extent how we will perceive and process sensory information.

Visually Dominant persons are typically more creative, intuitive thinkers. They tend to have excellent visual-spatial acuity. They may struggle with organization and sequence.

The third step in the flow of sensory information is our Dominant Consideration. This dominance determines whether we tend to evaluate sensory information logically or emotionally. This trait is a critical factor in our decision-making.

The fourth step in the flow of sensory information is our Dominant Excitement. Our level of excitement determines we are likely to be over-stimulated or under-stimulated by various levels and different types of sensory information.

The results of all this filtering, sorting, processing, and storing sensory information are the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors which we call our personality.

Unlike behavior-based personality assessments, like Meyers-Briggs and DISC, the FACE Personality model is based on the source of those behaviors how we perceive and process sensory information.

As we see in the chart above, there are eight unique profiles for perceiving and processing sensory information. Each of these profiles or personalities has similarities, for example, visually dominant, and differences, for example, reactive versus responsive.

Again, each of these traits occurs as its own spectrum. One trait may be dominant, for example, Logical, but the non-dominant trait, emotional, is still within us.

You may notice that all of the profiles are visually dominant. As we will explain later in detail, this visual dominance is a fundamental trait for all of the profiles within the ADHD and Autism spectrum.

For now, we will begin discussing many of the struggles common the ASD persons as well as various strategies, interventions, and accommodations to address those struggles.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 12

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)  14

1. SLEEP 18
2. STRESS REDUCTION 23
3. SENSORY INTEGRATION 33
4. FOCUS & ATTENTION 39
5. SELF-AWARENESS 42
6. SELF-REGULATION 47
7. MELTDOWNS & SHUTDOWNS 49
8. ADHD BURNOUT 54
9. CO-OCCURRING ISSUES 56
10. PANIC ATTACKS 60
11. SELF-REFLECTION 62
    
12. SELF-CONFIDENCE 64
    

13. SELF-MOTIVATION 67

14. CURIOSITY 71
15. CRITICAL THINKING 73
16. PROBLEM-SOLVING 77
17. DECISION-MAKING 79
18. CREATIVITY 81
19. ORGANIZATION 84
20. PROJECT MANAGEMENT 89

21. TIME MANAGEMENT 93
22. GOAL SETTING 95
23. FLEXIBILITY & ADAPTABILITY 100
24. CHANGES AND TRANSITIONS 104
25. COMMUNICATION 110
26. CONVERSATION 118
27. READING SOCIAL CUES 123
28. RAPPORT AND INTIMACY 128
29. SOCIAL GATHERINGS 134
30. GROUP EVENTS 135
31. PUBLIC SPEAKING 136
32. RELATIONSHIPS 140
33. FAMILY 143
34. FINDING LOVE 145
35. EDUCATION 149
36. READING 153
37. NOTE-TAKING 157
38. MEMORIZATION 161
39. TEST-TAKING 164
40. WRITING / COMPOSITION 171
41. THE RESUME 179
42. THE INTERVIEW 182
43. ON THE JOB 186
44. MEETINGS 192
45. COLLABORATION 194
46. LEADERSHIP 197
47. COOKING & EATING 198
48. DRIVING 202
49. INDEPENDENT LIVING 204
50. BECOMING SELF-EXPRESSED 209

APPENDIX A: ADHD AND ASD PROFILES  210

SUMMARY          223

ABOUT THE AUTHOR      225

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES              227

ADDITIONAL LINKS          229

REFERENCES       231

INDEX   232