Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): A Psychological Analysis

Autism spectrum disorder is a general term for the complex neurological diseases that affect brain development. The common characteristics of the disease are difficulties in social interactions, speech communication and repetitive sounds and movements. In May of 2013, the DSM-5 diagnostic manual placed all autism disorders under one umbrella known as ASD or autism spectrum disorders. This merged all of the sub-types like Asperger syndrome, autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (autism speaks, 2014). Common characteristics of autism are intellectual disability, challenges in motor coordination, attention span

These four key characteristics can also tie into other symptoms like failure to hold conversations, and even involved in unusual play patterns. Autism in its rarest form is known as a “spectrum disorder” because the range of symptoms can be from autism in its mildest form with few symptoms to autism in its worst form with several different symptoms in different areas of the child’s motor skills. Looking at the early signs of autism some key characteristics in young children is they tend to stray away and a great example in the Dallas news is a 5 year old autistic child was found unconscious in a hot car. The story was a young child strayed away from his family and locked himself in his mother’s car which later ended up with the child passing away. One key sign of autism is the inability to acknowledge that they are doing wrong and/or warning people of their actions which in this story sadly ended badly. Another sign of early detection is when a child becomes limp or stiff when being held or needing help which is the popular sign in many children with early stages of Autism. The reason why early detection is so hard is become in infancy; most symptoms go unnoticed with parents and doctors until the age of two or three where it is very clear, something

c) “Note Alex’s journal. Why do you think he avoided using the first person when he talked about himself? Why doesn’t he use the pronoun ‘I’?”

1. Understand the areas in which individuals with an autistic spectrum condition characteristically have difficulties

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a group of conditions of the brain development. (Vries, 2015). The main characteristic of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is that they have difficulties to adapt and interact with other people. Also, individuals with Autism have problems with their development of verbal and nonverbal communication. They show a repetitive behavior that is usually recognized during the first three years of life. Approximately one of sixty eight children are affected with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the United States. (Vries, 2015).

According to the 2014 estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1 in 68 children have been identified as having an autism spectrum disorder (ASD); a rate that has been steadily growing over the past 20 years (National Autism Association, 2015). Increases in reported frequencies for ASD are most likely due to a combination of factors including broader diagnostic criteria and increased awareness as well as a true increase in the number of people with ASD (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Autism it self does not effect life expectancy and, in general, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) can expect to live as long as the non-cognitively impaired population (National Autism Association,

Some of the types of ASD include Autistic disorder, sometimes known as "classic autism". This includes unusual behaviors and social and communication challenges. Asperger syndrome's symptoms are less severe than classic autism. There are also social challenges and unusual behaviors but there are no learning disabilities. Children with Asperger's may have problems with understanding humor or figures of speech. Pervasive developmental disorder known as "atypical autism", are individuals that have some of the criteria for autistic disorder or Asperger syndrome, but not all. Children with ASD may also have other problems such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

ASD is not something people can tell just by taking a look. People with autism behave, interact, communicate and learn through other ways an average person would. The learning, thinking, and problem solving abilities for people with autism

Criterion B1 is described by having exhibited either stereotyped or repetitive movement, speech, or interactions with objects. For example, Mahoney explains that he once knew a young man with Asperger’s who “unintentionally drove his parents to distraction by frequent, rapid slapping of his thigh” (20). Thoreau was never documented as having any of this motor tics, as it were. He may have had a more subtle movement, but due to the lack of documentation of it, one cannot assume. Criterion B2 is qualified by the inability to withstand change or a lack of rules. People with Asperger’s are often unable to do a task unless it is done in a set way, unable to eat other foods other than a few specific dishes, or they wear a uniform of sorts because they are unable to handle the changing of the type of clothing they wear. This often interfered with their ability to obtain and keep a job. Thoreau was once quoted when asked what his favorite dish was, that his favorite dish was “the nearest” (Mahoney 19). This statement, along with the fact that Thoreau was able to obtain and keep many odd jobs during his life. Lastly, criterion B3 is qualified as someone who has highly

People with this disorder are affected in different ways. The strengths of Asperger’s, according to James, include “the ability to think in unusual and enriching ways, concentration for long periods of time on a single activity, sole attention to a task and persistence with it far beyond the point at which other people would have given up” (2006, p. 11).

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a life-long developmental disorder with a neuro-biological basis that can cause significant social, communication, and behavioral challenges. A diagnosis of ASD now includes several conditions that formerly were diagnosed separately: autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, and Asperger syndrome. ASD varies significantly in character and severity, it occurs in all ethnic and socioeconomic groups and affects every age group. Males are four times more likely to have an ASD than females (NINDS, 2014).

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that affects a child’s communication, behavior, and emotional understanding. It has been described as primarily being a social disability (Laushey et at.,2009). Due to their inability to perceive others emotions, ASD children feel alienated. Consequently, this will result in ASD children having ongoing social problems caused by to their helplessness to interact with others. Since children with ASD are delayed in development, they face many challenges; however, the most severe one is the lack of social relationships. A social relationship is something shared with another person; it is formed when you share common interest, have give and take conversations on that interest, experience the rise or downfall with a friend, being there when a friend is in need. These sensitive moments are when relationships are formed. ASD children have a difficulty seeing things from a different perspective, they cannot analyze people’s emotions, and consequently, it is hard for them to understand another person’s actions when trying to accomplish a particular goal. ASD has become more prevalent each year, however, the cause and treatment are still unknown. Even though children with ASD have a social disability, they also face challenges because they cannot learn from parents or peers, they are incapable of reading others emotional cues and are not able to cope with others emotional regulation. There is a separation when it

6. Once again truth is twisted by Philip telling the reporter his story about the singing of the national anthem because reporters try to make everything “juicy”.

Children with Autism, who later on develop Asperger’s Syndrome, have displayed numerous distinctiveness of character. They vary in many degrees of relentlessness. Many have difficulty with saying their own words, making them repeat someone else’s words. They also range from random outbursts of laughing or giggles to minimum contact with children of their age group. They may have acute forms of these characteristics. Children with Asperger’s Syndrome tend to put themselves into awkward postures and/or shows lack of empathy, etc. Children with autism may have these following characteristics: they may not want to embrace others, they choose to be alone, they avowal on similarity, repeat words or phrases, unsuitable reply or no reply at all. They also may have a challenging beginning or keeping a conversation going and display interest extremely few objects or hobbies and play with them in recurring ways. ("Inclusive Communities") ("Autism Society")

Autism have been recognized as in existence since the 1940s but only in recent years it has been recognised under the standardized psychiatric diagnostic classification schemes. It is not unusual for people with ASD to be at risk of displaying challenging behaviours which could lead to offending behaviours, however, on the other hand they can also be at lower risk as they find rules helpful in surviving in the social world. This paper will look at what is ASD, studies on ASD individuals and offending behaviours, explanations on the outcomes of the studies and conclusion on these findings.