Extreme Male Brain Theory

For example, a family member with Aspergers syndrome was completely fixated on Buzz Lightyear and used to shout out 'to infinity and beyond' at the most inappropriate moments, normally in response to a comment totally unrelated to Toy Story. He is now very interested in trains and their timetables, a classic example. Unfortunately, this rigidity in one interest can restrict the development of others. Also, in children and young adults it can be very isolating, the refusal to share in an interest or play of another child can leave the ASD sufferer with a very small circle of friends, if any.

Specific data in regards to the individual’s social development and behaviour is collected. Inquiries about core ASD symptoms including, unusual, or repetitive behaviours and social relatedness are done, the family’s input is important.

Autism spectrum disorders are a class of developmental disorders that impair social skills, behavior, and communication (Center for Disease Control). ASDs are considered ‘spectrum’ disorders because each patient has a unique experience in the nature and severity of their symptoms (Center for Disease Control). Under the umbrella of ASDs, there are three types of disorders, including Autistic disorder, Asperger Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (Center for Disease Control). Autistic disorder is the most severe of the three, and patients exhibit significant problems with language, communication, and behavior (Center for Disease Control). Furthermore, people with Autistic disorder often have some intellectual impairment (Center for Disease Control). Asperger Syndrome is a milder form of autistic disorder where patients have some developmental delays, but their language and intellect are not affected (Center for Disease Control). The mildest of the ASDs is the pervasive developmental disorder. These patients usually don’t meet all of the criteria for autistic disorder, but do show some signs of social and communication problems (Center for Disease Control). The number of children diagnosed with ASD is growing, and currently 1 in 88 children fall somewhere on the spectrum (Mari-Bauset et al., 2013). Boys are four times more likely than girls to have autism, and while the exact cause of these disorders is unknown, both genetic and

Ogletree, B. T., Morrow-Odom, K. L., & Westling, D. (2015). Understanding the brain–behavior relationship in persons with ASD: Implications for PECS as a treatment choice. Developmental neuro-rehabilitation, 18(2),

Readings: • The Autistic Spectrum • Chapter 4 • “First Causes” pg. 115125/Summary pg. 140-141 • Chapter 13  This week’s agenda: Unit 2!

Outposts in Your Head: Autism and Societal Norms We live in a diverse global community that is becoming more and more accepting of different races, sexual orientations, and creeds, but still, neurodiversity is something that has not been fully accepted by society. In Throw Away the Master’s Tools, Nick Walker explains how Autism is viewed as a disease and an affliction, rather than the diversity of the mind. While Autism may not be an issue on the forefront of most people’s minds, and the complex language of Walker’s text may be off-putting to some, it is a serious issue in our society affecting 3.5 million Americans on a daily basis. Throughout the text, Walker discusses a “paradigm shift,” which is when the thinking of an entire society

Over the years, more people are becoming aware of Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD. The growing number of individuals who are affected by ASD have been increasing over the years. This could be do to the new DSM development of what is considered ASD or simply more children are being born with ASD. Either way, ASD is more predominate in our society today. ASD is defined in the DSM 5 as having abnormal social aspects, lack of social skills, non-verbal communications skills, deficits in development, lack of understanding of relationships, and self-stimulation through repetitive behaviors (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Although these are not all of the symptoms caused by ASD

ASD is a pervasive developmental disorder that consists of abnormal development and functioning of the brain. ASD may involve deficits in social behaviors, abnormalities in communication, cognitive delays, and repetitive behaviors (UC San Diego Autism Center of Excellence, 2016). ASD is a broad spectrum neurological disorder with a variety of symptoms affecting each individual differently (Debbaudt & Rothman, 2001). ASD involves severe impairments of reciprocal social interactions, impaired

Differences in brain structure between males and females result in important differences in perceptions, emotional expressions, priorities and behaviors. (*) Relationship traits, problem solving approaches, mathematical abilities, reactions to stress, language, emotions, brain size, pain perception, spatial ability and susceptibility to disorders are just some areas in which men and women react differently because of their differences in brain structure. (*) To some scientists and theorists these many influential biological differences between men and women make gender roles inevitable. (*)

By helping other professionals and families to adapt and evolve their understanding of ASD, you help the nation’s understanding of mental conditions grow and boost the prospects of more research in this field. Inspire the people around you for positive change.

ASD is rather an umbrella terminology, used to describe varying behaviours, which affect the way some groups of people process and act in response to their surrounding stimuli (FP; 2012). As a ‘spectrum’ of disorders, this includes autism, Asperger’s syndrome

An individual diagnosed with ASD who suffers from social anxiety may experience strong internal sensations of tension. In order to alleviate this tension, a person may feel the need to engage in self-soothing and repetitive behaviors, called perseveration. Perseveration is the uncontrolled repetition or continuation of a response (e.g., behavior, word, thought, activity, strategy, or emotion) in the absence of an ongoing occasion or rationale for that behavior or emotion. Perseverative behavior generally interferes with learning and adaptive behavior (e.g., effective interaction, on-task behavior, flexible shifting among topics and activities), and is believed to result from neurologic impairment.

The ability for families to remain strong and thrive during difficult, emotional experiences in raising a child with ASD is new to ASD literature (Whitehead, et al. 2015). Families show individual coping responses such as avoidance, disengagement, self-blame, denial, and emotional venting (Whitehead, et al. 2015). In comparison, action oriented strategies include planning, acceptance, and positive transformations (Whitehead, et al. 2015). The combination of behavior and emotional problems exhibited by children with ASD are major contributors to family and caregiver stress (Whitehead, et al.

Current research attempts to find neurobiological or genetic evidence as possible sources for ASD. Within the research and medical communities, there are disagreements as to which characteristics define an individual as having a condition within ASD. For example, the changes within the 4th and 5th editions of the American Psychiatric Association DSM, removes Asperger’s Syndrome as a condition, causing much controversy. It is this controversy about Asperger’s Syndrome significance that this review hopes to elucidate.

As evident from the generalized patterns found in differences in behaviour and outlook observed between the sexes, it may be tempting, as has been done in the past, to conclude that gender is an unavoidable aspect of human existence as determined purely from one 's genes. Indeed, human physiology is subject to sexual dimorphism; statistically significant differences in brain size and rate of maturation of specific substructures in the brain exist between males and females (Giedd, Castellanos, Rajapakese, Vaituzis, & Rapoport, 1997), yet these physical differences fail to explain how individuals form their concept of their own gender, and why they tend to conform to their perceived gender roles as defined by the society in which they live, when these roles are ever-changing. Thus, it is important to differentiate between the physical and nonphysical traits, and how the labels of femininity and masculinity should not confuse the two aspects. As defined by Unger (1979), “sex” would be used to refer to the biological differences in males and females, while “gender” describes socioculturally determined, nonphysiological traits which are arbitrarily designated as being appropriate for either females or males. With more recent awareness and interest in matters of gender nonconformity and individual gender identity, new research now explains how these concepts of gender are shaped by social influences (Perry