Autism and Autism and BehaviourBehaviour

Luke BeardonLuke Beardon

Autism and BehaviourAutism and Behaviour

Behaviour always makes senseBehaviour always makes sense Why wouldn't you?Why wouldn't you? Challenging behaviour challenges Challenging behaviour challenges

others - not the person with autismothers - not the person with autism Is it really that bad?Is it really that bad?

Possible CausesPossible Causes

It's funIt's fun Form of communicationForm of communication FrustrationFrustration Lack of control / no Lack of control / no perceivedperceived

alternativealternative Lack of global stabilityLack of global stability SensorySensory

Autism and DysphoriaAutism and Dysphoria

High levels of anxiety – as normHigh levels of anxiety – as norm Increased anxiety states for specific Increased anxiety states for specific

reasonsreasons Global levels of high anxiety due to Global levels of high anxiety due to

environmental factorsenvironmental factors Possible as high as 90% of Possible as high as 90% of

individuals have a recognisable individuals have a recognisable anxiety disorderanxiety disorder

Secondary Psychiatric Secondary Psychiatric DisordersDisorders

Not a primary mental illnessNot a primary mental illness Result of environmental factors Result of environmental factors High level in people with Autism High level in people with Autism

compared to peer groupscompared to peer groups Better support should lead to a Better support should lead to a

better prognosis and reduction in better prognosis and reduction in secondary conditionssecondary conditions

Direct learning vs Indirect learning

Examples of indirect learning / development:

Theory of Mind

Social skills

Social cues

Non verbal communication

Learning ProcessesLearning Processes

◈Accurate interpretation

◈Metaphor / sarcasm / irony

◈Need for accuracy / lack of tautology

◈Echolalia / palilalia / delayed echolalia

◈Delayed processing

◈Expressive vs receptive skills

Verbal CommunicationVerbal Communication

◈Prosody

◈Facial expression

◈Body posture

◈Inference

◈Contextual information

Non Verbal CommunicationNon Verbal Communication

◈Recognising the ‘unwritten rules’

◈Assessing situations

◈Reacting appropriately to the PNT social circumstance

◈Adapting social skills to the PNT situation

Social SkillsSocial Skills

◈Alexithymia

◈Mentalising abilities

◈Empathy

◈Trust

◈Appearance of rudeness

Theory of MindTheory of Mind

◈Planning

◈Impulse control

◈Sequencing

◈Scripting

Executive FunctioningExecutive Functioning

◈ Identifying the pattern or underlying rules

◈ Attention to detail

◈ Knowing what is relevant and redundant

◈ Recognising the 'big picture'

Central CoherenceCentral Coherence

OBSESSIONSOBSESSIONS

◈ Can be socially inappropriate

◈ Need boundaries around obsessive behaviour

◈ Must recognise that obsessive behaviours can be used as coping mechanisms

◈ Obsessions may be misinterpreted

Sensory Sensory DifferencesDifferences

◈ Neuro-physiological differences in Neuro-physiological differences in

filtering processesfiltering processes

◈ Can have major impact on Can have major impact on

behaviourbehaviour

◈ Environmental aspects can Environmental aspects can

influenceinfluence

Hypothesis - resistance to change

Individuals with Autism have Individuals with Autism have significantly lower ‘stability rates’ in significantly lower ‘stability rates’ in

their day to day lives than the their day to day lives than the neurotypicalneurotypical

This may lead, in part, to an explanation of

‘resistance to change’

Dependent on:

Communication

Understanding other people

Social awareness

Predictability

Fulfilled expectations

Shared sensory environment

StabilityStability

Autism and Resistance to Change

1

2

Neurotypical 24 Hour Period

Stable

Unstable

BullyingBullying

Individuals with Autism are highly Individuals with Autism are highly vulnerable:vulnerable:– don't 'fit in'don't 'fit in'– will not necessarily follow traditional will not necessarily follow traditional

social convention (fashion, etc.)social convention (fashion, etc.)– problems with adhering to social rules problems with adhering to social rules

within society (classroom, playtime, within society (classroom, playtime, employment, social arenas, etc.)employment, social arenas, etc.)

– communication problemscommunication problems– poor PNT ToMpoor PNT ToM

Ethics, Morality, and Ethics, Morality, and NormalisationNormalisation

It is essential that individuals with Autism are

treated with respect for their way of thinking and

behaving, and that ‘normal’ value bases are not enforced upon them

ContactContactDr Luke BeardonDr Luke BeardonSenior lecturer in AutismSenior lecturer in AutismThe Autism CentreThe Autism CentreSheffield Hallam UniversitySheffield Hallam UniversityL.Beardon@shu.ac.ukL.Beardon@shu.ac.uk