Communicating Effectively with Those on the Autism

Spectrum

Marti Baio, M.A., CCC-SLP

What Is Autism

• A Spectrum• An Impairment of Social Interactions• Impairment of Verbal/Non-Verbal

Communication• Restricted, Repetitive, and Stereotyped

Patterns of Behavior (talk about only certain topics, obsessive/compulsive type activities, trouble with change of routine, fidgeting)

Co-Existing Features of Autism• Stress• Anxiety

• Frustration• Emotionally Withdrawn

• OCD• Panic Disorder

• Impulsive• Tantrums

• ADD• Bipolar• Anger

Often Intelligent, Yet Unemployed, And Socially Isolated

4 Areas to Explore1. Self Awareness – Help the individual to be aware of

his/her diagnosis (the diagnosis can be very helpful in advocating for individualized needs in the work and living environments). Help them learn about their disability and what it means to them. Help the person assess their strengths and weaknesses.

2. Self-Advocacy – Help the individual to identify and express interests, preferences, and goals so they know what they are striving for.

Often Intelligent, Yet Unemployed, And Socially Isolated

3. Career Awareness – Match strengths/weaknesses to career goal. Do a functional vocational assessment, getting frequent feedback from employers and supervisors so that you can help make adjustments

4. Employee Education – Train the employees and supervisors of the information you have learned about Autism and the techniques and compensations they can use with the person you are placing in that position

Listening/Auditory Processing

• Some people need a longer processing time Get to know the person’s processing time so you can

help them be successful by not rushing them

• Some people don’t process well if other things are distracting

Pay attention to see if you have the individual’s attention and determine if there are distracters that could be avoided

Listening/Auditory Processing

• Some people can’t process well if it’s new language/information

If this is a new setting for the person, prepare them with the “lingo” and acronyms they are going to hear. Find out the communication style of the boss and peers they will be working with, Autistic people communicate better in concrete terms, so if you have a sarcastic boss, this will be a challenge. Jokes and figurative speech are not a good way to communicate with someone on the spectrum, be prepared to clarify what you mean.

Listening/Auditory Processing

• Some people don’t process well if they are being required to use social skills that are not natural and comfortable for them (i.e. requiring eye contact and listening)

Keep in mind that concentrating on using eye contact, interpreting body language, interpreting “gray” language, interpreting tone of voice, being in a distracting or new setting, all make processing what the other person says a very difficult task

Expressive Language• Verbal – just because the person is verbal and can

speak in intelligible sentences does not necessarily mean that they will use this skill appropriately. You may notice them talk “at” you, get off topic easily, or murmur something that doesn’t make sense (a line from a movie)

• Non-verbal – Just because someone is non-verbal does not mean that they are intellectually impaired. Be ready to provide an alternate way for the person to communicate (write, type, point to pictures, use an electronic talking device)

Expressive Language• Conversation – Often times conversation does not flow easily.

The person may not know what to talk about and/or lack interest in others and not know to ask questions in a reciprocal format.

• Spontaneous Language – Spontaneous language is limited to what Really interests that person and/or they might not have Learned the words to say to initiate the language they want to communicate. Many times it is the responsibility of the NT to be creative and identify that the person IS communicating spontaneously, just not in the typical fashion (behaviors, sounds, pulling you to something)

• Scripted Speech – People on the spectrum will use speech they have heard on TV, movies, or the radio. They want to say something and that is all they know to say at the time. This could be the NTs cue to ask if there is something they want to talk about and provide that opportunity.

Social Skills/Pragmatics• Initiating Communication With Others We will want to initiate with the person on the spectrum and provide some

verbal models. We can determine the skill of initiating to supervisors and peers; and with that information determine if we will need to provide cues for the person either visually or written.

• Responding To Others They may hear us but not know what response we want to hear, they may

not have processed the information as quickly as we have assumed, they may not have understood our language (too abstract), they may not have heard us, they may have processed what they heard, but they may be having a hard time processing what they want to say. Be sure to give the person enough processing time and re-phrase information for clarity. The person may not be responding due to sensory issues such as the speakers volume, tone of voice, or distracting environment.

Social Skills/Pragmatics

• Body Language It is very difficult for the individual with Autism to understand our

body language, facial expressions, tone of voice, etc.; and to make sense out of all the parts of it. One person said that they can identify pictures of how people feel (static), but in a fluid situation it is very difficult to process all of the cues.

• Lack Of Eye Contact For the Neural-Typical (NT) it drives us nuts not to have eye

contact. People on the spectrum find eye contact to be difficult, distracting, and uncomfortable. Not having appropriate eye contact interferes with relationships, therefore we give people with Autism “tricks” so that the NTs will be comfortable such as: Look at the person’s nose, ears, over their shoulder, etc.

Social Skills/Pragmatics• Decreased Ability To Make/Keep Relationships It’s often not natural for people on the spectrum to know the social

rules of creating and keeping relationships, they often need to be taught all the things that come naturally to an NT (show interest by asking questions, call and let the person know you are thinking of them, send them cards, etc.). On the job, a person will need to be briefed on the social norms of the work place.

• Trouble Taking Others’ Perspectives Often people on the spectrum are working so hard to just get

through a situation that taking on another person’s perspective and to empathize and/or sympathize with them is very difficult, some people will see this as uncaring and they may they become angry or have reason to not want to work with that particular employee.

Social Skills/Pragmatics

• Difficulty Working Cooperatively Because of difficulty understanding language, abstract

vocabulary, a desire to have things a “certain way”, mixed with the uncertainty of how to cooperate effectively (which needs to be taught) all the above give people with Autism trouble being successful in cooperative work, however this is a skill that can be taught. We need to teach turn taking, not monopolizing the conversations, knowing how and when to interrupt, allowing others to “win”, staying on topic and knowing when it’s OK to change topics, being a good Team Player.

Communication/Social Skill List1. Listening to and retaining information:

a) directions b) information

2. Understanding: a) Idioms b) Figures of Speech c) Jokes d) “Gray” Language e) Acronyms

Communication/Social Skill List

3. Answering questions appropriatelya) stay on topicb) use contingent statementsc) use appropriate turn taking

4. Expressing themselves: a) use complete sentencesb) express a verbal paragraph of ideasc) express their feelingsd) stay on topic

Communication/Social Skill List – (cont)

5.Conversational Skills: a) initiating and responding b) asking follow-up questions to show interest, c) asking questions if they need more information, d) staying on topic, e) being able to say “No” at the appropriate times- (defend self or

refuse an activity)f) turn taking in the conversationg) negotiatingh) paraphrase what communication partner says to show

understandingi) use joint attention skills (“Mary, Look at that beautiful sunset”)

Communication/Social Skill List

6. Body Language: understanding and using a) appropriate eye contact, b) volume,c) tone of voice, d) body position, e) facial expressions, and f) body language: crossing arms, turning your back to

someone, open armsg) identify and recognize feelings of others

Communication/Social Skill List

7. Making and Keeping Relationshipsa) how to foster friendshipb) being kind to othersc) calling friends to let them know you are thinking of themd) showing empathy/sympathye) taking the other person’s perspectivef) predict others’ desires, intentions, beliefs, and feelingsg) understand the meanings of trust and honestyh) give and receive compliments

Communication/Social Skill List

8. Working Cooperativelya) Negotiatingb) Sharing ideasc) Winning and losing

9. Modulation of movement, voice, laughter, etc.

Communication/Social Skill List

10. Opinions vs. Facts: accepting different peoples opinions and separating it out from fact.

11. Approaching tasks and conversations in different ways.

12. Identify and solve social problems – arguments, teasing, using self control, dealing with being left out, not having the correct change…

13. Identify and use appropriate grooming skills

Resources Preparing for Life: the complete Guide for Transitioning to Adulthood for

those with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome, by Dr. Jed Baker, Future Horizons, Inc.

Social Skills Menu, p. 25Job Matches, p. 295Responding to Criticism, Accusations & Complaints of the Job p.

330

Interview Techniques http://careercenter.bc.edu http://www.allbusiness.com http://jobsearch.about.com

Small TalkFine Art of Small Talk: How to Start a Conversation, Keep It Going, Build Networking Skills--And Leave a Positive Impression!

by Debra Fine

Resources

Asperger's: What Does It Mean to Me? Catherine Faherty– Amazon