‘Understanding the Needs of the High Functioning Autistic
and Asperger Person’ based upon Michelle Garcia-Winner’s conference Oct. 8th, 05
The following are statements that are typical for many High Functioning Autistic –Asperger individuals. You are encouraged to circle ‘yes’ if the statement is true for you or circle ‘No’ if the statement is not true for you. If you would like,
underline statements that are particularly true for you.
YES—NO (1) As a High Functioning Autistic-Asperger person , I find that the ‘real world’ is at times a mystery to me. I seem to be naïve in situations, say or do something that has a negative result, that I did not intend.
YES—NO (2) As a person with HFA-AS, in some ways my problems have increased as I have gotten older, especially in the area of social thinking. My school age friends seem to have matured and I feel at times socially separated and distant from my peers.
YES—NO (3) As a HFA-AS person, I may appear to have ‘blind spots’ as I can manage well in many situations, but then, kind of out of the blue, I have real discernment problems, especially during emotional or unstructured times, particularly with unfamiliar people and novel situations (real world).
YES—NO (4 ) As a HFA-AS person, I often lack organizational strategies to prepare for home and the real world. This ability to create an organized environment or structure is critical for emerging into independent adults, and I have difficulty keeping my life organized.
YES—NO (5) As a HFA-AS person, I seemingly shut down at the wrong time, or say or do the wrong thing at the wrong time, to the wrong person. I don’t always understand the intent of certain questions, and may answer with the answer I think the person wants to hear, not the answer that is necessarily true for me.
YES—NO (6) As a HFA-AS person, I have trouble initiating verbally or initiating actions in many situations. I have been wrong too many times, and my mistakes are embarrassing. This lack may include my hesitance to start a project, to make a phone call, or to begin talking to someone on my own (including asking for help).
YES—NO (7) As a HFA-AS person, I have feelings and show empathy with those in my life close to me, but I have difficulty showing empathy in the ‘real world’ and have difficulty with perspective taking abilities, especially when feeling stress or anxiety. The result is that I often misjudge people, and consequently misjudge people’s motives and intentions within the real world. Sometimes I do things unintentionally, because of my misjudgments.
YES—NO (8) As a HFA-AS person , I am at times unable to adapt and conform to typical expectations within a social group, and I often feel excluded..
One ‘Yes’ response is a significant interference in a person’s interpersonal life. Four or more 'Yes' will indicate significant social discernment deficits interfering with the person’s ability to discern ‘what to do, what to say, when to say, and to whom in many life situations.” Vocational, personal and social interactions are expected to be affected. Intervention may help the person get better.
(PJGee 12/07)
