Autism Primer
by Kenneth Roberson, PhD
Dr. Roberson has a website/blog with a series of very high quality articles that provide a good overview of issues facing an autistic individual and relationships involving autistic and non autistic individuals. The articles are succinct but cover each topic with enough depth to give one a good idea of the scope and severity of the challenges that may be encountered as well as some strategies for how to deal with them. This is one of the best resources I have come across and I am providing links to the individual articles here to make it easier for you to find information on the sub topic of interest:
HOW AUTISM PRESENTS IN INDIVIDUALS
What Is Asperger’s Syndrome? (6/19/2012)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/what-aspergers-syndrome/
Four Self Diagnosing Tests of ASD (6/22/2016) Cambridge Univ.
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/four-self-diagnosing-tests-aspergers-syndrome/
Cambridge University self tests
AQ – Autism Quotient
EQ – Empathy Quotient
RAADS-R – Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale Revised
SQ – Systematizing Quotient
How People With ASD Think – Part 1 (1/4/2017)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/people-aspergers-think-part/
Concreteness
Sensory Thinking
Implications
How People With ASD Think – Part 2 (1/18/2017)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/people-aspergers-think-part-ii/
Attention
Emotional Thinking
Implications
How People With ASD Communicate – Part 1 (12/21/2016)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/people-aspergers-communicate-part/
Difficulties of Communication
Social Understanding and Communication
How People With ASD Communicate – Part 2 (2/1/2017)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/2884-2/
Literal Language
Metaphorical Language
Executive Functioning in Adults with ASD (10/7/2020)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/executive-functioning-in-adults-with-autism-spectrum-disorder/
Impairments in:
Planning and Organization
Impulse Control
Initiating Tasks
Emotional Regulation
Working Memory
Shifting
Poor Self Monitoring
Organization
Two Important Outcomes of EF Deficits in Adults (adaptive functioning/anxiety)
The Theory Of Mind: Explaining ASD in Adults (2/13/2019
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/the-theory-of-mind-explaining-aspergers-syndrome-in-adults/
The socialization of adults with ASD
The problem of Theory of Mind (still is most widely accepted and powerful explanation of ASD behavior)
Mind Blindness In Adults with ASD (3/3/2021)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/mindblindness-in-adults-with-autism-spectrum-disorder/
What Is The Most Defining Characteristic of ASD In Adults? (3/17/2021)
Cognitive Empathy – Mind Blindness
Sound Sensitivity In Adults With ASD (1/16/2019)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/sound-sensitivity-in-adults-with-aspergers-syndrome/
What causes sound sensitivity in adults with ASD?
Strategies to cope with sound sensitivity
Resistance to Change in People with ASD (1/31/2018)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/resistance-change-people-aspergers/
Why is change hard for someone with ASD?
The need to avoid separation
The common factor: fear of sensory overload, fear of loss/separation
The Many Disguises of Adult ASD (3/14/2018) [Masking]
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/many-disguises-adult-aspergers-syndrome/
Why do people hide their ASD?
How do people disguise their ASD?
Consequences of camouflaging
Hiding In Plain Sight : The Many Disguises of Adult ASD (12/5/2018) [Masking]
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/hiding-in-plain-sight-the-many-disguises-of-adult-aspergers-syndrome/
Camouflaging
The consequences of camouflaging
Playing By Different Rules: Pathological Demand Avoidance in Adults with ASD (4/14/2021)
Characteristics of PDA
Prognosis
Living With Someone Who Has ASD (3/28/2018)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/living-someone-aspergers/
Arguing Effectively With an Adult with ASD (6/21/2017)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/arguing-effectively-adult-aspergers/
Choose the Right Time
Focus On Problem Solving
Consider Writing
Be Literal
Stick With It
Aggression In Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder (3/23/2019)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/aggression-in-adults-with-aspergers/
Coping With Autism Spectrum Disorder Meltdowns (5/10/2017)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/coping-asperger-meltdowns/
Autistic Burnout: Coping in Adults With ASD (8/26/2020)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/autistic-burnout-coping-in-adults-with-aspergers-syndrome/
Autistic Regression and Burnout : Descriptions of Life on the Spectrum (2/3/2021)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/autistic-regression-and-burnout-descriptions-of-life-on-the-spectrum/
Can Someone with ASD Have Intimate An Relationship? (5/15/2013)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/can-someone-with-aspergers-have-an-intimate-relationship/
Mind Blindness
Emotional Blindness
Social Blindness
So, How is Intimacy Possible?
Why Adults with ASD Don’t Show Empathy (9/14/2016)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/adults-aspergers-dont-show-empathy/
ASD, Empathy, and the search for truth
The ASD Self and Feelings
Difficulty of self awareness and awareness own feelings
The Empathy Gap In Adults with ASD (5/24/2017)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/empathy-gap-adults-aspergers/
The Empathy Problem for Adults with ASD (12/19/2018)
Empathy: What it is, Why it matters, and how you can improve
What is Empathy
Different Types of Empathy
Why is Empathy Important
Are People Born With Empathy Or Can It Be Taught?
How To Improve Your Level Of Empathy
Sensitivity, Not Empathy, Is the ASD Problem (8/15/2018)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/sensitivity-not-empathy-is-the-aspergers-syndrome-problem/
What is ASD Sensitivity?
Can Adults with ASD Learn Empathy? (Yes)
Should You Take Medication for ASD? (10/12/2016)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/take-medication-aspergers/
Comorbidities
ASD and ADHD
ASD and Depression
ASD and Anxiety
What Adults with ASD Are Anxious About (8/29/2018)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/what-adults-with-aspergers-are-anxious-about/
What Triggers Anxiety for an Adult with ASD?
Why anxiety is so pervasive
Can one become less anxious?
Depression In Adults with ASD (7/4/2018)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/depression-in-adults-with-aspergers/
Why do people with ASD become depressed?
What does depression in someone with ASD look like?
The basic problem of depression in ASD
Can depression in ASD be cured? (Yes)
Which Is It, Autism or ADHD? (3/15/2017)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/which-is-it-aspergers-or-adhd/
The Fine Line Between Adult ASD and ADD (11/19/2019)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/the-fine-line-between-adult-aspergers-and-attention-deficit-disorder/
Executive Functioning
Communication Impairments
Behavioral Deficits
Sensory Responses
Two Disorders or One? (continuum, one and the same?)
Looking Past the Asperger’s Label (4/12/2017)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/looking-past-aspergers-label/
Beware of losing the person’s individuality by using a label
The artificiality of Asperger’s
The danger of the Asperger’s label
How To Think About What Causes ASD (3/1/2017)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/think-causes-aspergers-syndrome/
Biological aspects
Cognitive aspects
Behavioral aspects
Changing ASD In Adults: Three Essential Requirements (4/26/2017)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/3009-2/
In short – yes, it is possible
Motivation
Education
Support
How are Women With ASD Different from Men with ASD? (8/16/2017)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/women-aspergers-different-men-aspergers/
Why women don’t appear to have ASD (masking)
The adult woman with ASD (prefer 1 on 1)
Trying To Be Normal: Camouflaging In Women With ASD (12/16/2020)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/trying-to-be-normal-camouflaging-in-women-with-aspergers/
The diagnostic problem
Problems of camouflaging in women
Social Communication Challenges In Women With Autism Spectrum Disorder (2/27/2019)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/social-communication-challenges-in-women-with-aspergers/
The One Necessary Condition For Change to Happen in Adults with ASD (9/13/2017)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/one-necessary-condition-change-happen-adults-aspergers/
The common factors in change
Can Everyone with ASD Change? (No)
Key: the desire to be different
HOW AUTISM AFFECTS RELATIONSHIPS
Five Suggestions for Communicating With Your ASD Partner (12/2/2020)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/five-suggestions-for-communicating-with-your-aspergers-partner/
Make Clarity Your First Priority
Start Changing Now
Use Written Communication Often
Make Criticism Constructive
Be Strategic
Is An Intimate Relationship Possible For Someone With ASD (9/22/2021)
Mind Blindness
Emotional Blindness
Social Blindness
So How Is Intimacy Possible?
Communicating Differently: Intimate Relationships With Adults Who Have Autism Spectrum Disorder, Part 1 (4/11/2018)
Prompting
Unresponsiveness
Communicating Differently: Intimate Relationships With Adults Who Have Autism Spectrum Disorder, Part 2 (4/25/2018)
Obstructions
Caretaking
Growing Apart
Effective Communication For Couples In An Autism Spectrum Disorder Relationship (5/9/2018)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/3270-2/
Breaking The Roundabout Cycle
1. Recognize The Problem
2. Watch Out For Prompt Dependency
3. Intervene Early
4. Communicate In Writing
Four Essential Ingredients For A Successful ASD Relationship (NT Focus)(8/2/2017)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/3066-2/
Communicate Simply And Exactly
Don’t Expect Communication To Save Your Relationship
Play To. Your Relationship Strengths
Be The Change You Want
Keys To A Successful ASD Marriage (7/19/2017)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/keys-successful-aspergers-marriage/
Sexual Intimacy And Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder (3/27/2019)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/sexual-intimacy-and-adults-with-aspergers/
Sexual Problems and Neurodiverse Couples (11/18/2020)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/sexual-problems-and-neurodiverse-couples/
Deficiency in theory of mind
Communication Impasses
Self Focus
Sensory Issues
Emotional Intimacy
How Couples Therapy Works When One Person Has Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Other Does Not (6/20/2018)
AS must genuinely accept the diagnosis
Motivation to change is essential
Assess communication patterns (talking at vs. talking to, black and white, details vs big picture, reading interpersonal cues, lacking desire to engage)
Six Reasons Why Women Choose Men with ASD (6/7/2017)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/six-reasons-women-choose-men-aspergers/
You Are Opposite Of Him
You Misunderstood Who He Is
You Want To Rescue Him
You Like To Be In Control
He Seems Familiar
You Project Yourself
What To Do About A Failing ASD Marriage? (9/18/2018)
https://kennethrobersonphd.com/what-to-do-about-a-failing-aspergers-marriage/