Asperger Syndrome Charecteristics

Asperger Syndrome Charecteristics (Meyer) and (Fast) for JMSS. Physical Manifestations • • • • • • • • • • •

Fine motor coordination problems Stims Difficulty monitoring or controlling voice level Verbosity Failure to observe the personal space of others Strong food preferences and aversions Limited food choices and rigid eating behaviors Bad self care Concentration and attention problems Some depression Anxiety

Work Characteristics • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Difficulty with teamwork Does not like to compete, overreacts to losing Difficulty in handling relationships with authority figures Difficulty in giving or receiving criticism Reluctance to accept positions of authority Difficulty in negotiating conflict or being an effective self advocate Difficulty in accepting praise and will react inappropriately or with self deprecation Sarcastic and critical towards others Difficulty in remembering where items used moments before are located Difficulty with starting projects Daydreaming Attention to detail Unorthodox work routines Some enjoyment of routine tasks

• Strong reaction to change in work routines • Stress reaction to multi-tasking, change of priorities and conflict of priorities • Low motivation to perform tasks of no immediate personal interest • Strong discomfort with unstructured time • Uncomfortable with small talk on and off the job • Anxiety about performance and acceptance, despite recognition and commendation • Conscientious about completing tasks Cognitive Characteristics • Stilted or pedantic conversational style • Poor understanding of reciprocal rules of speech (interrupting, monologues, trouble with shifting topics, intervention timing difficulty, difficulty in repairing conversations) • Some literal interpretation of words • Literal interpretation of direction • Low awareness of non-verbal conversation cues of others Learning • • • • • • • • • • •

Preference for visually orientated training Preference for hands on learning Preference for rote learning Preference for step by step learning with practice of one step at a time before proceeding to the next Preference for simple incremental steps without intervening global explanations for conceptual information Agitation with instructions that assume knowledge and delete or otherwise skip steps Dependence on routine and clear rules Concrete thinking Repetitive questions Excessive questions Highly susceptible to distractions and interruptions

• Reluctance to ask for help, knowing when, who, why and how to ask for help (not as bad now) • Difficulty in clearing expressing a problem • Unorthodox methods in the solution of problems • Extreme reaction to failure to solve problems • Low interest to learn subjects of no interest • Low threshold to certain kinds of sensory overload • Some difficulty with handwriting Thought • • • • • • • • • • • •

Limited range of highly developed interests Some difficulty with short term memory Difficulty with recalling and rehashing dialogue Exceptional long term memory Lack of common sense Impulsiveness Shutdown during extreme sensory overload or stress Difficulty with identifying and expressing emotion Black and white thinking Problems understanding broad concepts due to getting lost in the details Difficulty in imagining the thoughts of others in the same setting Difficulty with understanding that other’s thoughts might be different from ones own • Missing or misunderstanding the meaning of others’ agendas, priorities or preferences, words or behaviors Executive Functioning Issues • Some problems in knowing the relationship between a personal action and its consequences • Problems combining both facts and ideas (some contradictory) into a grand schema. • Difficulty assessing the relative importance of details • Dropping details

• Problems establishing priorities • Some problems estimating time to complete a task even if it has been done before. • Difficulty with organization and sequencing tasks • Messy work area Social Characteristics • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• • • •

Problems perceiving and applying unwritten social rules Rigid adherence where flexibility is desired Frankness with no tact Bad manners In own world Occasional loner Some shyness Difficulty with manipulating or playing games with others Highly sensitive to injustice Difficulty in adopting a social mask to obscure real feelings, moods and reactions Using social masks appropriately Excessive talk, always discussing things of self interest Some blunt emotional expression Difficulty with trust issues: some naïve trust in others. Dislike of forming acquaintances, some problems with friendships and intimate relationships, difficulty in differentiating with friendship, poor understanding of boundaries in relationships Constant level of paranoia or vigilance Pouting, ruminating and fixating on bad experiences with people for an inordinate length of time Flash temper Tantrums, rages, shutdown and self isolating behaviors appearing out of nowhere (not so bad as when younger)

Cognitive Strengths Bright Articulate, eloquent (verbal,written) Multi-lingual Sequential processing, Step by step problem-solving and decision making Logical Analytical Exceptional long term memory Attention to detail Process words and symbols Problem solving (verbal, visual) Familiar and structured tasks Computer literacy (good base0 Follows instructions Alternate solutions and unorthodox problem solving skills Good finisher of tasks Emotional Strengths Mature Persistent Dependable, responsible, honest Able to learn and willing to change Helpful and serving others Motivated Enthusiastic Thorough Conscientious Diligent, good worker Dedicated Able to work independently Sense of humor

Cognitive Weaknesses Visual Puzzles Multi tasking Integrating details into a current whole Generalizing information, simultaneous processing of info Sticks to one strategy when problem solving Thinks in words not pictures Bad spatial perceptions and relations Abstract reasoning Novel or complex tasks Slow processing speed Difficulty improvising Hard to make quick judgements (think on my feet) Difficulty follow diagrmmatic instructions Difficulty with vague long winded explanations or instructions Rigid in methodology of tasks Emotional Weaknesses Some depressive tendency Insecure Taken advantage of (not as much) Some helpless feelings Anxious Angry Disorganized Team skills Unable to switch gears (improving) Some impatience when problem solving Open expressions of disgust

Social Strengths Friendly Dependable Conscientious Caring Loyal Trustworthy

Social Weaknesses Does not perceive/respond to nonverbal cues Talks too much and asks too many questions Slow to react Deficits in social judgments and interacts Insecurity with not “fitting in” Envious with the progress of others Can become quiet or withdraw Reciprocal speech Boundaries in relationships Small talk