relationships
ASD unraveling the enigma part 1
04/04/10 11:01 Filed in: Autism Spectrum Disorders
Uta Frith wrote a wonderful book in 1989 entitled “Autism Explaining the Enigma.” She published a second edition in 2003. She basically reviewed three theories that accounted for some aspects of ASD: theory of mind, weak central coherence, and impaired executive functioning. At the very end of the book she offered some ideas on possible connections between the three. She believes that al three theories implicate thinking processes that have something to do with self-consciousness. These are all due to neurologically-based cognitive deficits.
Nancy Minchew, continuing down the cognitive deficit path, thinks that a complex information processing model best explains ASD. She believes that the higher order neural system is under-developed leading to cognitive deficits in complex sensory, complex motor, complex memory, complex language, and concept formation. Intact areas include simple memory, formal language, rule learning, visual spatial processing, elementary motor, and sensory perception.
On the other hand as I wrote in my last blog (reflecting the work of Peter Hobson in England) ASD can be viewed as primarily an affective disorder -- people with ASD do not engage in affectively charged interactions with other people. They are lacking in self-other awareness.
Michael Tomaselo in his 2003 book entitled “Constructing a Language” identifies two important sets of human skills that are important for language acquisition: intention-reading and pattern-finding. Intention-reading includes such things as the ability to share attention with others, the ability to follow attention and gesturing of others to objects, the ability to actively direct the attention of others to objects by pointing and gesturing, and the ability to imitatively learn the intentional actions of others. Pattern-finding is the ability to form perceptual and conceptual categories based on the principle of sameness and the ability engage in relational thinking as epitomized by the use of analogies and metaphors. In other words processing information about relations between relations and not just judgements about same and different.
The enigma of ASD can thus be explained not by either affect or cognition weakness but by deficits in both areas. As such instruction needs to focus on teaching both intention-reading and pattern-finding skills. This is where the search will continue in future blogs -- further explicating the theory and research behind a dual pronged approach and delineating a scope and sequence that would address both areas.
Nancy Minchew, continuing down the cognitive deficit path, thinks that a complex information processing model best explains ASD. She believes that the higher order neural system is under-developed leading to cognitive deficits in complex sensory, complex motor, complex memory, complex language, and concept formation. Intact areas include simple memory, formal language, rule learning, visual spatial processing, elementary motor, and sensory perception.
On the other hand as I wrote in my last blog (reflecting the work of Peter Hobson in England) ASD can be viewed as primarily an affective disorder -- people with ASD do not engage in affectively charged interactions with other people. They are lacking in self-other awareness.
Michael Tomaselo in his 2003 book entitled “Constructing a Language” identifies two important sets of human skills that are important for language acquisition: intention-reading and pattern-finding. Intention-reading includes such things as the ability to share attention with others, the ability to follow attention and gesturing of others to objects, the ability to actively direct the attention of others to objects by pointing and gesturing, and the ability to imitatively learn the intentional actions of others. Pattern-finding is the ability to form perceptual and conceptual categories based on the principle of sameness and the ability engage in relational thinking as epitomized by the use of analogies and metaphors. In other words processing information about relations between relations and not just judgements about same and different.
The enigma of ASD can thus be explained not by either affect or cognition weakness but by deficits in both areas. As such instruction needs to focus on teaching both intention-reading and pattern-finding skills. This is where the search will continue in future blogs -- further explicating the theory and research behind a dual pronged approach and delineating a scope and sequence that would address both areas.
Affective disorder continued
21/01/10 10:59 Filed in: Autism Spectrum Disorders
What do I mean when I say that ASD is primarily an affective disorder? There are of course problems with cognition – many autistic people find it difficult to perceive the mental states of others (Theory of the Mind); people with autism have problems with seeing the whole picture (Weak Central Coherence); and they also have problems planning, organizing, monitoring progress toward goals, and approaching problem solving in a flexible manner (Deficient Executive Functioning). The research of Peter Hobson sees these as secondary conditions that arise from impairment in the emotional aspects of interpersonal relatedness.
The tools of complex thinking (what Vygotsky calls the higher mental functions) are constructed when the infant is emotionally engaged with other people. Social engagement provides the foundation for both thinking and language.
Kanner’s early formulation was right on the mark (too bad he modified it later and came up with the term “refrigerator mother’). He labeled what he saw in eleven children in his first paper as “autistic disturbance of affective (i.e. emotional) contact”.
ASD is first and foremost an impairment in the emotional aspects of interpersonal relatedness. The Kaufman’s in their book “Son-Rise” were on the right track. Research is now validating much of their early work. The place to start when working with children (or adults with ASD for that matter) is with their lack of interpersonal relatedness at the emotional level. Many programs target the cognitive level and this frequently results in just simply teaching them some rote rules of social behavior.
The tools of complex thinking (what Vygotsky calls the higher mental functions) are constructed when the infant is emotionally engaged with other people. Social engagement provides the foundation for both thinking and language.
Kanner’s early formulation was right on the mark (too bad he modified it later and came up with the term “refrigerator mother’). He labeled what he saw in eleven children in his first paper as “autistic disturbance of affective (i.e. emotional) contact”.
ASD is first and foremost an impairment in the emotional aspects of interpersonal relatedness. The Kaufman’s in their book “Son-Rise” were on the right track. Research is now validating much of their early work. The place to start when working with children (or adults with ASD for that matter) is with their lack of interpersonal relatedness at the emotional level. Many programs target the cognitive level and this frequently results in just simply teaching them some rote rules of social behavior.
ASD primarily as an affective disorder
13/01/10 09:38 Filed in: Autism Spectrum Disorders
The parents of a child on the autism spectrum frequently wonder -- what can I do to help my child grow and develop. They turn to professionals, other parents, and frequently web sites for advice. And what a plethora of advice there is out there. “This diet will cure your child.” “Don’t vaccinate.” “The only program that works is ABA”. or “ABA turns your child into a robot.” So many different therapies, so much different advice. What is a parent to do? Who do they listen to?
Most of the research favors Applied Behavior Analysis although there is a tantalizing bit of research that is now merging behavioral and developmental approaches (e.g., The Denver Model). What I will do in this and subsequent blogs is just share my latest thinking on an idea -- the idea that ASD is primarily an affective disturbance and the cognitive dysfunctions are secondary to this.
I believe that the starting place is in developing self and other awareness. First develop an emotional (affective) connection and then start the cognitive skill development part.
My thoughts are based on research that I will later share in more detail -- primarily the works of Peter Hobson and Michael Tomesello but also numerous others.
My thoughts are also based on two programs with weak research bases -- Relationship Development Intervention and the Son Rise program -- both have some very good ideas and both have limitations.
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ASD is primarily a social impairment.
People with ASD do not engage in emotionally charged interactions with other people.
They lack the capacity to see other people as people like themselves.
Just because they lack this capacity does not mean it cannot be taught.
Most of the research favors Applied Behavior Analysis although there is a tantalizing bit of research that is now merging behavioral and developmental approaches (e.g., The Denver Model). What I will do in this and subsequent blogs is just share my latest thinking on an idea -- the idea that ASD is primarily an affective disturbance and the cognitive dysfunctions are secondary to this.
I believe that the starting place is in developing self and other awareness. First develop an emotional (affective) connection and then start the cognitive skill development part.
My thoughts are based on research that I will later share in more detail -- primarily the works of Peter Hobson and Michael Tomesello but also numerous others.
My thoughts are also based on two programs with weak research bases -- Relationship Development Intervention and the Son Rise program -- both have some very good ideas and both have limitations.
---------------
ASD is primarily a social impairment.
People with ASD do not engage in emotionally charged interactions with other people.
They lack the capacity to see other people as people like themselves.
Just because they lack this capacity does not mean it cannot be taught.