The adolescent with autism spectrum disorder

Many parents often wonder how their children will cope with this new stage of adolescence, how they will navigate the social world, how they will manage their schoolwork, or how they will take care of their own hygiene and self-care. The answers to these questions become even more complex when we consider adolescents with ASD.

Difficulties relating to others, and in many cases controlling their behavior or organizing tasks, can interfere with a teenager's daily life . Furthermore, sensory hypersensitivity can make it difficult for them to integrate hygiene habits, such as showering, also interfering with aspects of their social relationships.

The characteristics and specificities of ASD, being a neurodevelopmental condition, accompany the individual throughout their life. Therefore, it is recommended that the adolescent be connected to a mental health specialist team and receive support or supervision in the various areas of their life (school, health, leisure) . Furthermore, it is important to be alert to crisis situations, which are more likely to occur during times of greater difficulty, change, or new challenges.

Socio-emotional development in adolescents with ASD

Emotional awareness is the first step in developing emotional skills and is an area of ​​difficulty for individuals with ASD. These adolescents often struggle to identify and express their own emotions, making emotional management more challenging.

Emotional awareness

Emotional awareness is the first step in developing emotional skills and is an area of ​​difficulty for individuals with ASD. These adolescents often struggle to identify and express their own emotions, making emotional management more challenging.

To promote emotional awareness, the following is recommended:

• Helping the teenager get in touch with their own emotions, creating spaces for calm and putting a name to their emotions.
• Create opportunities for communication and where they feel heard.
• Communication may be limited, but they can be helped to associate their physical sensations with emotions (for example, associating abdominal discomfort with fear) and to name their feelings.

Self-esteem

Adolescents with ASD show lower levels of self-esteem than typically developing adolescents. Regarding the development of self-concept and identity, adolescents with ASD often tend to exhibit more rigid and concrete thinking , with difficulties in cognitive flexibility and acquiring more abstract concepts.

Some recommendations to boost self-esteem are:

• To convey security and confidence to the teenager.
• It is important that he feels supported and that his achievements and efforts are valued.
• Spend quality time doing leisure activities together or sharing interests.
• In the face of inappropriate behavior, it is recommended to set clear limits, but avoiding labeling the person.
  

Emotional regulation

Adolescents with ASD have been observed to have difficulties with emotional regulation, exhibiting disproportionate emotional reactions that are poorly adjusted to the situation. In general, they show a higher risk of developing psychological disorders such as depression or anxiety. In many cases, these disorders are related to the desire to belong to a group and the awareness of their own difficulties in doing so. It is important to note that the presence of anxiety can exacerbate difficulties in social functioning, as increased physical or physiological hyperarousal during anxious states can hinder the interpretation of social cues and appropriate social responses.

Laura Collado Quífer

Mother of Xavi, who has autism spectrum disorder

"I've decided to focus on the day-to-day with my son, without worrying about things that might not happen."

Ver testimonio

Sometimes, difficulties in emotional regulation, coupled with problems in social understanding and a tendency towards rigidity, can lead to behavioral problems or maladaptive behaviors. In some cases, aggressive behaviors towards themselves or others may increase, especially in adolescents with ASD who have limited verbal language.

The best strategy for dealing with behavioral problems is to act before major problems actually arise.

Some key factors in preventing behavioral and emotional regulation problems are:

Adapt the characteristics of the environment:

• Clear and stable routines.
• A structured and organized environment with stimuli that help to convey security and control.
• Anticipation.
• Visual aids.
• Stimulus control: avoiding stimuli that we know cause discomfort.

Change the behavior of the people who surround the child or adolescent.

• Pay attention to the teenager's emotional state and any possible signs of anxiety or depression.
• Use of positive reinforcement
• In some cases, techniques such as token economy are used, which consists of "agreeing" on privileges (reinforcements) that can only be obtained in exchange for performing other tasks.
• Ensure motivation and attention to the adolescent's interests.
• Give instructions appropriately: approach the teenager and stand in front of them to ensure they pay attention; give clear, simple, and well-defined orders.
• Threatening or punishing is not recommended; instead, motivate the teenager and provide strong social reinforcement if they do what has been asked.
• Adults should remain calm and avoid showing anxiety or loss of control.
• It's important to be consistent with oneself and keep the promises made, such as those regarding rewards. Consistency should also be maintained among the different adults involved.
• Withdrawing attention from inappropriate behaviors (this is known as extinction).

A lifetime with ASD

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Helping to develop skills:

• Promote the improvement of communication and social interaction skills through specific therapeutic programs.
• To help develop planning skills and flexibility in the face of change. The use of visual schedules, visual calendars, and social stories (already discussed) is recommended.
• Use of social stories and social scripts, which help to know what is going to happen and what is expected of them.
• When faced with a negative emotion such as anger, fear, or sadness, it is advisable to offer support in expressing and managing it appropriately. Images can be used to help them express their distress.
• When faced with behavioral problems and maladaptive behaviors, it is important to maintain support and assistance both at school and at home. The use of visual aids for anticipation is often helpful.
• Encourage positive emotions by promoting activities that help develop motivation, curiosity, joy, or calmness.
• Training in conflict resolution skills: When faced with a specific conflict or problem, it is helpful to guide them in considering different options for how they could have acted and the resulting consequences. In cases of serious behavioral problems, the intervention of specialized professionals will be required to help manage the problematic behavior.
• Ensure stability in routines and in the environmental context, anticipating changes.
• Modifying the behavior of those around the child. For example, it is important that teachers and family members learn to manage behavior appropriately, using strategies such as positive reinforcement and helping with emotional regulation during difficult times.
• Get to know the teenager well: their context, their preferences, their interests. Respect their dignity.

Empathy

Furthermore, individuals with ASD exhibit difficulties in empathy, thus showing problems in recognizing emotions and attributing mental states, such as beliefs, desires, or intentions, to others.
people. This low capacity for empathy can cause them to see situations only from their own perspective and to have difficulty understanding why other people feel differently.

Recommendations to promote empathy:

• It is important that adults are good role models and that they are able to recognize the emotions of teenagers and act accordingly.
• Maintain dialogues that allow you to express your own emotions and become aware of the emotions of other people.
• Teenagers with ASD may need help to "read" body language and understand nonverbal communication.

This is an original article from FAROS. For more information on family communication, see the   12th FAROS Report "A look at the mental health of adolescents - Keys to understanding and supporting them."