Autism Spectrum Disorders and Asperger’s Syndrome in Young and Mature Adults
As the result of an increased awareness of autism spectrum disorders in kids, adults who have had difficulties with social communication are now asking to be re-evaluated and receive services. Many clinicians suspect now that the cause of autism is multi-dimensional, with genetic underpinnings but also with strong environmental triggers.
Frequently the adults contacting our clinic suffer from Asperger's Syndrome. Asperger's Syndrome is a relatively new diagnosis in the United States that describes individuals who have difficulties understanding and functioning in social situations but who frequently have above average intellectual capabilities. It is often understood as a milder form of autism. However, if the condition has not been treated, the deficits in social functioning may have effectively compromised the person’s ability to lead a satisfactory live. Some of the characteristics of Asperger's Syndrome in adults are as follows:
- Inability to master functioning within the context of complex relational interactions, like marriages or work environments
- A continued need for social contact, but absence of close or intimate relationships
- Organizational difficulties
- Fragmented work histories, or careers that do not correspond to a person's intellectual capacity
- Difficulty understanding the underlying rules of communication
- Difficulty identifying and communicating feelings and inner experience
- Instability of mood and affect, i.e. low frustration tolerance,
explosive - Hyper-alert sense perception, unusual sense perception, like colored hearing, photographic memory (synesthesa)
- Social Isolation
Frequently adults show the following related symptom complexes:
- Generalized anxiety
- Attention problems
- Obsessive-compulsive behaviors
- Depression
- Schizoid personality characteristics: peculiar, avoidant traits
Fair Oaks Therapeuticum offers assessment and treatment for ASD in young and mature adults.
Our Program for Young Adults focuses on nurturing independence and self-reliance and to build relationships with peers and the larger world. The goal of our program is to address the complex concerns facing young adults with relational challenges and concomitant psychiatric diagnoses. Our therapeutic interventions encourage age appropriate relational competence with both peers and adults, they foster self-regulation through self awareness, increased experience of body self, and foster independence and self-reliance.
We know now that ASD adults face many difficulties obtaining and keeping employment. ASD adults struggle with their expectations for life since expectations frequently only reflect their often superior intelligence but take not into account their relational challenges. Fair Oaks Therapeuticum includes parents and their perspectives, motivation and insights to aid Young ASD Adults to transition to increasingly more independent living and work situations. We also utilize existing societal structures and programs.
Fair Oaks Therapeuticum understands that therapeutic interventions need to address psychological, bio-medical, psycho-social, and occupational dimensions in treatment.
Services at our facility include, but are not limited to, assessment, family counseling and training, psychological services which includes psychotherapy, coaching and socialization, peer relationship building, occupational guidance, nutrition services, and behavior therapy.
Mature Adults (35 years and up) with an Autism Spectrum Disorder frequently have been misdiagnosed, are reclusive and are seen by society as mentally ill, schizoid individuals. Fair Oaks Therapeuticum attempts to reach mature adults with ASD because specifically targeted interventions can normalize their experience of themselves, and can aid in stabilizing their lives. But most of all we hope to breach the loneliness and isolation experienced by many. Our program offers crisis intervention and subsequent stabilization. Frequently individuals in their middle years of life with ASD enter our program after a crisis has occurred: the death of a parent, the loss of a job, psychological collapse.
Fair Oaks Therapeuticum is uniquely qualified to assist in crisis and to turn a person toward hope again. Intensive psychological services with a focus on education, relationship building and life style coaching allow midlife adults to consider alternate choices. Our trained clinicians understand how frightening change for ASD individuals can be and allow for a gradual change.
Frequently adults on the spectrum require help with medical care, with their jobs, with Social Security and Disability, with independent living and with finding supportive living situations. At times the situation is complicated by entrenched chronic psychiatric disorders. As health practitioners understand more of the impact of ASD across the life span of an individual the more we will have services available to assist these adults in leading a dignified life. This is our goal.
What to expect during assessment and treatment
1. Psychological assessment
A. Psychological assessment to ascertain:
- Diagnosis on autism spectrum, using the following tests: MPD: Measure Psychosocial Development,
- Intellectual assessment to establish lateralization of the cerebral hemispheres: WAIS -IV
- Diagnosis of depression: BDI: Beck Depression Inventory, the Rorschach is given when we cannot trust self-report inventories and when helplessness and psychotic process needs to be assessed.
- Diagnosis of anxiety: Y-BOCS, screens for Panic and GAD
- Personality Testing: MMPI and MCMI, these tests are important because they help understand the nature of the defensive structure a patient has build around their ASD symptomatology
- Diagnosis of sensory difficulties: Sensory Profile
- Diagnosis of attentional problems, using the CNS Vital Signs
- Relational Developmental Assessment
- Video assessment of home interactions
B. Direct observation of patient in structured/unstructured environment
- Feedback session with parents (if indicated) to review assessment and treatment plan.
2. Treatment phase
Individual relationship-based psychotherapy: All Young Adults in our program are expected to partake in individual psychotherapy. Frequently, until stabilization has occurred and the patient is bonded with his/her therapist, multiple weekly sessions are required. Even though, ASD adults may have developed their own unique style to live in the world despite their many symptoms and difficulties, they frequently are very resistive entering treatment. Focus of early treatment is to establish therapeutic alliance, bonding and trust which form the bases to accept direction and an openness to benefit from therapeutic interventions. Most ASD Adults need to learn referencing, following rules and respecting authority and themselves. It is often these basic relational skills that cause trouble in job situations and in primary relationships.
Socialization group: These groups consist of small peer support groups. Peers learn to share their challenges and successes and listen to those of the other group members. Mixed gender groups are asked to abstain from making contact with a group member outside of group for at least nine to twelve months and then only after thorough discussion with their therapist. This rule has been created to guarantee safety for all group members since social codex and social norms are frequently developed unequal between members.
Parent sessions: Individual parent sessions are used to address the unique needs that have arisen within the family, including parents needs for independence. In addition, the parent class provides general information about ASD and related diagnoses. We also educate parents about the various diagnoses and conditions associated with their young man's or woman's condition. Goals include an increase in knowledge and practice of basic support skills for their own and their loved one. Measurements include self-report by parents and therapist observation.
Curative movement: This complements other self-regulation interventions. Most developmental disorders represent disorders of the Right Cerebral Hemispheres and frequently involve underdeveloped physical strength, balance, flexibility, body awareness, experience of inner states, and mind blindness. Goal of Curative Movement is to provide motor activities that stimulate the corpus collossum and balance the cerebral hemispheres. These movements also develop body awareness and a sense for the self-other relationship.
Sensory integration: Sensory protocols are utilized in all sessions at our clinic; i.e., primarily natural materials are used and patients are encouraged to explore the natural world au par with time spent in the virtual world of computers and other technological tools. In addition patients receive instruction for sensory protocols to use at home. Out Therapeutic Listening Program, in conjunction with Therapeutic Yoga/movement further enhances sensory integration processes.
Bio-psycho-medical interventions: Trained psychologists review research on bio-psycho-medical interventions with the patient. This includes nutritional supplements for ASD as established by the Autism Research Institute and DAN (Defeat Autism Now). Our clinicians educate patients in the use of psychotropic medications frequently prescribed to by medical providers. We also use Cranial Electro-Stimulation and Alpha Stim Technology. This technology has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of anxiety, depression and insomnia.
Applied behavioral analysis: Clinic provides behavioral services for young adults who have significant behavioral problems that have not been mediated through other therapeutic interventions. Generally interventions include observing the adult on the job, in class, or at home and instructing both the adult and the teacher/supervisor in appropriate techniques. In-home training can also be available if needed. The interventions are short but strategically targeted.
Developmental disorders are considered life-long conditions and our clinic offers assessment and treatment specific interventions for patients of all ages who suffer from an Autism Spectrum Disorders. Fair Oaks Therapeuticum draws its treatment approach from the dedicated pioneer work of clinicians like Toni Atwood, Ph.D., Judith Bluestone and the Handle Approach, Stanley Greenspan, M.D. and the Floortime Approach, Steven Gutstein, Ph.D. and the RDI approach, Ami Klin, Ph.D. at Yale Child Study Center, the therapeutic Steiner Communities in Europe and the bio-medical DAN movement in the United States. These efforts have considerably raised the quality of life for those afflicted with developmental disorders and their families. Fair Oaks Therapeuticum is committed to continuously strive to improve available treatment options and make a professional contribution to the developing field of Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Last modified on 01.13.10
© All contents Copyright 2004-2010, Fair Oaks Therapeuticum
