Social Skills for Teenagers and Adults with Asperger Syndrome

by Patrick, Nancy J., Ph.D.

• ISBN13: 9781843108764
• ISBN10: 1843108763
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-08-15
• Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Pub

Summary

This resource provides practical strategies for helping teenagers and adults with Asperger's Syndrome to navigate social skills, friendships and relationships at home and in the community.The author offers advice and useful strategies for tackling day-to-day problems such as visits to the dentist or the doctor, searching for a job, sorting out personal finances, going on vacation, and dealing with public transport, as well as more intimate topics such as dating and acquiring and maintaining friendships. The chapters are structured around real-life scenarios and the challenges they present, followed by step-by-step solutions and suggestions. A final section provides a set of practical self-help tools, which encourage the reader to note down answers to the questions posed and record personal reflections.This accessible guide will be essential reading for teenagers and adults with Asperger's Syndrome and their families, teachers, therapists, counsellors, carers, social and health work professionals.

Author Biography

Nancy J. Patrick is Assistant Professor of special education at Messiah College, Grantham, Pennsylvania

Table of Contents

Introduction: Asperger Syndrome and the Experiences of Teens and Adults	p. 9
What is Asperger Syndrome?	p. 13
Experiences of Teens and Adults with Asperger Syndrome	p. 16
A Social World	p. 42
What are social skills?	p. 42
What are communication skills?	p. 47
How are social skills and communication skills related?	p. 54
Steps to increase social competence	p. 55
Friends and Family	p. 60
Acquaintances	p. 60
Family	p. 67
Friends	p. 73
Dating	p. 80
Marriage	p. 85
Parenting	p. 91
Strangers	p. 95
Health and Medical	p. 102
Nutrition, fitness and sleep	p. 102
Mental healthcare	p. 108
Healthcare	p. 113
Living Arrangements	p. 119
Living at home, supported living, and independent living	p. 119
Self-care	p. 124
Home care	p. 127
Budgeting and financial management	p. 130
Education, Training, and Employment	p. 133
Career and vocational assessment	p. 133
College, technical institutes and apprenticeships	p. 138
Finding employment	p. 144
Keeping a job	p. 146
Adaptive Tools	p. 151
Assistive technology	p. 151
Direct instruction	p. 154
Effective listening	p. 154
Eye gaze	p. 156
Fix-up strategies	p. 157
Lists	p. 158
Note-taking	p. 159
Role-playing	p. 159
Scripts	p. 160
Self-assessment	p. 160
Self-determination	p. 161
Self-disclosure	p. 162
My Journal	p. 164
Glossary	p. 198
References	p. 200
Subject Index	p. 205
Author Index	p. 208
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