Tips for Parents and Teachers to Support Autistic Children in Developing and Maintaining Friendships

• By: April L. Coleman, PsyD Georgia Autism Center
• September 29th, 2022
• children, Fall 2022 Issue, friendships, parenting, peers, relationships, social and emotional learning, social groups, social skills, social stories, students, teachers
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Friendships play an important role in the lives of children and teenagers. These relationships help with childhood social and emotional development in many ways, including: managing emotions, responding to the feelings of others, listening, problem solving, navigating conflicts, sharing and...

Autism Without Fear: Reframing Our Conversations About “Sex”

• By: Michael John Carley New York University Connections ASD Program
• September 29th, 2022
• actually autistic, Fall 2022 Issue, opinion, pleasure, relationships, sex, sex education
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A quick thank you to Autism Spectrum News and Publisher, David Minot. I’ve known David and the publication for almost two decades, wrote for it more than once, and am thrilled to herein move my column, “Autism Without Fear,” with the hopes of many years of collaboration. Now, David also...

Marriage Proposal Carries Consequences

• By: | AHRC New York City
• September 29th, 2022
• adults, disability benefits, Fall 2022 Issue, independence, marriage, marriage penalty, supplemental security income
• 1786    0

Jayson Valles recalls the first time he saw Cecilia Primera. That was 12 years ago during AHRC New York City’s Sunday Trip program for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He knew immediately that Cecilia was different than other women. He introduced himself to her and...

Recognizing and Understanding Neurodiversity in Couples

• By: Patricia R. Schissel, LMSW Grace Myhill, MSW The Autism/Asperger Network (AANE)
• September 29th, 2022
• couples, couples coaching, Fall 2022 Issue, intimate relationship, neurodiverse couples, neurodiversity, relationships, sensory sensitivity, theory of mind, training, weak central coherence
• 1308    0

Many couples come to the realization they are in a neurodiverse relationship decades into their relationship, after listening to a podcast, reading a book, or watching a movie that includes an autistic character. But recognizing neurodiversity is just the beginning... Then what? How does...

An Exploration of Why Autistic Adults Are Practicing Consensual Non-Monogamy

• By: Janet Walsh-Adams, BPsychSc(Hons) Mark A. Stokes, PhD Healthy Autistic Life Lab at Deakin University School of Psychology
• September 27th, 2022
• actually autistic, asexuality, Fall 2022 Issue, gender identity, non-monogamy, polyamory, relationships, research study, social difficulties
• 7006    1

Autistic people are more likely to report difficulty making and sustaining relationships,1-3 leading to assumptions that they aren’t drawn to socializing, but we now know that autistic people desire and benefit from platonic, romantic, and physical relationships to a similar degree as...

Tips for Women in Relationships with Partners on the Autism Spectrum

• By: Marci Wheeler, MSW Indiana Resource Center for Autism, Indiana University – Bloomington
• September 27th, 2022
• communication, couples, executive function deficits, Fall 2022 Issue, mental health, neurodiverse couples, neurodiverse relationships, relationships, sensory issues, stress relief, women
• 2289    0

It is a challenge for most couples to find a balance between their needs and expectations and their partner’s needs and expectations. In a relationship where one individual is on the autism spectrum, there are likely many more opportunities for misunderstandings and frustration. Finding a path to...