Teenagers and Asperger's Syndrome

Teenagers who are diagnosed with Asperger's, an autism spectrum disorder, may react differently to new stimuli and may need guidance to function without conflict.

Asperger's Syndrome, or AS, is defined as an autism spectrum disorder, and is usually less severe than a strict autistic diagnosis. It is a disorder that affects social behavior in daily life. Children with Asperger's Syndrome have a hard time discerning social cues, often show repetitive behaviors, and can be obsessive about certain interests. When a child diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome becomes a teenager, they must deal with the typical hormonal changes, but also may need new interventions to help them adjust to the nuances of adolescence.

Learning How to Decode Social Cues

In adolescence, communication becomes complicated, as teenagers invent words, signs, and body language to discreetly talk with a friend. For a child with Asperger's who has been struggling just to understand common social cues, this change can be frustrating and incredibly difficult to understand. According to Dr. Teresa Bolick, author of Asperger Syndrome and Adolescence, teenagers with Asperger's communicate the best when language is "concrete and definite." Therefore, teenage conversations that use shortened terms or lingo are going to be very difficult for a child with Asperger's.
Reading body language and understanding sweeping generalizations can also be quite frustrating. Therefore, adolescents with Asperger's Syndrome benefit from systematic social training, where they are given the change to role play, study body cues and language, and practice interpreting new signals that may not have been evident in early childhood. Dr. Bolick recommends speaking clearly, using a small amount of abstract terms, and directly communicating as much as possible.

Building New Friendships and Relationships

Teenagers begin to see themselves as independent entities and often use this time in their life to forge new friendships and intimate relationships. For a teenager with Asperger's Syndrome, friendships can be a struggle. This child may not understand social cues, and may not know how to be someone's friend. They may feel the typical feelings of a first crush, but be uncertain on how to act on it. Dr. Carol E. Watkins, author of Asperger's Disorder with the Northern County Psychiatric Associates, again recommends social therapy to help combat the frustration. She states that social training can help teenagers who are dealing with Asperger's understand social cues, slang, and meet other children who feel similarly about how to deal with new friends. Dr. Bolick suggests that in these social trainings, teenagers should be taught how to listen, and how listening and reacting appropriately can lead to stronger bonds. She also advises that a parent try to explicitly explain what the act of flirting is, by pointing it out on a TV show or movie.

Social Skills Training can Lead to Less Frustration

Adolescence is a time of tumultuous change for most children, but for teenagers dealing with Asperger's Syndrome, it can be one of tremendous difficulty. In order to combat this frustration, social training is critical. A small class with an instructor who is capable of creating strong bonds and trust within her students is key. Once this bond is created, systematic teaching of how to interpret indirect communication, manners, and body language can take place, and may help remarkably in allowing this type of teenager to navigate the often confusing world of adolescence.

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