Being Autistic Is Part of Who I Am

Ward, Matt; Alar, Nancy

doi:10.1177/108835760001500412

Cited by 10 publications

(18 citation statements)

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“…This view has been reinforced by the prevailing theory that individuals with ASD have intact or even superior systemizing, which enables them to excel in a field like mathematics that depends upon systematic, rule-bound procedures and logic [Baron-Cohen, 2002]. This theory has been primarily supported by anecdotal case studies [Gonzalez-Garrido et al, 2002; McMullen, 2000; Thioux, Stark, Klaiman, & Schultz, 2006; Ward & Alar, 2000], as well as the observation that ASD occurs more often in families with parents in the fields of mathematics, engineering, and physics [Baron-Cohen, 1998; Baron-Cohen, Wheel-wright, Skinner, Martin, & Clubley, 2001]. Furthermore, 34% of young adults with ASD enrolled in college reported having a STEM major [Wei, Yu, Shattuck, McCracken, & Blackorby, 2013], which is higher than in the general population [Chen & Weko, 2009] and other disability categories [Wei et al, 2013].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical and Cognitive Characteristics Associated with Mathematics Problem Solving in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

et al. 2015

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Mathematics achievement in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been understudied. However, the ability to solve applied math problems is associated with academic achievement, everyday problem-solving abilities, and vocational outcomes. The paucity of research on math achievement in ASD may be partly explained by the widely-held belief that most individuals with ASD are mathematically gifted, despite emerging evidence to the contrary. The purpose of the study was twofold: to assess the relative proportions of youth with ASD who demonstrate giftedness versus disability on applied math problems, and to examine which cognitive (i.e., perceptual reasoning, verbal ability, working memory) and clinical (i.e., test anxiety) characteristics best predict achievement on applied math problems in ASD relative to typically developing peers. Twenty-seven high-functioning adolescents with ASD and 27 age- and Full Scale IQ-matched typically developing controls were assessed on standardized measures of math problem solving, perceptual reasoning, verbal ability, and test anxiety. Results indicated that 22% of the ASD sample evidenced a mathematics learning disability, while only 4% exhibited mathematical giftedness. The parsimonious linear regression model revealed that the strongest predictor of math problem solving was perceptual reasoning, followed by verbal ability and test anxiety, then diagnosis of ASD. These results inform our theories of math ability in ASD and highlight possible targets of intervention for students with ASD struggling with mathematics.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical and Cognitive Characteristics Associated with Mathematics Problem Solving in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

et al. 2015

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“…As non-Korean individuals with AS without intellectual problems have reported painful social experiences, such as being subject to teasing (Ward and Alar 2000) and physical violence (Vincelette 2000), along with satisfaction with their friendships (Carrington, Papinczak, and Templeton 2003), this pattern appears universal.…”

Section: Ambivalence: Like and Dislikementioning

confidence: 96%

“…People with AS often report excruciating sensory perceptual experience in association with sound (for example, Ward and Alar 2000), and an ambivalence regarding 'radio' may be related to this sensitivity.…”

Section: Ambivalence: Like and Dislikementioning

confidence: 97%

‘Miss mum’: mind and affective experience of Korean learners identified with autism spectrum and cognitive difficulties

Hwang

2014

Disability & Society

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Responding to the call for culturally informed research on autism spectrum (AS) to allow for the provision of appropriate services, this paper qualitatively explores the affective experience of five Korean learners identified with AS and cognitive difficulties by listening to their voices. The learners, supported by the use of visual aids and a choice of their preferred mode of communication, expressed the complexity of their inner experience that encompassed abilities as well as difficulties. The findings highlight the commonalities of experience between Korean and non-Korean individuals with AS, along with some aspects specific to the Korean cultural context.

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“…Prima facie evidence of incompetence occurred much less once people deemed disabled learnt effective social norms, such as how to commonly and successfully communicate by speaking, reading and typing. This changed their perception of power relations in their society, giving a sense of respite, escapement of a negatively viewed social position, or freedom from scrutiny (Bagatell, 2007;Ward & Alar, 2000). For many people in these studies, this was felt as a "relief" that was sometimes described as a life changing experience.…”

Section: ~ 71 ~mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most narratives tended to use participants who regarded their identities as aspergers, but not gifted (Bagatell, 2007;Ward & Alar, 2000). This may suggest narratives assumed a dualistic notion that people are deemed as either gifted or not gifted with aspergers, as if emphasising a spectrum of the inability / ability dichotomy.…”

Section: ~ 80 ~mentioning

confidence: 99%

Gifted Individuals with Asperger's: A Discourse Exploration of 'Being an Aspie'

Wong¹

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<p>People labelled as both 'gifted' and as having Asperger's Syndrome are a social paradox. Asperger's is often associated with impairment and disability, and a dualistic 'opposite' of giftedness on a learning ability spectrum. This study explored life experiences of adults who self-identified as 'aspies' (a casual term used by people who are proud to have Asperger's as an identity) and who were also identified as being gifted in the widest sense. A literature review discovered few studies on the topic, and, of those found, most employed traditional medical explanations of the condition or 'syndrome'. This study adopted qualitative participatory methodology using interviews. Three men and one woman who identified as aspies participated in semi-structured interviews that were video recorded in order to better understand their communication strategies. A type of discourse analysis based on Foucault's use of discourse (Parker, 1992) was used to analyse their worldviews about Asperger's, giftedness and abilities. The analysis revealed an interplay of medical and other related discourses surrounding Asperger's as impairment, with a lesser emphasis on discourses of giftedness. Participants often felt marginalised due to stereotypes about 'incompetence' regarding people with Asperger's; a view seen as denigrating their talents. The main finding was that aspie identities were not always strong due to a conflicting need to 'fit in' and accommodate to 'normal' society. Their talents sometimes benefited their attempts at 'pretending to be normal'; however this depended on whether the skill was regarded by society as worthy. Decisions to be proud aspies and resist social norms, sometimes had consequences of isolation, confusion, being misunderstood or judged as disabled. Whilst participants preferred to be accepted as aspies with talented skills, they found this social positioning often contradictory. The thesis ends with a suggestion that future research could adopt more participatory focuses, to enable more insight into ways that people labelled as having Asperger's and with giftedness discursively describe their worlds and concepts of ability.</p>

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Being Autistic Is Part of Who I Am

Cited by 10 publications

References 0 publications

Clinical and Cognitive Characteristics Associated with Mathematics Problem Solving in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Clinical and Cognitive Characteristics Associated with Mathematics Problem Solving in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

‘Miss mum’: mind and affective experience of Korean learners identified with autism spectrum and cognitive difficulties

Gifted Individuals with Asperger's: A Discourse Exploration of 'Being an Aspie'

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