Traits of Asperger’s
Syndrome fall into three main categories. Traits vary from individual to
individual and may be modified considerably according to
experience. Asperger’s Syndrome should not approached in a “generalized”
way but according to those traits which are causing difficulty.
Some of
the traits, but not all, that may be experienced to some degree include:
Interpersonal Traits
Social difficulties
~ desire to make friends but social clumsiness ~ inability to understand
another person’s perspective ~ difficulty in interpreting other people’s
expressions ~ lack of conversation/social skills and understanding social
“rules” ~ difficulty with manners and appropriate social familiarity, which can impact on risk taking
and safety
Intrapersonal Traits
Lack of self awareness
and understanding of own emotions ~ lack of self regulation ~ lack of ability to express and direct
emotions
appropriately ~ tendency toward depression and
anxiety ~ preference for the familiar and difficulty in making transitions
~ difficulties with compromise ~ awkwarness with fine and gross motor
skills
Cognitive Processing
Concrete, literal
thinking ~ difficulties with abstract thinking and symbolic thought, and generalizing from details to the larger picture
~ not making the connection between behavior and consequence ~
difficulties in organization, sequential thinking, and taking initiative
with organizing, retrieving, and articulation of information ~ may be
easily distracted ~ lack of integration between mind and body (sensory
issues)
