"Creativity is a central source of meaning in our lives... [and] when we are involved in it, we feel that we are living more fully than during the rest of life."
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Positive Resilient Development
A Unifying Structure To Support The Adolescent With AS

Ideally, the long term goal of support is to build a happy and resilient maturity. The following principles have been found to contribute to a happy and resilient life (Positive Psychology and Social Emotional Skills). A variety of recreational / creative activities that use or strengthen these principles, reinforces positive development through different modalities and experiences.

Authentic resilient happiness is derived from:

	Exercise personal strengths and interests
	Develop interests and individuality
	Fulfillment that comes from meeting challenges and working towards goals
	Engagement in activities where a state of “flow” exists, leading to “gratification” rather than short-lived transient emotions or dependence on external stimulation
	Connect and shared identity with others -- individuals, family, and community

Each person has some innate personal strengths that can be drawn on and used to develop a positive and happy maturity. Martin Seligman (Authentic Happiness) suggests that rather than trying to develop traits we don’t have, it would be more beneficial to develop the innate strengths each of us does have.

Identification and use of five strengths that are dominant in a personality gives resilience in the face of depression and negative life events and will help in choosing appropriate life goals.

More can be learned about the personal strengths shown to develop resilience at Authentic Happiness.

Social and emotional skills are also central to developing a happy and resilient maturity. These skills or resources fall into three categories:

	Self Awareness ~ reflectiveness, awareness of self and emotions, ability to “decode”, understand and label emotions, self-regulation, communication, self-motivation, realistic and positive sense of self
	Social Awareness and Interaction ~ awareness of others, ability to “decode”, understand and respect their perspective, appreciating the differences of others, collaboration; significant and supportive relationships
	Self Management ~ responsible and purposeful behavior, problem solving, decision making, realistic analysis, ability to set and work toward goals; ability to adapt, compromise, delay and be flexible in response to new information and situations

Creative learning builds social and emotional skills. In turn, social and emotional skills enhance creative learning.

Creativity expands self consciousness through opportunities to realize, acknowledge, and express the individual’s unique perspective – perhaps in ways that can’t be done conventionally or verbally

Creativity has a generative relationship with social and emotional skills. It encourages and rewards curiosity, problem solving, goal setting, intrinsic motivation and tenacity, novel perceptions, and interpretations. It rewards uniqueness and different perspectives. Working creatively with others opens a new world of possibilities in cooperation, negotiation, and team building.

Creativity is a cornerstone of integrative and adaptive thinking, making social and emotional connections, using language and representational thought, facilitating novel ideas and unconventional expression, exploring and developing concepts

The creative process employs goal setting and integrative thinking – seeing the bigger picture and working towards it. Through creativity, new perspectives are realized, ideas generated, goals set, and all varieties of solutions found. Creativity breaks through rigidity and the safety of familiar boundaries.

Creativity is a new way of seeing and a door to freedom, resilience, and a positive life for adolescents with Asperger’s Syndrome.

Positive Resilient Development A Unifying Structure To Support The Adolescent With AS

Positive Resilient Development
A Unifying Structure To Support The Adolescent With AS