How Does Autism Affect Social Development in Adolescents - Research Paper Example

How Does Autism Affect Social Development in Adolescents? Explanation of Topic The social expedition via adolescence has incessantly been confusing, complex, and in a number of ways contradicts to the dealings style required for endurance in the social domain of adulthood. The rules and principles of communication during adolescence are usually unspoken and subtle- but unbreakable and their violations may result in far-reaching complications. During adolescence, the methods of social communication are finely nuance-based or finely tuned, still majority of the adolescents have the capability to find out intuitively way things could be controlled (Wall, 2007). Autism is a neurodevelopment state which is generally diagnosed during the early three years. Usually parents show their concerns as the child appears to have delayed speech development, limited activities, interest and social association. This malfunction can be diagnosed by fluctuations in the given three domains. 1. Play or communication 2. Social interaction 3. limited activities and interests The social interaction here basically refers to the notable impairment in the emotional-social reciprocity, peer relationships and non-verbal communication. Since this phase of life is quite socially involved phase, the autistic teens are more prone to socially unfit in the society as compared to other people in the society. This paper that’s why focuses on the impact of autism on the social development of an adolescent. The autistic teens prevent socializing with peers and prefer being alone. They do not interact with others and often are unable to understand the social cues as the portion of human brain responsible for recognition and demonstration of human emotion in adolescents with autism are developed in a different way (Sicile-Kira, 2006). Views of the expert Using functional brain imaging techniques, scientist in a recent study have found that in highly functional teenagers with autism, there exists a declined connectivity that selectively impacts the brain parts that build circuits aiding the social behavior. The results sharpen the concentrate of preceding reports signifying disturbances in connectivity throughout the brain in autistic individuals, and propose a goal for future examinations to search for the genes responsible for the progression of these circuits and the way they become interrupted in the disorder (Simmons, et al., 2012). It has been also found that the brain activity of adults and children are affected by the Autism. By conducting a meta-analysis of preexistent reports the researcher were able to make a direct comparison of the brain activity in autistic children versus autistic adults. One of the most incapacitating symptoms of autism is the commotion in social skills. It has also been found that autistic children show considerably less brain activity than the adults with autism during social interactions like staring faces (Wood, 2013). It has been described that the neuro-typical teenagers live in a peer arena. Adolescents are found to be trying to learn from each other within this arena by building ‘peership’ instead of friendship. During this exploration of peer association, the autistic teens learn about loyalty, friendship and individual differences. This developmental stage is marked by continuous competition and comparison. In this nonobjective competition, those autistic adolescents who get good scores may draw back socially. Hence autistic adolescents may learn suitable behaviors and most of them do their best to understand the interpretation of emotions and learning their responses (Seltzer, 2009). The autistic teenagers seem to be exceedingly defiant and disrespectful to adults as they get involved in a most intensive manner in their peer arena. Along with this they also struggle with the increasing complexities of homework, curricula, executive functioning and thinking critically. With the growing complexities of academics and play, it becomes more difficult for the students to master in both arenas. This process is painful along with its complexity for adolescents as well as for the adults interacting with these adolescents such as speech-language pathologist (Seltzer, 2009). Autism Spectrum Disorders admits the symptomatic labels of high-functioning autism, Asperger syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder and autism, each of which depicts considerations that generally involve some sort of social learning problem. It has been identified by the schools that majority of the pupils with ASDs have normal cognition and language and these pupils are then placed in the conventional classrooms where the treatments are needed to be defined and refined. It has been reported by recent studies that social learning shortfall distinctly impacts the social development and may potentially harm the academic development as an impact on social skill development and a possible effect on academic development (Keonig, White & Scahill, 2007). To perplex matters, autistic teenagers with social learning issues, irrespective of higher language and cognition, apparently go through difficulty shifting into adulthood and maintaining activities such as relationships, employment, and other skills for self-sufficient living (Alpern & Zager, 2010). Moreover, the research is growing to explore the impact social challenges have on mental health. Provided the complexity of academic and social issues faced by teenagers with ASDs, several Speech-language Pathologists find themselves on the battlefront in combating social learning issues that are linked in an inextricable manner with the academic issues and language-based learning troubles. Student’s Position The problems autistic individuals confront turn more marked during adolescence, as the social behaviors develop they become more conscious of their association difficulties. Autistic adolescents can acquire appropriate behaviors, and most of them try their best to learn the suitable behaviors. It has been observed that autistic adolescents do sense emotions but they lack the ability to communicate them in a manner that is understandable for others. Nevertheless, majority of the autistic teens work hard in learning to express emotions for years and the sooner the autism is handled, the more potential it is that an autistic adolescent would be successful in his/her interactions skills (Wall, 2007). Expressing discernment toward autistic adolescents is crucial, and distinguishing the restrictions, as well as recognizing the advances made is also very essential. Expressing acceptance and patience is also significant in interacting with autistic adolescents. The major impact autism have on autistic individuals as they approach their adolescents is basically their inability to develop and interact their social skills. As mentioned above, this inability is attributed to some mental processes that have been disrupted due to autism by some researchers while others focus on the environmental and more social aspects. However, the genetic causes are still to be discovered, it has been found to be essential to understand the position of an autistic adolescent while interacting with them so that proper treatment procedures may be designed that may help autistic adolescent in learning social responses and interactions (Sicile-Kira, 2006). Implications and Future Research An adolescent with autism experiences all of the usual difficulties linked with adolescence. They go through the bodily modifications, developing interest in associations, and aggravations of usual adolescence, but all of this is heightened by an incapability to associate to others on a social and emotional level. The findings of various researchers validate that the social development is impacted by the autism in autistic adolescents and each study provides its ways to understand the causes. The gentic background of such disability is yet to be discovered and provides an area of further research. Moreover, the research is needed to be conducted to appropriately design treatment plans and strategies that may improve the social behavior of autistic adolescents (Wall, 2007). As the teenage period initiates its disturbances, it is essential for adults interacting with the autistic teenager, to provide support along with encouraging their independence. It is also essential to initiate the proper care treatment during the childhood so that the autistic child may develop abilities to cope with social difficulties resulting with adolescent. References Alpern, C and Zager, D. (2010). College Based Inclusion Programming for Transition-Age Students with Autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 25(3), 151–157. Keonig, K., White, S., & Scahill, L. (2007). Social Skill Development in children with autism spectrum disorder: A review of intervention research. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 37: 1858–1868. Seltzer, V. (2009). Peer-Impact Diagnosis and Therapy: A handbook for successful practice with adolescents. New York, NY: New York University Press. Sicile-Kira, C. (2006). Adolescents on the Autism Spectrum: A Parent's Guide to the Cognitsive, Social, Physical and Transition Needs of Teenagers with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Penguin. Simmons, W.K., Gotts, S.J., Milbury, L.A., Cox, R.W., Wallace, G.L., and Martin, A. (2012). Fractionation of Social Brain Circuits in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Brain, 135(Pt 9), 2711-25. Wall, K. (2007). Education and Care for Adolescents and Adults with Autism: A Guide for Professionals and Carers. SAGE. Wood, J. (2013). Autism Affects Brains of Children, Adults Differently. Psych Central. Retrived from http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/03/14/autism-affects-brains-of-children-adults-differently/52602.html Read More