Asperger's Syndrome in Adults ( Causes and Characteristics )
Asperger's Syndrome is a developmental disorder.
Here, we will explain the characteristics and causes of Asperger's syndrome in adults, communication methods, and suitable jobs.
Characteristics and symptoms of Asperger's syndrome
Asperger's syndrome can be broadly categorized into three types:
- It is difficult to behave socially appropriately.
- It is difficult to facilitate communication.
- It is difficult to imagine and think flexibly because of strong "obsession".
These three characteristics were proposed and defined in 1979 by British child psychiatrist Lorna Wing, who was involved in research on autism and developmental disorders, as characteristics of people with autism, including Asperger's syndrome.
Specifically, the following symptoms are observed.
- I am not good at work and activities in groups.
- Interactions don't mesh well.
- It's hard to put into words what I want to say.
- I am not interested in what people say.
- I want to proceed with things in my own way.
Diagnosis change from 'Asperger's syndrome' to 'autism spectrum disorder'
Asperger's Syndrome is actually an old diagnosis.
In the current medical field, " ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) " is to be used.
In the 1940s, Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger conducted research on autism without intellectual delay, and in 1979, British child psychiatrist Lorna Wing picked up Asperger's research and described it as ``without intellectual disability. Autism is called Asperger's Syndrome.
After that, in 2013 , the American Psychiatric Association revised its diagnostic criteria called DSM-5 * . ” will be integrated as
The English word ``spectrum'' means ``continuum'', and it is a symptom or condition in which the appearance of a characteristic appears strongly or weakly depending on the person, like the colors of a rainbow that change continuously without boundaries.
Causes of Asperger's Syndrome: Is Genetics Related?
Research studies on developmental disorders in recent years have revealed that the causes of Asperger's syndrome (currently ASD ) are "heredity" and "environment".
The discourse that the parent's child-rearing and discipline (discipline) that has been said so far is the cause is almost denied .
However, there are still many unexplained parts, and it is not clear what kind of gene or environment is the specific cause, so the current research results cannot be accepted as they are.
It is necessary to grasp what is currently known (March 2019) and what is not known, and to understand the overall direction of what is the cause of developmental disorders and Asperger's syndrome.
What we now know is the cause
- Genes are the main factor.
- The next main factor is the environment (mainly during pregnancy).
- A combination of genetic and environmental factors.
- It is not caused by vaccines or parenting.
Cause not currently known
- Which genes are related and how they elicit symptoms.
- How much is it inherited from your parents?
- What is the probability of developing the disease without inheriting it (a mutation in the person's gene)?
- It is still overwhelmingly unknown what the environmental factors are.
* The above is what is known and unknown as of May 2021.
The results of research on the causes of developmental disorders are described on the following page. Please take a look.
Asperger Syndrome Checklist
Here, we have divided the characteristics of Asperger's Syndrome (currently ASD ) into a checklist for each type.
It is only for a simple self-check, and the actual diagnosis can only be received at a medical institution.
If you have strong suspicions and feel that life is difficult, we recommend that you visit a psychiatric hospital or clinic .
sociality
- Even if you intend to treat them politely, you will be told that you are rude or rude.
- Even if you intend to be neatly dressed, you will be told that you do not have a sense of cleanliness.
- I don't understand the lies and malice that the other party is attached to, and I am deceived.
- I can't stand gossiping or gossiping, and I don't even say it myself.
communication
- I know what I want to say, but I'm not good at summarizing it in words.
- He likes to talk and has a rich vocabulary, but is sometimes said to be formal and like a dictionary.
- I can't look people in the eye when I talk to them.
- Some people say there are too many gestures. Or you can't use gestures at all.
Imagination/Commitment
- Limited range of interests and lack of interest in other people's stories.
- Do the same thing over and over again rather than trying different things.
- I have said the truth without any offense, and my relationship with the other person has deteriorated.
- When I can't do my daily routine for some reason, or my planned schedule is canceled, I get upset and my mind goes blank.
Hypersensitivity/hypothesia
- It is difficult to hear conversations with other people in crowded places such as restaurants.
- I have a severe unbalanced diet and cannot eat foods with strong odors or specific textures.
- Feeling that you cannot adjust clothes according to the season or temperature
Notes
Even if you don't fit everything on the checklist, if you fit a certain number of items, you will often be diagnosed. On the other hand, even when many things apply to the checklist, it may be due to your own excessive awareness or excessive anxiety.
There are almost no cases of pure Asperger's syndrome (currently ASD ), and in many cases, disorders and factors such as ADHD and LD overlap. Please keep in mind that this is a simplified checklist.
The actual diagnosis can only be received at a medical institution. Diagnosis methods differ slightly depending on the medical institution, but usually there is an interview about his psychological test (IQ test / intellectual test) such as WAIS-3 and his growth history.
If you have strong suspicions, we recommend that you visit a psychiatric hospital or clinic.
Diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome
Diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome (currently ASD ) is made by a psychiatrist or psychosomatic medicine department.
Diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome should be limited to people with interpersonal and social skills, as well as obsessions and hypersensitivity.
You must go to the hospital for diagnosis.
There are still not many medical institutions that can diagnose developmental disorders including Asperger's syndrome.
We recommend that you collect information on medical institutions that are familiar with developmental disabilities at your local government's Disability Welfare Division or Support Center for Persons with Developmental Disabilities before choosing a hospital.
In hospitals and clinics, medical interviews are mainly conducted by doctors.
In addition to the medical interview, "AQ (Autism Spectrum Disorder Quotient) test" and "Intelligence test (WAIS-III, etc.)" are conducted to determine the degree of disability and what kind of unevenness in language and movement. etc. will be inspected.
The frequency of hospital visits varies from person to person, ranging from once or twice a month to once a week.
Diagnosis location
Psychiatry or psychosomatic medicine
Diagnosis content
Interview, "AQ (Autism Spectrum Quotient) test", "Intelligence test (WAIS-III, etc.)"
frequency of hospital visits
There are individual differences such as once or twice a month to once a week
Treatment of Asperger Syndrome
There are two main treatments for Asperger's syndrome (now ASD ):
self-understanding and training.
People with Asperger's Syndrome are not good at seeing themselves objectively, and often do not know how they are viewed by others.
Clarify your strengths and weaknesses with your family and people around you, as well as with medical institutions and counseling.
Based on your self-understanding, let's receive training to learn the patterns of communication and arrangements.
Currently (November 2018), there is no treatment for Asperger's Syndrome.
People with secondary disorders such as manic depression are prescribed medications for secondary disorders.
treatment by training
“Self-understanding”, “Training”
therapeutic drug
People with secondary disorders such as manic depression are prescribed drugs for secondary disorders.
What is the fastest way to communicate? Why do you think your speaking style is difficult?
People with Asperger's Syndrome (currently ASD ) are unable to communicate well with others, as is characteristic of them.
Because I'm not good at "getting people's feelings", I tend to speak straight, and people think my way of speaking is harsh.
Also, even if you listen to the story wrapped in oblate, it is difficult to understand the intentions of the person, so communication is not smooth, and a situation is created where mutual stress builds up.
Below, we will introduce how to communicate as smoothly as possible for people with Asperger's syndrome and those around them.
What people with Asperger syndrome can do?
As for what you can do, the content described in the above "Treatment of Asperger's Syndrome" is almost the same.
- self-understanding
- training
People with Asperger's Syndrome find it difficult to see themselves objectively, so try to hear the opinions of those around you as much as possible about how your speech and actions are perceived.
If you can write it down, start by writing some patterns in a notebook and reviewing yourself by reading them regularly.
Also, get training to understand your condition and remember patterns of communication and arrangements.
What people around you can do?
If you have been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome or a developmental disorder, and if you also know about it, organize the information in a navigational manner and let us know.
An example of how to convey?
- Keep information to a minimum (simplification)
- Not only verbal exchanges but also notes (visualization)
- Write down items (structured) rather than rambling
- Don't think you'll understand it once, tell it many times (repetition)
- Communicate procedures in small steps as much as possible (subdivision of granularity)
Also, there are some people who have experienced communication failures and are emotionally scarred, so please pay attention to emotional support.
People with Asperger's Syndrome often do not realize that they have Asperger's Syndrome because it is difficult for them to see themselves objectively. Of course, I was never diagnosed.
If you do not know that you have Asperger's syndrome or a developmental disorder, or have never been diagnosed with it, and you want to make people aware of the possibility of a disorder, do not mention the name of the diagnosis, even at work. For example, "I know you're working hard, but you make a lot of mistakes."
Above all, it is better to appreciate the person's efforts and seriousness, and tell them that there may be other factors.
After that, when the person himself/herself begins to search for the reason for the suffering, it may be good to tell the name of the diagnosis as one possibility.
At that time, the possibility that the person will notice it through TV, the Internet, books, magazines, newspapers, etc. will increase.
Understand the "strengths" and "weaknesses" of Asperger's Syndrome and utilize them in your work
The strengths and weaknesses of Asperger syndrome are two sides of the same coin.
In other words, the characteristic of not being able to "read the atmosphere" is a "weakness" in many jobs, but it is a "strength" in a certain job.
Also, the fact that there are "obsessions" may work negatively in some workplaces, and in others it may work positively.
Let's think about the situation in which "strengths" and "weaknesses" appear.
| strength |
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| weakness |
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Jobs for people with Asperger Syndrome
For people with Asperger's Syndrome, the most important thing is matching with the type of job and workplace.
Jobs suitable for people with Asperger Syndrome include:
- Finance
- Legal/Information Management
- programmer tester
- call center
- technical support
- Electric appliances, etc. Salesperson
- CAD operator
In "accounting", "legal work", and "personal information management work", which has recently become more important, it is essential to act based on the rules of laws, ordinances, industry groups, etc.
It can be said that it is a field where it is easy to make use of the characteristics of Asperger's syndrome.
The IT industry is a field that is said to be easy to work for even people with Asperger's syndrome.
Programmers and testers often fit the profile.
However, even in the same IT industry, system engineers (SE) who have abstract interactions with customers may not be suitable, so be careful.
You may be surprised to find that jobs that require a lot of contact with people, such as "call center", "technical support", and "sales of electrical appliances", are listed as suitable jobs.
Certainly, it is a job that requires some degree of communication.
However, there are many cases where people who are particularly fluent in language are well matched for jobs where they can proceed according to the manual or show off a wealth of knowledge.
In particular, if it overlaps with the field you are particular about, it can be a vocation.
"CAD Operator" is recommended for those who are good at visual information processing.
Some people with Asperger's syndrome think in words, but there are also a certain amount of people who think in images and videos.
For such visual thinkers, CAD work for creating blueprints and image and video processing work can be a world where the characteristics can be fully utilized.
However, even in the world of video, images, design, etc., there are many people who are not good at negotiating with customers in the upstream process, so we chose workers who can do their own work and understand tasks. This is because the majority of people feel that working as an (operator) is a match.
People with Asperger's Syndrome
Among the three characteristics of Asperger's syndrome (see " Characteristics and symptoms of Asperger's syndrome " above), the only characteristic that does not work in a positive direction can be said to be "poor communication."
People with Asperger's Syndrome will think about how to improve their communication skills, which can be said to be the most important for working in modern society.
Communication required at work is "receiving"
When talking to people with Asperger's Syndrome (now ASD), I learned how to improve my speaking skills, how to increase my vocabulary, and how to reduce my tendency to stutter . There are many people who are careful about "transmitting" such as "Is it?"
However, what is required in the workplace is "receiving" first.
This means understanding what your boss, colleagues, and customers are telling you.
If you don't improve your reception, you won't be able to understand the content of the work, proceed with the work quickly, and the consultation and questions to the customer after that will be irrelevant.
How to improve your reception ability that can be used at work
There are three ways to improve reception.
1. taking notes and summarizing
People with Asperger Syndrome have difficulty remembering verbal instructions.
Isn't that too much? It's important to take notes as much as people around you say.
Either handwriting, PC/tablet, or any method that is environmentally acceptable is acceptable.
However, don't leave your notes unattended. Let's save information in the decided place.
And it is important to put together the contents when you have free time.
2. repeat/confirm
Repeating and confirming when you receive instructions is the most effective way to prevent delays when receiving instructions.
You can prevent mistakes and omissions in advance by repeating what your boss or customer said without feeling like you understood it, or by confirming that you have understood it yourself.
When you go to a chain restaurant, you will be asked to repeat your order, and that action is the standard way to prevent reception gaps.
3. Using character information such as e-mail
It is also important to reduce verbal instructions, which can easily be misunderstood, and standardize written information such as e-mails.
People with Asperger's Syndrome are able to grasp textual information and numerical information literally, so increasing communication in their areas of expertise can be a countermeasure.
Workplaces where people with Asperger's syndrome can easily settle
Towards a workplace with little change in a positive sense
The more successful an industry or company is, the more people come and go, and the skills required change year by year.
Rather, it is better to aim for a company or workplace that other people think is boring and laid-back.
When the people around you do not change, and the skills required in the workplace do not change much, it can be said that Asperger's syndrome's characteristic of "accumulating knowledge and acting in accordance with patterns" can be easily utilized .
As a checkpoint, you should aim for the following workplaces.
Workplace checkpoints that are easy to settle in
- Not recently founded. More than ten years have passed.
- Company size is not too small. Ideally, it should be several hundred people.(If it is too large, a big change in the department or environment may occur.)
- It's not a cutting-edge industry.(Recently, it is better to avoid Fintech and AI industries.)
- The age group of the workplace is not too young.
- Do not make so-called "after five" obligatory.
I mentioned ``workplaces with little change'' as workplaces that are easy to settle in, but on the other hand, such workplaces are not easy-going human relationships, but ``workplaces that require real intentions such as nemawashi and public appearances'' that Asperger's syndrome is not good at. It is possible that there is, so be careful.
Understand that lying and backbiting are commonplace in the workplace
People with Asperger's Syndrome are serious and dislike dishonesty and lies, and they can't see through them.
There is a merit that there are many people who are in contact with society, organizations, and people with their true intentions.
However, if you take it too seriously, it will become difficult in a corporate culture like muddy water.
People are kind, there is no betrayal or lies, and it feels like it's not a utopia-like space where things move in a pre-established harmony to some extent.
As much as possible, I would like to choose a workplace where there are many honest people, but unfortunately, lies and backbiting are commonplace for the mainstream (non-Aspergers, typical developmental people) in the world.
Also, it is practically impossible to find a workplace with many honest people from job postings.
You are lucky to have found a workplace with a high level of humanity.
This is because he was able to find a place that meets the first conditions of a workplace that is easy to settle.
However, not all people with Asperger's Syndrome have such luck.
Even if you lie or gossip, you will need to give up your ideal workplace in a good way and create an environment where you can complain outside the company.
It's difficult to find a workplace where everything fits, so it's a good idea to be careful of "too much idealism," which is a characteristic of people with Asperger's, and to learn to compromise well.
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