Building Resilience in Autistic Individuals: Strategies for Parents, Educators, and Clinicians

1. Autism and resilience

2. Talking about resilience Meeting ‘Adam’ TEDx Canberra 2013 Presentations Two new books with Dr Emma Goodall My own journey

3. What is resilience?

4. What does resilience enable people to do? Take on new challenges Respond well to change Build their self-confidence and sense of mastery Like and value themselves Translate a ‘victory’ in one area of life to another

5. What is resilience not?

6. What is independence? Independence a close relative of resilience Using the supports available to achieve your goals Building on previous successes We all have support needs Independence gives Autistic people opportunities and empowerment

8. Protective factors for resilience Resilience and self-confidence modelled by parents and educators Positive feelings about self An assumption of competence Being valued and respected Support to ‘fail successfully’ and learn from it

9. Risk factors for resilience

10. Risk factors for resilience Assumption of incompetence Denied opportunity to try new things Perfectionism / shielding Negative messaging Focus on / relive past failure

11. Resilience is relevant for…

13. Autistic characteristics and resilience

14. Autistic characteristics and resilience Poor educational attainment and employment rates Communication diferences Negative messaging from society, individuals These things are themselves a risk factor around resilience

15. Why do Autistic people benefit from resilience? Address invalidation and other issues Counter to assumption of incompetence Helps address perfectionism, fear of failing Levels the playing field Boosts and enables independence

16. Myths about Autism impacting resilience

18. Autistic children and resilience

19. Some characteristics of Autistic kids Different style of social communication Passionate interests Sensory issues Logical and literal May be bullied or excluded by peers

20. Protective factors and resilience for kids Validation Support - ‘place of safety’ Parents, school, peers learning to ‘speak Autistic’ Opportunity to take on challenges Appropriate level of agency in decisions

21. Risk factors for Autistic kids Invalidation Focus on failures Child feels excluded from family / school / social group Child has nobody to confide in History of taking on unsuccessful challenges

23. What does resilience look like in younger kids? More able to take on new challenges More able to ask for help when needed Less frightened of change or new situations Less aggressive or threatened when around other people More able to respond to reasonable boundaries.

24. What does resilience look like in older kids? Able to ask for help from parents, teachers or other trusted, responsible adults Has a growing ability to manage change Able to say ‘no’ or challenge inappropriate requests from peers Sees themselves in a largely - or increasingly - positive light Is willing to take on new challenges or activities Initiates new games or activities

26. The place of safety

27. Controlled challenges Incrementally larger challenges At first, start small and control as much as possible Reward and encourage as child manages the challenges Do not blame if they fail - frame it as a learning opportunity Use your judgement

28. Failing successfully

29. It won’t happen overnight….

31. Autistic teens and resilience

32. What does resilience look like in teens? More able to identify and articulate their needs and wants More able to decline an activity they prefer not to do More able to set and understand boundaries Willing to take steps toward greater independence

33. Supporting resilience for teens

35. Do parents need resilience too?

36. Supports for parents

37. Resilience strategies for parents

39. Teachers and school staff

40. Clinicians Be aware that the clinician is working for you and your child Correct any inaccurate or prejudicial views about your child When speaking to clinicians, focus on positives as well as deficits If concerned, plan what to say in meetings beforehand Enlist support from friends, family etc if you need it Take an advocate into meetings if you are concerned

41. Resilience case study: Employment Aspirations Steps Employment

42. Autistic adults and resilience Similar principles apply around building resilience as for kids Can be challenging to start building your resilience later ‘You alone can do it but you can’t do it alone’ Make use of Autistic peer group and role models

43. Autistic adults - challenges Low self-esteem and self-confidence Impact of trauma / PTSD No sense of confidence or mastery May not have been exposed to difficulties growing up Perfectionism and anxiety about change may be entrenched History of ‘failure’

44. Addressing issues Challenge deficits thinking - self-advocacy Focus on strengths Build confidence - long term goal Address invalidation and negative messaging where possible Know that everyone’s journey is different

45. Autistic adults - strategies

47. What If? What if Autistic kids were seen primarily for their positive potential? What if bullying was the exception not the norm of Autistic kids? What if parents of Autistic kids weren't shamed and blamed?

48. What if? What if Autism was seen as a difference and not a disability? What if Autistic people were valued for their skills and insights? What if there was no ‘norm’ and humanity was viewed as universally divergent?

50. Contact Jeanette Email: jeanettepurkis@gmail.com Web: www.jeanettepurkis.com Twitter: @jeanettepurkis