Geneva Centre for Autism

Learning Objectives:

• To identify the ingredients of relational competence? And which ones are affected by autism?
• Review the success in relationships: more than a matter of Theory of Mind!
• Review relationships: the ultimate case of an open system and, hence, a mystery and a challenge for brains that are context blind.
• Provide the rules of relationships: not only hidden, but especially ever changing! Exceptions are the rule.
• To learn the concept of relationship is very vague and abstract, and 1000 times more

Outline of Presentation:

In part 1 of this presentation we explored the challenges of (intimate) relationships for people with ASD. Building upon this knowledge we describe some general principles for helping people with ASD to understand and build relationships. In particular, we will focus on the importance of clarifying for people with ASD the abstract, vague and context sensitive rules and ingredients of relationships. We will briefly present a new psycho-education program that we developed for youngsters and adults with ASD.

Topics that will be covered are:

• Teaching social and relational competence: why should we? And, are the neurotypicals that much better at relationships than people with ASD?
• Teaching social and relational competence: more than only increasing the “caressability factor” of people with ASD. Teaching politeness and friendliness or also some core social skills, such as gossiping, lying and reputation management?
• Knowledge is power: the importance of psycho-education on relationships.
• Psycho-education on relationships: content and methods (illustrated with concrete examples).
• How to help people with ASD to understand the complexities of (intimate) relationships?