Common Challenges Preventing the ‘Good Life’

Achieving the ‘Good Life’

Acheiving the ‘Good Life’ should be within reach for all students, regardless of having a diagnosis or not. Unfortunately, achieving the ‘Good Life’ can be difficult for young people with autism, as research suggests that compared to individuals without a diagnosis of autism, fewer individuals with autism are achieving the social norms commonly associated with ‘the good life’ such as:

• Engaging in activities of daily life (Koenig and Rudney, 2010)
• Conducting typical relationships (Test et al., 2014)
• Developing functional life skills (Carter et al., 2013; Wagner et al., 2006)
• Obtaining paid employment (Taylor and Seltzer, 2011)
• Living independently (Farley et al., 2009)
• Gaining academic qualifications (Shattuck et al., 2012)
• And making and keeping friends (Newman et al., 2011)

Students with autism may have difficulty:

• Communicating their needs and feelings
• Understanding what is expected
• Understanding and interacting with peers
• Understand and reacting appropriately in social situations
• Recognising when they are starting to feel anxious or overwhelmed
• Knowing when and how to alleviate their frustrations or anxieties

These difficulties can prevent a student from accessing or achieving ‘the good life’. Below is a table of common areas of difficulty and strategies that may help.

Common reasons that prevent a student achieving the ‘good life’:	General Strategies
Difficulties with understanding, communication and social skills which can: – Impede developing and maintaining relationships with their peers. – Cause significant problems in understanding instruction in class. Make asking for help difficult.	Social and Friendship Skills Teenage Resource Best Practice Resource; Zones of Regulation Taughmonagh Video Asking For Help
Difficulties keeping up with academic workload: – Attention and organisational difficulties may impact academic performance. – Understanding what is said and what is meant may be challenging – Immature motor skills may cause handwriting to be slow / effortful – Easily distracted – May be unable to finish or move on from a task – May find transitioning difficult	Completing Work Independently; Working Independently; Social Stories; Using Visual Aids; Technology Tips; Understanding the Hidden Curriculum; Handwriting Tips; Attention Autism Link to Transitions; ‘Autism Time’
Sensory processing challenges.	Sensory Processing Resource; Deep Pressure Techniques;
Have difficulty accepting anything less than perfection, therefore making mistakes, or achieving less than 100% is seen as failure.	Finishing a Task; Social Stories; Using Visual Aids; Technology Tips; Breathing Techniques;
Have a preference for routine / fearful of change	Transitions; Visual Aids; ‘Fear Ladder’; Breathing Techniques; Teaching Changes
Have separation anxiety, finding it difficult to be apart from family, or away from the familiar routines of home.	Transitions; Visual Aids; ‘Fear Ladder’; Worry Diary/Time; Breathing Techniques; Mindfulness;
Be very aware that they are ‘different’ from their peers or are fearful people will find out about their autism.	Disclosing Diagnosis; Resources for Understanding Autism;
Have trouble understanding their autism	Resources for Understanding Autism; Disclosing Autism;
Unpredictable events	Predictability and Anxiety;