Asperger Syndrome and Long-Term Relationships

✍ Scribed by Ashley Stanford

• Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Pub
• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 289
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Ashley Stanford is married to a man with Asperger Syndrome, and her book provides the answers to many of the questions asked by the increasing number of people in that situation. She explains how behaviors that may have appeared odd - or even downright irritating - are the manifestation of AS, and shows how understanding can lead to greater tolerance or to change. Stanford provides a wealth of strategies for living successfully with the more uncompromising aspects of AS, pointing out that AS also brings enormous strengths to a relationship, and emphasizes the value of understanding. Including many quotes from people in long-term AS relationships, the book describes many positive solutions that have worked for other couples.

✦ Table of Contents

Asperger Syndrome and Long-Term Relationships......Page 5
Contents......Page 9
Foreword......Page 15
Acknowledgments......Page 17
Preface......Page 19
1. One Day I Woke Up......Page 23
What is Asperger Syndrome?......Page 27
Diagnostic criteria......Page 30
Is Asperger Syndrome prevalent?......Page 35
The adult population......Page 36
Misdiagnosing Asperger Syndrome......Page 40
What causes Asperger Syndrome?......Page 42
Is there a “cure”?......Page 43
What it looks like – written by a non-AS partner......Page 44
What it feels like – written by an AS partner......Page 45
3. The Full Realization......Page 49
The initial diagnosis......Page 51
Reaction to the diagnosis......Page 52
Denial......Page 54
The hidden condition......Page 55
Is it a “disability”?......Page 56
People’s judgments......Page 57
The ultimate tool......Page 59
Kicking the “normalcy” habit......Page 64
The flip side of the coin......Page 65
A paradigm shift......Page 66
4. First Diagnostic Criteria – Impaired Social Interaction......Page 71
What it may look like: Eye-to-eye gaze......Page 75
Implications and solutions: Eye-to-eye gaze......Page 76
What it may look like: Facial expression......Page 80
Implications and solutions: Facial expression......Page 81
What it may look like: Body postures......Page 85
Implications and solutions: Body postures......Page 86
Implications and solutions: Gestures......Page 94
What it may look like: Peer relationships......Page 99
Implications and solutions: Peer relationships......Page 101
What it may look like: Sharing enjoyment......Page 107
Implications and solutions: Sharing enjoyment......Page 108
What it may look like: Sharing interests......Page 115
Implications and solutions: Sharing interests......Page 117
What it may look like: Sharing achievements......Page 122
Implications and solutions: Sharing achievements......Page 123
What it may look like: Social reciprocity......Page 124
Implications and solutions: Social reciprocity......Page 125
What it may look like: Emotional reciprocity......Page 127
Implications and solutions: Emotional reciprocity......Page 128
5. Second Diagnostic Criteria – Peculiar, Repetitive, or All-encompassing Behavior......Page 137
What it may look like: Intense interest......Page 138
Implications and solutions: Intense interest......Page 140
What it may look like: Routines......Page 146
Implications and solutions: Routines......Page 149
What it may look like: Mannerisms......Page 157
Implications and solutions: Mannerisms......Page 158
What it may look like: Parts of objects......Page 161
Implications and solutions: Parts of objects......Page 163
What it may look like: Social......Page 171
Implications and solutions: Social......Page 173
What it may look like: Occupational......Page 174
Implications and solutions: Occupational......Page 175
What it may look like: Sensory dysfunction......Page 177
Implications and solutions: Sensory dysfunction......Page 179
What it may look like: Language......Page 187
Implications and solutions: Language......Page 196
8. Fifth Diagnostic Criteria – No Significant Delay in General Development......Page 219
Implications and solutions: Cognitive development......Page 221
What it may look like: Self-help skills/adaptive behavior......Page 224
Implications and solutions: Self-help skills/adaptive behavior......Page 225
Implications and solutions: Curiosity......Page 230
Endgame implications and solutions......Page 232
Not a pervasive developmental disorder......Page 245
Not clinically shy or other diagnoses......Page 246
Faces, personas, and characters......Page 247
“It’s not normal, but it’s natural”......Page 248
Why did we marry?......Page 251
When the veil comes off......Page 253
Acquired Aspergers – Becoming aspergated......Page 254
The caustic mate versus the healing mate......Page 255
Divorce......Page 256
The ideal mate......Page 258
Books......Page 263
Articles......Page 264
Counselors......Page 265
Web......Page 267
Friends......Page 268
Family......Page 269
Glossary......Page 273
References......Page 279
Subject Index......Page 283
Name Index......Page 289