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SPRING 2022 · ADU VOICE 19
children. Restricted and repetitive behaviors engaging socially with others is too compli-
(RRBs) are a core feature of ASD that reduce cated and perpetuate the misconception that
ASDs’ attention to and exploration of their people with ASD do not want friends. Despite
environment, depriving them of meaningful their poor social skills, studies have shown
input and opportunities for learning, early that people with ASD form relationships and
in life. friendships with others, but may take longer
than their typical peers to do so, provided that
Although curiosity about and exploration of they are well understood and have developed
the environment is likely to play an import- their social skills.
ant role in the learning and development of
children with ASD, one of the earliest studies As for the second myth, much research indi-
about curiosity and autism conducted by Hutt cates that a relatively small number of people
(1969) found that kids with ASD have less curi- with ASD (less than 10%) possess exceptional
osity than typical children and deemed their skills, which can be categorized as savant
exploratory activity deficient. syndrome, a rare condition that gifts people
unusual skills (often in memory, music, art,
Two common myths about ASD and arithmetic). Even though the rates of
are: (1) People with ASD do not savant syndrome are higher in the autistic
want to or cannot build rela- population than the neurotypical population,
tionships with others, and most autistic people do not have a savant skill.
(2) Everyone with ASD has a
unique, supernatural talent. Finally, ASD is not a disease – it cannot be
cured by medication. However, the challenges
The fact is that many studies faced by people with ASD can be overcome
indicate that individuals with ASD and autistics can lead fully independent,
desire and benefit from social healthy, and productive lives, especially with
interaction and company. the help of professional intervention.
However, what rein-
forces this myth is
how individuals References
with ASD have dif-
ficulties in social Chen Y-W, Bundy A, Cordier R, Chien
settings, which Y-L, Einfeld S. The Experience of So-
makes it difficult for cial Participation Among Individuals
with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
them to express what 2016; 46(4):1403-14.
they want or use and
interpret non-verbal Hutt, C. (1969). Exploration, Arousal
cues, such as interpre- and Autism. 1969; 33(1), 1-8.
tation of body language Mazurek MO. Loneliness, Friendship,
and people’s feelings. and Well-Being in Adults with Autism
These challenges cause Spectrum Disorders.
2014; 18(3):223-32.
individuals with
ASD to feel that
