Autism: The Pre-Conceptual State of Mind

Abstract

Introduction: Autism Spectrum Disorders can be defined as a complex and heterogenous area of clinical characteristics. Adults diagnosed with ASD show a lot of comorbidity and overlapping symptomatology with other neuropsychiatric conditions that require specific approaches. The development of ReAttach supports a dynamic special educational model for autism. Indicating the clinical characteristics of ASD as a reflection of the pre-conceptual stage, the ReAttach for autism protocol is characterized by activating the skills that are required for integration, conceptualisation, imagination and coping. ReAttach starts with external arousal regulation by the therapist to obtain optimal environmental conditions for learning. The term dynamic refers to the personal growth that individuals with ASD and patients with other neuropsychiatric conditions have shown. If core ASD symptomatology, such as lack of coherency, monotropic information processing and social communication problems, can be reduced by intervention it is time to embrace a dynamic model for autism.

Objective: The objective is to propose a dynamic special education model for autism and to communicate how indicating the clinical characteristics of ASD as a reflection of the pre-conceptual stage sheds a different light on comparative research of ASD versus neurotypical groups.

Method: The procedure of a comparative study of an autism and a neurotypical control group is reviewed from a dynamic special education model. The questions and remarks about the instructions and findings are displayed.

Results: Reviewing the research procedure and findings from a dynamic special educational model sheds a different light on this comparative research of ASD versus neurotypical groups