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ABA for adults (UK)

Judge Dredd
11 months ago

Anyone knows any provider able to perform the ABA on adults? I have seen plenty of centres for children, but none for an adult.

The patient would be me. Apparently, ABA is the only therapy that teaches how to "mask" more and better. Since I am one of the few people here with a real job, I am required to "mask" in my life. It's a survival need.

Parents
  • 11 months ago

    As you can work, one of the few who can - apparently, why not do some work and cut out the middleman by researching masking, and then apply the information to your own behaviour? Have a gander at this paper "Self-reported camouflaging behaviours used by autistic adults during everyday social interactions", which can be read in full or downloaded here: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10130518/ . 

    BTW, I worked full-time while writing a master's thesis, then a PhD thesis, in the evenings and at weekends. If in suitable employment, autistic people can be at least as productive as most neurotypicals.

  • 11 months ago in reply to Martin

    Sorry, I asked for some professional able to administer the therapy, not for a dense, illegible academic paper. You know, not everyone is an academic. That's like giving a book about fluid theory to somebody asking for a plumber.

    >If in suitable employment, autistic people can be at least as productive as most neurotypicals.

    New shocking data highlights the autism employment gap

    22% of adult aspies are in employment. Numbers talk.

  • 11 months ago in reply to Judge Dredd
    Judge Dredd said:
    Sorry, I asked for some professional able to administer the therapy, not for a dense, illegible academic paper. You know, not everyone is an academic. That's like giving a book about fluid theory to somebody asking for a plumber.

    You don't need to be an academic to read that paper. Table 2 provides a comprehensive list of masking behaviours and techniques for you to work from. Is this easy enough for you to understand?

    Behaviour Description Frequency, N (%)
    Masking
     Avoid or limit discussion related to oneself Avoiding or limiting time speaking about oneself or disclosing personal information (e.g. information about one’s relationship, financial status, daily activities, special interests or hobbies) 11 (64.7)
     Alter or reduce hand or arm movements Reducing the frequency or minimising the visibility of non-gesture hand movements, including fidgeting movements and stimming hand movements 8 (47.1)
     Avoid specific facts and detailed information Avoiding sharing factual, detailed or precise information 7 (41.2)
     Reduce body movements Reducing repetitive movements involving the torso, legs or entire body including rocking and fidgeting 3 (17.6)
     Avoid autism Avoiding disclosing one’s autism diagnosis or discussing the topic of autism 2 (11.8)
     Appearance Altering physical appearance to appear more conventional or typical 1 (5.9)
    Innocuous socialising
     Passive encouragement
      Eye contact Maintaining eye contact or maintaining the appearance of eye contact (i.e. looking at a social partner’s forehead, nose or mouth) 11 (64.7)
      Mirror Mirroring another person’s verbal (e.g. accent) or non-verbal behaviours (hand movements, body language, smile or facial expressions) 8 (47.1)
      Smile Smiling at others when speaking or listening 6 (35.3)
      Verbal minimal encouragers Using verbal minimal encouragers (e.g. ‘oh really’, ‘yes’, ‘yeah’ and ‘okay’) 5 (29.4)
      Laugh Laughing after one’s own or others’ statements 3 (17.6)
     Centring social partner
      Focus on social partner Guiding discussion to or maintaining discussion on topics of conversation that are related to one’s social partner or that may be of interest to one’s social partner 9 (52.9)
      Social partner guides conversation Allowing or relying on one’s social partner to guide topics of conversation 4 (23.5)
     Deferential engagement    
      Apologise for/justify social performance Apologise or provide excuses for perceived social errors or poor social performance 4 (23.5)
      Seek approval/permission Seeking approval, permission or validation from one’s conversational partner 4 (23.5)
      Be cooperative Avoiding confrontation or complaints and/or being cooperative, respectful and agreeable 2 (11.8)
     Reducing social risks
      Avoid causing offence or distress Avoiding words or remarks that could be perceived as rude, offensive, distressing or patronising 6 (35.3)
      Small talk Discussing typical ‘small talk’ topics such as the weather, commuting or weekend activities 6 (35.3)
      Avoid or limit honest, direct communication Avoiding or limiting honest or direct statements 4 (23.5)
      Avoid discussion of others’ personal and private lives Avoiding questions or topics of conversation related to more personal or private aspects of others’ lives (e.g. relationships, social activities or general life outside of work) 4 (23.5)
      Avoid controversy Avoiding or limiting discussion on topics of conversation that may generate controversy or debate 2 (11.8)
      Avoid appearing knowledgeable Avoiding appearing knowledgeable about specific topics or information 2 (11.8)
      Avoid jokes Avoid making jokes 1 (5.9)
    Modelling neurotypical communication
     Gestures Altering communicative gestures so these appear more like neurotypical gestures or increasing use of conventional gestures 12 (70.6)
     Body language Altering body language so this appears more like neurotypical body language 7 (41.2)
     Clear verbal communication Rephrasing or slowing speech, purposefully wording comments or providing clarifying comments 7 (41.2)
     Facial expressions Altering facial expressions so these appear more similar to neurotypical facial expressions 5 (29.4)
     Speech intonation Changing the tone of one’s voice or the emphasis placed on words to sound more conventional or typical 4 (23.5)
    Active self-presentation
     Reciprocal social behaviours
      Ask questions Asking one’s social partner questions 14 (82.4)
      Maintain and build conversation Commenting, providing elaborating information or otherwise talking in a way that builds or maintains a conversation 11 (64.7)
      Find and discuss points of commonality Establishing and discussing points of commonality with one’s social partner 11 (64.7)
      Keep balance between listening and talking Keeping an even balance between talking and listening 9 (52.9)
      Share factual information Sharing factual information (unrelated to oneself) with others 7 (41.2)
     Risky social behaviours
      Jokes and humorous anecdotes Making jokes or sharing humorous anecdotes 5 (29.4)
      Disclose personal information Disclosing information about ones’ education, employment, daily activities or relationships status 4 (23.5)
      Disclose weaknesses Discussing one’s perceived weaknesses, vulnerabilities or feelings of inadequacy 2 (11.8)
     Comfortable and familiar social behaviours
      Comfortable topics Discussing topics of conversations that one is knowledgeable about or interested in, finds easy or is comfortable discussing or have been received well by others in the past 12 (70.6)
      Scripts Use an established repertoire of phrases, comments, questions or anecdotes that are pre-planned or practiced, or have previously been well received by others 9 (52.9)

    Good luck but be aware that masking is very damaging. Don't be surprised if you burnout big style and become one of the statistically likely autists not in employment.

  • 11 months ago in reply to out_of_step

    Academics love to write enormous papers full of tables about the most trivial, useless things. From what I could see in the uni, I think that ASD and OCD are a prerequisite for any academic career. Too bad that I was born with ASD and ASPD

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  • 11 months ago in reply to out_of_step

    Academics love to write enormous papers full of tables about the most trivial, useless things. From what I could see in the uni, I think that ASD and OCD are a prerequisite for any academic career. Too bad that I was born with ASD and ASPD

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