Teaching Flexible Thinking to Kids on the Autism Spectrum

Children and teens on the autism spectrum often exhibit “cognitive and behavioral rigidity.” This means that individuals on the spectrum often have a hard time seeing a situation from various viewpoints. They also like to follow prescribed patterns of behavior. Cognitive and behavioral rigidity can have a negative impact on an individual's life in many ways. First of all, it can harm social interactions with peers, coworkers, and employers. Second, it can make transitioning to less desirable activities difficult. Finally, it can make adjusting to changes in plans and schedules challenging.

There are several ways you can help your child or student think and act more flexibly.

LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

While cognitive flexibility is an important skill for children and teens on the autism spectrum to learn, you can also applaud their amazing ability to intently focus which can be a tremendous strength in various circumstances.

For example, young people who fixate on certain topics like music, math, or computer programming can become experts in these areas. Case in point, Temple Grandin, a woman on the autism spectrum who is widely recognized for her expert knowledge in her focus area of humane animal practices.

WHAT SHOULD MY CHILD OR STUDENT FOCUS ON?

With a bit of training, teens on the autism spectrum can learn to channel their ability to intensely concentrate and establish a habit of being fascinated about being flexible. Simply put, parents and teachers can help their child or student become self-aware of their tendency to think rigidly, so they can decide whether focusing on a particular subject or activity will be a positive or negative influence in their life. Then assist them in discerning between things that are productive vs. unproductive to focus on.

INFLEXIBLE BRAINS REQUIRE ACCOMMODATIONS

Similar to people who need glasses to correct their vision so they can drive a car or read a book, individuals on the autism spectrum with brain-based inflexibility have the right to essential accommodations, such as a consistent daily routine, a home/school visual schedule, keeping needless transitions to a minimum, and giving a heads up to any known changes in schedule or routine.

Parents and educators should do everything they can to ensure that their child or student receives these basic accommodations. Children and teens on the autism spectrum can be taught to self-advocate for these accommodations as well.

Here are a few ways to teach your child or student self-advocacy:

• Help your child or student make a list of accommodations that would benefit them most.

• Give your child or student opportunities to practice requesting the accommodations from their list by role-playing situations where these accommodations may be needed.

• Accompany your child to visit teachers or employers, especially when it is their first time asking someone for accommodations.

• Help your child or student type up an e-mail to ask for accommodations ahead of time (e.g. before the first day of school or work).

FOCUS ON THE BIG PICTURE

Individuals with autism tend to particularize. This means that they are so focused on details, that they fail to see the overall view, impression, or key point. As a result, it is essential to help children and teens with autism recognize when they are hung up on details. Eventually, they will learn to catch themselves focusing on details and expand their thinking to see the overall picture. The phrases below can be used to promote big picture thinking:

• “That is an amazing fact. Let’s focus on it. Then we can look for the big picture.”

• “Awesome detail! How long do you want to focus on it? Fifteen seconds or thirty seconds?”

• “It's amazing how you notice details! Once we finish finding the details, we can broaden our view.”

TEACH FLEXIBLITY AND SELF REGULATION

Parents and educators can model how flexible thinking helps a person manage feelings of disappointment, unforeseen circumstances, irrational requests, or times when delaying gratification are necessary. Talk about the flexibility difficulties that come up in your life. Do your best to use the exact same words or phrases to describe the problem, even when you are talking to someone in your home or school who is not on the autism spectrum. Use phrases like:

• "Focused on Detail": “I am so upset that we ran out of bread. Now I can't have a sandwich for lunch . Can you help me stop focusing on this detail?” or “Am I focused on a detail?” or “What is the big picture?” or “Is this productive or unproductive?”

• “Plan B”: “I spilled juice all over my favorite shirt. I need a plan B for what to wear to work. How about my pink shirt?” or “What is your plan B?” or “We need a plan B!”

Make every effort to use these phrases and concepts in a fun way. If you use these words to scold your child or student accompanied by bad feelings and punishments, they will likely feel aversion to them.

Be patient with yourself and your child or student, getting used to these new phrases and methods will take time and perseverance.

Source: Kenworthy, L., and Strang, J., 2017. Use Inflexibility To Teach Flexibility | Organization For Autism Research. [online] Researchautism.org. Available at: <https://researchautism.org/use-inflexibility-to-teach-flexibility/> [Accessed 7 November 2020].