Communication is essential for navigating daily life, achieving success, and thriving in various environments.
However, many young adults with Asperger’s Syndrome — a developmental disorder now classified under the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) umbrella as a form of high-functioning autism — often struggle with interpersonal communication and social interactions.
At Momentum, teaching social skills to our students with high-functioning autism is one of the things we do best. In fact, many of our students come to us with a desire to address the social difficulties they have been experiencing.
Whether you or the young adult in your life has already received a formal diagnosis of autism or not, our goal is to help you develop the tools necessary to strengthen your ability to navigate social situations, enhance your conversation skills, build self-confidence, and improve your overall mental health.
High-Functioning Autism & Social Skills
What is a high-functioning autism spectrum disorder?
High-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a type of autism characterized by unique strengths and abilities that can be harnessed for both personal and professional success. Individuals with high-functioning autism often demonstrate average or above-average intelligence, excellent memory and knowledge retention, exceptional logical and analytical thinking, and deep expertise in an area of special interest.
However, despite these strengths, individuals with high-functioning autism often face challenges in social situations. They might struggle with making friends, displaying appropriate social interaction skills, and understanding verbal and non-verbal communication cues. These difficulties can affect their ability to navigate a social situation effectively.
Why is social skills training important for individuals with high-functioning autism?
Effective communication and social skills are foundational for achieving independence and success in adulthood. Without these skills, individuals may face increased social isolation, anxiety, and difficulty achieving personal and professional goals.
Unfortunately, many children, teens, and young adults with autism, experience social skills deficits due to a lack of supportive environments for developing necessary social skills. Traditional educational settings and social activities often do not accommodate the unique needs of neurodiverse individuals with high-functioning autism, leading to limited opportunities for practice and guidance.
Providing targeted opportunities and environments that support the development of social skills is crucial, and social skills training does just that.
Programs like Momentum offer structured social skills training, inclusive social activities, and consistent, empathetic support, helping individuals with autism build the skills needed to connect with others and thrive socially.
General Social Challenges Faced by Young Adults with High-Functioning Autism
- Difficulty understanding body language and facial expressions
- Difficulty making or maintaining eye contact or intense eye contact
- Difficulty interpreting verbal communication cues and tone of voice
- Difficulty comprehending jokes, idioms, metaphors, and sarcasm
- Social withdrawal or self-isolation
College-Related Challenges Faced by Young Adults with High-Functioning Autism
College-age individuals with high-functioning autism often excel academically but struggle with the social and practical aspects of college life. Sharing space, living in dorms, and navigating the social complexities of college can be particularly challenging. Specific difficulties include:
- Roommate Interactions: Understanding and respecting boundaries, negotiating shared responsibilities, and managing conflicts with roommates.
- Social Integration: Participating in group projects, social events, and extracurricular activities where unspoken social rules and norms are in play.
- Daily Routines: Adapting to the less structured and more fluid environment of college life, which can disrupt established routines and increase anxiety.
- Personal Space: Managing personal space and sensory sensitivities in a dorm setting, where privacy is limited, and sensory stimuli are high.
- Independent Living Skills: Balancing academic responsibilities with the demands of daily living, such as cooking, cleaning, and self-care, often without the support system they had at home.
Social Skills Training at Momentum
At Momentum, we use a multifaceted approach to teach social skills to young adults with high-functioning autism. Our program emphasizes empowerment, healthy communication, a Challenge by Choice approach, and family involvement.
By addressing these specific challenges through targeted social skills training, college-age individuals with high-functioning autism can improve their ability to navigate the social and practical aspects of college life. This support helps them build stronger relationships with peers, better manage their living environments, and ultimately achieve greater success and satisfaction in their college experience.
We teach social skills.
Our social-emotional learning and college readiness curriculum provides a comprehensive program specifically designed to help students with high-functioning autism develop essential social-emotional skills. This program supports students in understanding and managing their emotions, fostering empathy, and building meaningful relationships. Through structured and supportive environments, our students not only earn college credits but also acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for personal and social success.
- Understanding and Interpreting Social Cues: Our program helps individuals recognize and interpret body language, facial expressions, and other non-verbal signals. This includes understanding personal space, gestures, and eye contact, all of which are crucial for effective communication and social interaction.
- Engaging in Appropriate Social Interactions: We focus on teaching the norms and rules of social interactions. This includes initiating conversations, maintaining appropriate topics, and knowing when and how to end interactions. Our training also covers aspects of politeness, turn-taking, and handling disagreements or conflicts in a socially acceptable manner.
- Building Meaningful Relationships: We emphasize the importance of forming and maintaining both friendships and professional relationships. Our curriculum includes teaching empathy, active listening, and providing support to others. We also address managing social anxiety and overcoming shyness, aiming to help individuals develop lasting, meaningful connections.
We teach communication skills.
At Momentum, our therapeutic approach creates opportunities for students with neurodiversity to learn and grow in a supportive environment. Through group therapy sessions, students learn to identify their own emotions, communicate their thoughts and feelings effectively, and develop essential listening and sharing skills. Our focus on social-emotional learning ensures that students gain the tools they need to navigate social interactions with confidence and empathy. Participating in our program prepares students to engage in healthy, constructive communication, fostering better relationships and improved social interactions.
- Healthy Communication: Many of our students with high-functioning autism have struggled with healthy communication with others. They’ve often been shunned in school and labeled as outcasts, leading to negative relationships with peers. We work to dismantle this negativity and replace it with positive interactions. Our goal is to equip students to face problems and work through them in a healthy, constructive way through purposeful training and treatment.
- Verbal Communication: We train individuals to improve their verbal communication by focusing on clarity, tone, and volume. This includes practicing appropriate speech patterns, such as varying tone to convey different emotions and using an appropriate volume for different settings.
- Non-Verbal Communication: Our program emphasizes the importance of non-verbal cues, such as body language, facial expressions, and gestures. We teach students how to read these cues in others and how to use them effectively to enhance communication.
- Understanding and Using Tone of Voice: We help individuals understand how tone of voice can affect the meaning of words and phrases. This includes practicing different tones to convey various emotions and intentions, ensuring that verbal messages are communicated effectively.
We teach independent living skills.
Momentum’s daily life routine mimics independent living on a college campus, providing a realistic environment where students with high-functioning autism can learn essential life skills. Our structured schedule and life skills curriculum offer opportunities for students to learn how to share space with others, develop personal hygiene routines, and strengthen their understanding of boundaries. Although these are considered “independent living skills,” they are taught in a way that emphasizes self-care while respecting the boundaries of others in a shared space.
- Routine Development: At Momentum, students adapt to a consistent daily and weekly rhythm, helping them thrive in a structured environment. Each day begins at 6:45 am, followed by scheduled activities, shared meal preparation and dining, and concludes with a nightly reflection around the campfire, with lights out by 9:00 pm. Although initially challenging for those accustomed to irregular schedules, this routine typically becomes second nature within two weeks.
- Daily Life Skills Tasks: Our program covers essential life skills training such as cooking, cleaning, laundry, and personal hygiene. We provide practical training and establish routines to help individuals manage these tasks efficiently and independently.
- Self-Care: We emphasize the importance of self-care, including stress management, maintaining physical health, and practicing relaxation techniques. Our program provides tools and techniques to help individuals take care of their mental and emotional well-being, ensuring they can thrive both personally and professionally.
- Self-Empowerment: Many young adults with high-functioning autism have faced repeated setbacks, affecting their self-worth and leading them to believe they are failures. At Momentum, we strive to debunk this myth. We teach that mistakes are a part of life and that every student can achieve success. By empowering our students, we enhance their self-esteem and foster a deeper willingness to improve themselves.
Top 4 Social Skill Tips for Young Adults with High-Functioning Autism
These skills collectively help young adults with high-functioning autism navigate social landscapes more effectively, leading to improved relationships and better integration into various social settings.
Communication Skills:
- Active Listening: Teaching individuals to fully concentrate, understand, respond, and remember what is being said can enhance their ability to engage in meaningful conversations.
- Expressing Emotions Appropriately: Learning how to express feelings in a socially acceptable manner helps in building and maintaining relationships.
Interpersonal Skills:
- Understanding Social Cues: Recognizing and interpreting non-verbal signals, such as body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice, is crucial for effective social interactions.
- Empathy: Developing the ability to understand and share the feelings of others can improve social connections and reduce misunderstandings.
Problem-Solving Skills for Social Situations:
- Conflict Resolution: Equipping individuals with strategies to resolve disputes and handle disagreements peacefully can foster better relationships in personal and professional settings.
- Negotiation Skills: Teaching the art of negotiation helps in reaching mutually beneficial agreements in various social scenarios.
Self-Regulation Skills:
- Managing Stress and Anxiety: Techniques such as deep breathing, mindfulness, and other relaxation strategies can help individuals stay calm and composed in social situations.
- Impulse Control: Learning to control impulsive behaviors ensures that interactions are more positive and less likely to result in social rejection.
Momentum: A Program for Young Adults with Autism
Momentum provides programs for young adults with autism who are struggling with the transition from adolescence to adulthood. This program uses an individualized therapeutic approach that combines Challenge by Choice activities, life skills training, and neurodivergent-affirming therapy to foster the development and improvement of independence, self-confidence, and self-awareness.
The nature-based model removes students from the chaos and fast-paced life they are used to and puts them in a nurturing, supportive environment with minimal distractions. This allows the young adults to focus on their strengths, goals, and progress. Momentum gives neurodivergent young adults the skills they need to lead healthy, happy, and successful lives.
