Stress related behaviours in autism: from the iceberg to the volcano

Description

For people on the autism spectrum, who are absolute thinkers, the world with its ever changing meanings is very confusing and threatening. This is especially the case if autism goes together with low cognitive abilities or a young developmental age. Then, the world can be so threatening, that the only way to communicate stress and anxiety is through behaviours, such as a meltdown, a shutdown or even self-injurious behaviours or aggression. In this workshop we’ll explore the underlying causes of these stress related behaviours and some strategies to cope with these behaviours than can be challenging the environment.

Content of the workshop
• Autistic absolute thinking in a relative world results in confusion, stress and anxiety
• The link between emotional development and stress related behaviours: different stages of emotional development
• Teaching coping strategies: sensory, physical and psychological strategies
• How to prevent stress related behaviours and how to cope with them: practical strategies
• Managing the beliefs and the stress of the people working with autistic students: coping strategies for the staff

Note: this workshop focuses mainly on autistic people with more complex needs and younger developmental ages (young children or people with additional intellectual disability).