Social Skills

Autism spectrum disorder is known to be a neurodevelopmental disorder that is heavily behaviorally defined. It is an extremely heterogeneous disorder and has a plethora of co-morbidities and core symptoms. With autism spectrum disorder being a behavioral disorder, it is inevitable to come with a deficit in social communications, along with repetitive and restricted behaviors.

A common aspect of autism spectrum disorder is social dysfunction which exhibits a wide range of different behaviors from constantly trying to avoid any sort of human interaction, to blabbering about topics that are of uninterest to those that the autistic person is speaking to. Although a lot of high-functioning individuals with autism may have these social deficits at a pretty minor level, it is imperative to understand that the case is not the same for low-functioning autistic individuals, as they will almost always struggle to naturally belong in social situations.

Social deficits have no fixed pattern, but it is a major identifier of Autism Spectrum Disorder and could be inferred when talking to an individual. Social skill issues vary and are formed at the root of common elements of Autism Spectrum Disorder such as sensory inputs, repetitive/obsessive behaviors, difficulty in acquiring verbal communication skills, and so much more.

These social dysfunctions make it exceedingly tough for autistic individuals to have basic social skills that most neurotypical people take for granted. Although those with autism spectrum disorder may come off as having a desire to completely avoid human interaction/ social situations, this is far from the truth, as they want to interact, but simply do not have the social skills to do so.

Supporting those with social dysfunctions can occur in many shapes and forms from practicing patience while talking to an autistic individual who seems to be struggling, to constantly including them in social interactions. As human beings, we are all social animals who thrive on social interactions and building deep connections with those around us. It is crucial to address the importance of communication skills and cognition in order to make those with autism spectrum disorder feel more comfortable in social situations.

Sources:

Why Do Autistic People Have Issues with Social Skills?
Social Skills Deficits in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Potential Biological Origins and Progress in Developing Therapeutic Agents