Reaching For The Stars
by Lillian Csernica
People with autistic spectrum disorder sometimes develop a strong interest in a specific subject. That interest can progress to what some might call an obsession.
While neurotypical children may grow out of a particular “hobby” and move on to more age-appropriate subjects, ASD children often find what they like and stick with it. In the educational field, the term “preferred interests” describes the activities or areas of study that interest ASD people the most, distinguishing the interest from being a fixation or an instance of perseveration.
In January 2017, Kristin Patten Koenig and Lauren Hough Williams published Characterization and Utilization of Preferred Interests: A Survey of Adults on the Autism Spectrum. The study explains why these “preferred interests” are not drawbacks but vital elements… Continue reading in the Fall 2019 issue.