Working with Students Who Have Asperger's Syndrome.

Abstract

Misunderstandings on the part of teachers about the reasons for socially inappropriate behaviour have the potential to cause major problems for some young men with Asperger's Syndrome. This was evident in the cases of two students with whom I have worked as a guidance counsellor in a New Zealand high school. Narrative Therapy concepts of "thin" and "thick" descriptions are used to provide more sympathetic and supportive understandings of their behaviour. Those more helpful "thick" descriptions make use of current diagnostic criteria and research about Asperger's Syndrome. Methods of working therapeutically with adolescents and their families are presented from Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, and contemporary, evidence-based perspectives. School guidance counsellors can have an influential role in challenging unhelpful "thin descriptions" about the problematic behaviours, in developing those more supportive "thick descriptions," and in promoting more socially appropriate behaviour in these young people through therapeutic interventions. Potential challenges in this work are also addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of New Zealand Journal of Counselling is the property of New Zealand Association of Counsellors and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)