Comments on: Study: Adults with Autism…

By: David N. Andrews M. Ed. (Distinction)

David N. Andrews M. Ed. (Distinction) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:03:52 +0000

i could explain a lot about intelligence to billy the crispy-head.

he wouldn’t understand it though.

By: Joseph

Joseph — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:39:17 +0000

As has been pointed out to Billy several times, his conception of the general intelligence construct is simplistic and mistaken. Think Stephen Hawking; extremely bright, can’t talk, can’t feed himself, can’t move at all.

By: Dedj

Dedj — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 22:12:42 +0000

Because there are several modalities of ‘brightness’ and intelligence Billy, with different parts of the brain responsible for different executive and intellectual function.

Excellent function in one area does not always carry over to another, dependant on acquired or traumatic injuries (and location), pscyhogenic effects and development of performance and schema through habitutation, as well as other things.

Very, very elementary neurology and psychology basically.

You know Billy, all the questions you ask here could be answered by your local autism services, if you were to ever ask them.

By: Billy Cresp

Billy Cresp — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 22:04:12 +0000

Joseph, if someone is extremely bright, how couldn’t they have communication skills alongside that?

By: Joseph

Joseph — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 21:11:56 +0000

@Billy: It is well known that autistics simply don’t have the employment status that non-autistics of the same intelligence would tend to have. There might be some exceptions.

I’m surprised you seem to think it’s sufficient for someone to be extremely bright to be given a job. It doesn’t work that way. A lot of jobs explicitly require “good communication skills,” just to take one example.

By: tina hillson

tina hillson — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:46:41 +0000

Very easily, if they are on the autism spectrum. Clearly, you’re fortunate enough to be neurotypical, so you wouldn’t know about that firsthand…

By: Billy Cresp

Billy Cresp — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:44:32 +0000

Why didn’t you point out that you were referring to high-functioning ones? I don’t understand why nobody would let them have a chance. How can someone with a high IQ think slowly?

By: Tina Hillson

Tina Hillson — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:56:11 +0000

I am referring to high-functioning autistics such as my sister, who has Asperger’s Syndrome. The reason for the underemployment / unemployment / homelessness is that nobody is giving these people a chance. My sister has an IQ of 140 and two college degrees, but she needs to be allowed to do things a little more SLOWLY because she thinks slowly. Like Albert Einstein, who is also widely thought to have been an Aspie. Employers need to understand this.

By: Billy Cresp

Billy Cresp — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 23:15:57 +0000

Tina, why do you have to validate what you say by saying that most autistic adults are extremely bright and could live independently? Why don’t you prove that most of them are that way? If most of them are, why are so many of then unemployed and homeless?

By: Sullivan

Sullivan — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 20:16:38 +0000

Tina—
I can’t add or comment other than to say, thanks for reading and responding.