What is Autism Scripting?
What is autism scripting and why is it helpful for autistic people? Read on to find out.
If you or someone you love has autism, you'll want to know everything you can about terms related to possible treatment of this issue. You'll also want to know why autistics engage in certain behaviors. One term that has come up recently is what is known as autism scripting.
What is Autism Scripting?
Autism scripting is when the person with autism uses certain phrases or sentences in order to communicate with the people around them. Many people with autism can find it deeply stressful to speak with others. They might feel the need to withdraw from society.
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This kind of technique is meant to provide people with autism with a roadmap of a sort. That means they have a method of communicating with others that feels easier and more natural.
They can refer to this plan in order to help them figure out what to do in a situation that may feel unfamiliar. That can help lessen their sense of stress and allow them to function better in social situations.
How Does Autism Scripting Work?
Autistic scripting can be used by the autistic person to convey certain feelings and emotions. They might repeat a phrase as a way of contributing to the conversation around them. A script can be also be prepared for a specific situation the person finds daunting.
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For example, if they have to visit a new place, they can learn language specific to that location like the beach or a visit to the doctor for a checkup. The teacher can help them work on it advance. That can allow for better communications once they arrive at the destination. They can recite this script.
Why is Scripting Helpful for Autistic People?
Scripting can be helpful for people with autism for a great many important reasons. The world around them can feel confusing and scary.
Scripting allows autistic people to simplify communications with others. It also makes it easier to socialize in large or small groups. The use of scripting can also them with the comfort of stimming.
Simplifying Communication
Communication can be a difficult process for people who have autism. They are not always sure how to communicate with other people.
Having a script on hand provides them with something they can reference and understand when they are around people they know or they've never met.
This way they know what to do and how to convey information to others in a format they know the other person will understand. They also have a refence point they know the other person will understand when they are talking to them that they know the other person enjoys.
Socializing
Many autistic people like the idea of spending time around other people who also have autism. This is a good way for people who have autism to learn to be around others and increase their social skills.
Autistic people share a certain way of communicating that can be hard for others to get. They can use scripting when they are with other people who are autistic as a way of advancing their communications with them.
That offers mutual benefits for everyone who is present at the socialization event. That allows them a nice place to relax where they don't have to meet the expectations of people who don't have autism.
Masking
Blending in with others is a necessary life skill. People with autism do not necessarily want others to know they have this condition. They would like to be seen as neurotypical.
There are many strategies they can use in order to accomplish this goal. One of them is the ideal of putting on a mask.
The mask is intended to disguise their true feelings and avoid confrontation that would make them stand out. It's also about shoving aside their innate feelings and using something else instead.
Masking is especially common in females with autism. Women and girls are taught to engage in social situations more than men and boys. They learn to watch others closely and see how they behave.
This can make it harder for women and girls to get a diagnosis as it appears they have no problem with this area of their lives. It can also make it harder for them to get treatment. Their peers, parents and others close to them may not realize this person has autism.
However, they can still suffer from problems as a result of the condition and benefit from having a trained therapist help them learn how to socialize more effectively.
Stimming
Stimming is known as “self-stimulatory behavior.” One of the most frustrating things about autism is that it can be hard for someone with autism to find ways to regulate their behavior either in public or in private.
Managing sensory input from the world around them can be challenging. scripting is a form of stimming. It allows them to help regulate their emotions.
It also allows many autistics a means of maintaining their internal equilibrium and avoiding behavior that can be harmful physically or emotionally.
What Are The Downsides Of Scripting?
While scripting has some benefits, it also has some downsides. This kind of communication can feel stilted and unreal.
That can put barriers in place of real communication. The use of scripts may also make it harder for the autistic person to move beyond their current limitations and figure out how to communicate with others better.
That can also make it harder for them to fully integrate into the community around them. That's why it is necessary to find additional tools to help people with autism.
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