Life Skills Series for People with Aspergers: Transportation as a Pivotal Factor

In the last several weeks I have posted about a 20 year old with Asperger’s named Tara who has had a history of starting but not completing courses and activities.  She is eager to gain skills to help her live an independent life but the stress she feels in each course contributes to her deciding to quite before it is over.  We have been breaking down the elements that are stressful for her and how we can help her be more successful in her graphic design course she is enrolled in for the Fall.  It our common goal to help her complete her course and therefore have the skills and pride gained from this completion.  One factor that has been challenging for her in the past has been the transportation itself.  She has either carpooled with someone (and had been stressed about the conversation she was expected to engage in on the way ), taken a series of buses (which was often overwhelming in the planning for her) or a shared van (which often has children that were much too loud for her).  She recently completed her driving course (one thing she did complete!).  We will make sure that she has an escort in the beginning so she is comfortable about getting to her course in the Fall,  but helping to eliminate transportation as a key stressful element in many of the activities she has participated in, should make a significant difference in her ability to stick with her commitment.  When planning a schedule for a person with Asperger’s, it is important to consider the transportation to help make for the most successful experience possible.

Comments

comments