Happiness & Well Being in Autism

ASD$Nest$Program$Kick3Off$Brandy$Stanfill,$from$the$work$of$Peter$Vermeulen$

September$3,$2015$

Traditional$Outcome$Measures$

Cognitive$function$

Employment$

Independent$living$

Number$of$relationships$

Health$conditions$

Severity$of$autism$symptoms$

Change$Our$Thinking$

Traditional$outcome$measurements$do$not$include$quality$of$life$

High$functioning$$≠$$highly$happy$

$

Divorce$level$of$functioning$from$well$being$

Quality$of$Life$

Independence$

Social$Participation$$

Well$being$

•  Defined$by$Robert$Schalock$$

Focus$on$Well$Being$

Physical$

Material$

Emotional$

Autism$Friendliness$

90%$clarity$$$10%$regular$friendliness$$$PREDICIBILITY$Freedom$from$stress$Safety$$$

Ensure$Experiences$of$Success$$

$$focus$on$strengths$and$interests$$leads$to$pride$and$positive$self3esteem$

Focus$on$Positive$Feelings$

focus$on$positive$feelings$$not$the$negative$ones$$leads$to$greater$contentment$and$satisfaction$

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The$Rule$of$5$

We$need$five$positive$moments/$experiences/$comments$for$every$negative$to$maintain$a$

positive$emotional$state.$

Balance$Between$Protection$and$Challenge$

autonomy$$$existential$fulfillment$$avoid$learned$helplessness$

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Further$Reading$

•  http://www.researchgate.net/publication/269072830_The_practice_of_promoting_happiness_in_autism$

•  http://bloom3parentingkidswithdisabilities.blogspot.com/2013/11/in3autism3we3confuse3iq3with3happiness.html$

Further$Reading$