case study autism example

• MEMBER PORTAL
• IN THE NEWS
• NEWSLETTERS
• ADVISORY BOARD
• SUPPORT CAN
• FEATURED RESEARCH
• LITERATURE REVIEWS
• POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION: AUTISTIC COLLEGIANS’ EXPERIENCES OF SUCCESS
• COLLEGE AUTISM SUMMIT
• CAN’S GRANT PROGRAM
• FOOTHILLS ACADEMIES
• SUMMIT COLLECTIONS
• AUTISM CAREER EMPOWERMENT
• CIRCA: AUTISM AND NEURODIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE
• CONSULTANTS’ COLLECTIVE
• CASE STUDIES – COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH AUTISM
• ONLINE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
• HALFWAY TO THE SUMMIT
• AUTISM-SPECIFIC PROGRAM DIRECTORS
• UPCOMING EVENTS
• AUTISM-SPECIFIC COLLEGE SUPPORT PROGRAMS
• AUTISM-SPECIFIC SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS
• NEURODIVERSE CANDIDATE JOB BOARDS
• CENTER FOR NEURODIVERSITY EMPLOYMENT & INNOVATION
• EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
• COCOA (COALITION OF CAMPUS ORGANIZATIONS FOR AUTISM)
• FRIST CENTER FOR AUTISM AND INNOVATION

Case Studies – College Students with Autism

• Case Studies – College Students…
• BACKGROUND AND USAGE
• GUIDING QUESTIONS
• ELLEN & DAVID
• LEO & EVAN
• NIKKI & PROFESSOR ANDREWS

Background & Purpose These case studies can serve as tools to support the professional development of individuals who may encounter college students with autism, or those displaying autism-related characteristics. They are derived from formal research projects, email correspondence, questions presented during campus-based trainings and consultations, and informal conversations with a wide range of stakeholders. To protect the anonymity of those involved, the cases are fictionalized versions of real life scenarios described by autistic students, student affairs staff, college administrators, and faculty/instructors.

Usage Scenarios These case studies will be of most value when they are included as one part of a comprehensive workshop in which participants will be introduced to autism in higher education, use the case studies as a springboard to in-depth exploration of key topics, and have the opportunity to discuss specific experiences encountered by participants.

Although each of the cases can be used in a variety of settings by a wide range of stakeholders, some of the details in each case may be most applicable to specific college offices / units/ personnel. Below, we highlight a few stakeholders/offices for whom each case may be most relevant.

• Ellen & David: Faulty/Instructors, Title IX Coordinators, Greek Life, Campus Police Leo & Evan: Residence Life, Dean of Students Office, Facilities Marshall: Faulty/Instructors, Academic Advisors Nikki & Professor Andrews: Faculty/Instructors, Academic Deans, Conduct Officers Bryan: Conduct Officers, Faulty/Instructors, Title IX Coordinators Darius: Academic Advisors, Disability Service Office, Residence Life Samir: Orientation, Residence Life, Parent and Family Services

We present a series of guiding questions for the cases on the next page.

For More Information The College Autism Network (CAN) is a national nonprofit organization linking varied stakeholders engaged in evidence-based efforts to improve access, experiences, and outcomes for college students with autism. CAN fulfills that mission through advocacy, research, and training. We have given presentations at dozens of professional conferences, consulted with a variety of individual campuses, and developed wide-ranging resources to support college success for students with autism.

Visit the College Autism Network’s webpage or email [email protected] for more information.

These guiding questions may help facilitate individual reflection and/or group discussions about the issues presented in the case studies. The questions have been written in a way that is applicable to all of the cases presented here. Moreover, each of the questions may be asked and answered by a wide range of postsecondary personnel.

Of course, we encourage each person reviewing these cases to consider them in light of their own institutional context, professional position, and personal awareness.

• Have you encountered students or situations like the ones in the case studies? What sounds familiar – either about one (or more) of the students or the situations described?
• What are the most important issues to be considered in each case study? Which elements of the case are most troubling, urgent, complex, unclear, or discomforting?
• What language, arguments, or behaviors might tip you off to underlying issues affecting each of the people in the case studies?
• What additional information might you try to get about the students and situations described? How might you go about getting that information in a legal, ethical, and timely manner?
• Which of the events, activities, behaviors, language, or perspectives of each of the students reflect neurotypical norms? Which are most consistent with the characteristics of autism?
• What are the possible responses to the situations described? How would you advise each of the relevant stakeholders to respond? How might each of the stakeholders react to such actions?
• Which institutional policies, rules, or precedents might be relevant to each scenario?
• Who else might you consult/involve to resolve the issue?
• How might you structure a meeting with each of the students in the case study? What language, tone, or style would you try to use (or avoid)? What kind of follow-up would be appropriate?

It’s the fourth week of the fall semester. Ellen is a sophomore in your introductory Sociology class who has asked to speak with you about a concern she has regarding another student. During your meeting, Ellen states that she is being harassed and stalked by David, another student in the class. This is what she describes:

“In the first class you assigned us to groups of about five students. David was in my group. He seemed kind of odd—didn’t smile at anyone. When we introduced ourselves and answered your questions, he spoke really fast and kind of monotone, like he didn’t want to be there. He was the only first-year student in our group, which is kind of random, and I felt bad for him because he looked really nervous. When we had to partner with someone in the group, I asked him if he’d like to be my partner for the exercise. He said yes. It went okay. He was a little weird, and when I answered one of the questions by saying that I liked One Republic (a band) and that I had gone to see them over the summer, he said, “One Republic sucks” in this pretty mean way. But everyone has their opinions, so I just let it go. I told him at the end of class that it was nice meeting him and I’d see him around.

“The next class, he came in after I had sat down, and he asked the person who was sitting next to me to move so he could sit there. The other guy did. David sat next to me and tried to make conversation, but he was really bad at it. Like he said, out of the blue, “I still think One Republic sucks.” Lots of awkward pauses. I still felt bad for him. I have a brother with Downs, so I think I’m pretty sensitive to people who are not good in social situations. I asked him about his weekend, and if he likes his roommate, and stuff like that. He answered everything in that kind of harsh, monotone way.

“Every class after that—he comes in and sits next to me, even if someone is already in the seat. If I come in after him, which I tried twice, and sit elsewhere, he seems to get a little freaked out and gets up and moves to the seat next to me. The other students noticed and think it’s kind of funny, so they always giggle and move for him. It’s kind of become a game. I just try to be nice to him. Once he said something about not making any friends at school yet, and I told him that I was his friend. He just kind of grunted.

“Last week, remember when I announced to the class that my sorority was supporting a local literacy project and would be doing a fundraiser before the next football game? I asked people to come to my hall lounge to get their faces painted with school colors before the game? Well, David showed up at the lounge and asked one of my sorority sisters to move so he could sit next to me. She said no because we were working together. He got really angry and knocked one of the paint containers off the table. He calmed down when I walked him over to a chair elsewhere in the room, but then just sat in the lounge looking really mad the whole time I was in there. When we finished, I left with my sisters and he followed us toward the stadium, but then left after we went in.

“So he hasn’t really done anything wrong, I guess, but he’s starting to make me really nervous. My parents told me that he was stalking me, and that I should report him to the police. But I don’t want to get him in trouble, and since your class is the only one we have together, I thought maybe I could just ask you for help.”

You have been asked to work with a resident advisor who is struggling with a student on his floor. The hall director has tried, but has been unsuccessful, and it’s starting to look more and more like a conduct referral. The RA, Evan, and the student, Leo (a sophomore), are coming to see you this afternoon.

Upon reviewing notes that Evan has written in the Case Management System (CMS), you see that issues with Leo began the first weekend of the semester. Leo didn’t live on campus last semester, so this is his first semester in housing. He has no conduct record or other mention in CMS from last year. The first note from Evan reports that Leo and his roommate had an argument over closet space that Evan was asked to mediate. Three days later, Leo’s roommate moved out and to another floor. A new roommate was assigned to Leo, but moved out after two days, citing “different sleep schedules.”

Evan’s next note reports that Leo’s hygiene has become a source of ridicule on the floor. Evan met with Leo to talk with him about the importance of showering regularly and cleaning up after himself when he uses the lounge (he left dirty dishes and uneaten food there several times).

When things didn’t get better, the hall director, Alyssa, met with Leo. He denied making a mess in the lounge, but agreed to be more careful with his belongings. He also agreed to shower more frequently, which Alyssa was glad to hear since Leo smelled pretty bad at their meeting. At the conclusion of their meeting, Leo told Alyssa that “I do not want to speak with you anymore.” She assured him that if he could keep up his end of their agreements, he wouldn’t have to meet with her again.

Leo’s habit of leaving dirty dishes and, one weekend, a pile of dirty laundry, in the lounge continued. Other residents were complaining to Evan about bugs and the smell. Evan went to Leo’s room to talk with him. The room was a disaster. But more than the mess, Evan was concerned that Leo had put black paper on the windows, covering them completely. When he asked Leo about it, Leo said he didn’t like the room to be too bright. He also told Evan to mind his own business and worry more about the other students who leave things in the lounge and the hockey players on the floor who smell bad after practice. “At least I don’t come back drunk and puke all over the place like some other students in this hall,” Leo said. He then asked Evan to leave, saying “I do not want to speak with you anymore.”

Evan and Alyssa are pondering fining Leo for the lounge messes, but they are very uncomfortable approaching him to talk again, and so have requested your assistance. That meeting is three hours from now.

As a faculty member with advisory responsibilities, you meet with students to assist them in course enrollment as well as to monitor their academic progress. You work at a mid-size public university in the Midwest. You have been Marshall’s advisor since he enrolled in August and will be meeting with him to sign up for his second-semester coursework. You don’t remember much about Marshall except that…

• he is a first-year student who plans a double major in business and civil engineering,
• he has been fulfilling liberal studies requirements during his first semester, and
• your previous meeting was a little awkward, but you don’t remember why.

At the next meeting with Marshall, you ask how his classes are going. He explains that he has been excelling in his college coursework, except for his introductory English Composition course. When you ask what made his English course different, he explained “I did OK on the research report, but have been getting bad grades on everything else. I have met with the teacher twice. He said my writing was ‘choppy’ and that I ‘used too many declarative sentences.’ I have followed his instructions and my last two assignments had mostly interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences. But he still gave me C’s on both assignments. That doesn’t seem fair. I don’t think he’s a very good teacher.”

Later in the meeting, you remind Marshall that he’ll be required to take two “gateway” courses in business and engineering next semester. Each of them have an average enrollment of 40+ students per class. Marshall says he has been trying to avoid “classes that were too large, where the teachers didn’t care and were just, you know, phoning it in.” He is concerned that most of the class will be lectures and that the teacher won’t have time to answer many questions when there are so many students in the class. He also knows the business class will involve group presentations that “make me very uncomfortable.”

He wants to know about alternative ways to meet the course requirements.

However, institutional policies and major-specific course sequences dictate that there are no alternatives.

As the Department Chair, you have received an email from Professor Andrews in the Computer Science program. He is asking to meet with you to discuss what he thinks is an academic dishonesty situation, but he’s not sure. At the meeting, he explains that Nikki, a student in his Programming Basics class, has plagiarized an assignment. He has a way of checking students’ assignments against one another to make sure they have all done their own work. Nikki’s assignment, which required writing code, is extremely similar to another student’s, Paulo’s, and Professor Andrews’ method of checking has indicated that it is statistically impossible for this to have happened without them working together.

Paulo is a talented programmer, Professor Andrews reports, who was already establishing himself as one of the better students in the class. Nikki is not as skilled, which is why Professor Andrews felt good putting them in the same study group. After seeing the results of the assignment check, Professor Andrews spoke to both Paulo and Nikki separately. Paula reported that Nikki had most likely copied his work from drafts he had shared with the group (Professor Andrews encourages them to share early products, but says he is clear they must turn in a final product that reflects their own work).

Nikki does not deny using Paulo’s early drafts, but was insistent that Professor Andrews had said it was okay to copy. “She got angry and pretty defensive with me and said, ‘you told us on September 8, September 11 and September 13 that we should share our work with each other because that’s what good programmers do—share their work to get better.’ I did say that, but I also said they had to turn in original work that showed they knew how to do the coding required in the assignment.

“I told her that I wouldn’t fail her for the assignment, or report this, but that she had to do another assignment that demonstrated that she understood what was being asked of her, and not just copying another student’s assignment. She refused.

“I normally would just fail a student for the assignment, which is 20 percent of the grade, but I get the feeling she really doesn’t understand the distinction between what she did and what was asked, or why it was wrong. Paulo told me yesterday that she has made copies of his early drafts of the second assignment and I’m concerned that the same thing is going to happen, which means she’ll fail the class. Honestly, I’m not sure she’s going to make it as a computer science major, but I hate to be the one to tell her that.”

Darius is a new student who is starting college in the Honors program. As part of the application process, in one of his admissions essays, Darius disclosed that he had received a formal autism/Asperger’s diagnosis at age 6. In grade school, he quickly moved from self-contained special education classrooms to mainstream classes. In high school he took a rigorous course load including Honors and AP courses; he has 18 hours of AP credit upon entry to your institution. Throughout all those courses he had an Individual Education Plan (IEP) with a variety of accommodations related to his autism. His parents have also been heavily involved with his education, advocating for him throughout his K-12 experiences.

Three weeks into his first semester, Darius showed up on the ‘early alert’ system recently instituted by your college. One of his instructors noted that Darius had attended the first two class sessions, but had missed the next three. When you call Darius’s other professors and ask about his attendance, they say that they don’t keep track of each students’ attendance. As one said, “I do the lectures, come up with the assignments, and grade the tests. It’s the students’ responsibility to show up. And if they can pass my class without coming to class, more power to them.”

You see in the notes that Darius has registered with the disability service office and give them a call. They tell you that he has, indeed, registered for and been granted some academic accommodations. But they have no way of knowing whether he has shared that information with his instructors and whether he has used the accommodations thus far.

When you contact Darius’s residence hall director, she notes that Darius hasn’t shown up on any disciplinary reports, and that the RA on the hall has made no mention of Darius in any of their meetings. Later in the day, the hall director calls back. When she talked to the RA on Darius’s floor, the RA said that she had introduced herself to Darius, said hello to him once or twice more, but otherwise observed that Darius seemed to spend a lot of time in his room.

Having spent the entire morning trying to figure out what’s going on with Darius, you don’t seem to have gotten very far. But you have a student standing outside your office, two more student meetings this afternoon, and another 3 ‘early alert’ students about whom you have received emails today. Not sure about what to do next, you scribble a note on Darius’s file indicating who you talked to and concluding “no obvious signs of distress, extraneous circumstances, or unmet needs.”

On move-in day, you are approached by a mother who asks to speak with you privately about her son. She explains to you that her son, Samir, has Asperger’s Syndrome. And no matter how much his parents protest, Samir refuses to tell anyone at the college about the condition. She explained, “When I called the disability services office on campus, they told me that they couldn’t talk to me about Samir unless he gave his consent. The office said they would be happy to provide appropriate accommodations, but that they needed him to come into the office, request the support, and provide the necessary documentation.” With an exasperated look on her face, she groans “but he’s so stubborn he won’t do it.”

She continues by expressing her concern about Samir living away from home, and with a roommate no less. The family lives only 45 minutes away and wanted him to commute his freshman year, but he wanted the ‘real college experience.’ This will be Samir’s first experience living away from home. The mom then runs through a rapid-fire list of things she’s worried about…

• he’ll forget to shower (unless its written on his schedule),
• he won’t eat at the buffet dining hall (because he doesn’t like it when other people touch his food),
• he’ll wear the same clothes all the time (because he won’t know how the washing machines work),
• he will miss classes (because he’ll forget to set his alarm),
• he’ll won’t be able to sleep (because of the buzz from fluorescent lights)

When she sees her son and husband reemerge from the residence hall, she hastily hands you her business card and asks you to look out for Samir and give her a call if anything comes up.

You take a moment to watch the family interact as they move stuff from the car into the building. The man you presume to be Samir’s father seems focused on carrying things inside. The mom helps too, but spends as much time watching Samir as she does transporting items. Samir, so far as you can tell, looks like a typical college freshman… full of nervous energy, a little shy, eager to move in, and mildly embarrassed by his parents. You wonder why the mom is so worried.

With hundreds (maybe thousands?) of new students moving in this weekend, it is only a few minutes before someone else comes up to you and asks for your help finding a nearby building. You quickly put the mom’s card into your wallet and wonder “What am I supposed to do with this?”

Select Profile Type

Good Autism Practice Report: Case Studies

Good Autism Practice Case Studies File Download

Good Autism Practice Guidance: Case Studies

These case studies support our Good Autism Practice Guidance. There are 8 individual case studies which consider the impact of Good Autism Practice on autistic children and young people in Early Years, Schools and Post-16. Download all the case studies above. 

The Good Autism Practice Guidance: Full Report

The Full Report and Practitioner Guide presents eight principles of good autism practice. These summarise the ethos, values and practice that should inform inclusive education for all children and young people whilst specifying the distinctive knowledge, teaching approaches required. Eight principles are identified which are linked to the new Ofsted Framework, the SEND Code of Practice and the Teacher Standards. The Guide is designed to support staff in Early Years settings, Schools and Post-16 provision to develop effective practice. The case studies serve to illustrate the eight principles.

Explore all upcoming Autism Training from our Partners.

Find Your Local Training Partner

Search for your local training partner to enquire about upcoming Autism Training or to organise a session for your team.

Browse all the AET Training Content which can be offered by our Partners. 

Explore all Autism Education Trust Resources, from phase specific teaching tools to parent guidance and more.

About the Autism Education Trust - archive

Find out more about the Autism Education Trust and meet the team.

Explore our blog to discover discussions on good autism practice, exclusion, the four key areas of difference and more...

Good Autism Practice Guidance

These three linked resources present the evidence for, and define and illustrate, eight principles of good autism practice to help education...

National Autistic Society Education Report

The education system in England is simply not working for autistic children and we are calling on the Government to intervene with its upcoming review...

Improving autism practice in college

Improving autism practice in college to support placement sustainability and to avoid escalation of need

Sign up to our newsletter

Real Stories

Anita Lesko is a nurse anesthetist 1 and a champion for people living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

“Our personal journey into this world of autism began just over eight years ago with the birth of our son, Perry. “

Alexis Wineman is the first woman with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to participate in the Miss America competition.

Let’s play a game, okay? I’ll give you a bunch of clues, and you try to guess who I am.

If you would like to share your personal story, please contact us at [email protected]

Exit Notification / Disclaimer Policy

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
• Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
• You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
• CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website.

To read this content please select one of the options below:

Please note you do not have access to teaching notes, being diagnosed with autism in adulthood: a personal case study.

Advances in Autism

ISSN : 2056-3868

Article publication date: 19 June 2020

Issue publication date: 11 August 2021

This paper aims to report the personal experiences of an adult male diagnosed with autism at the age of 48 years.

Design/methodology/approach

A personal case study methodology was used to illustrate the journey to autism diagnosis, the experience of diagnosis and post-diagnosis support.

This case study illustrates how stress and mental health difficulties can precede autism diagnosis in adults. The personal experiences detailed highlight how an adult autism diagnosis can bring about positive change, prompting increased self-knowledge and coping skills, improved relationships and. Furthermore, it highlights how a supportive employer can make reasonable adjustments in the workplace to improve productivity of an autistic employee.

Research limitations/implications

This case study has implications for various practice issues, including post-diagnosis counselling and access to support for autistic adults nationally.

Originality/value

This paper provides an original case study highlighting the personal experiences of an adult diagnosed with autism.

• Mental health
• Autism spectrum condition
• Mental disorder

Henley, R. (2021), "Being diagnosed with autism in adulthood: a personal case study", Advances in Autism , Vol. 7 No. 3, pp. 256-261. https://doi.org/10.1108/AIA-03-2020-0018

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

Related articles

We’re listening — tell us what you think, something didn’t work….

Report bugs here

All feedback is valuable

Please share your general feedback

Join us on our journey

Platform update page.

Visit emeraldpublishing.com/platformupdate to discover the latest news and updates

Questions & More Information

Answers to the most commonly asked questions here

Book Appointment

• Autism Treatment
• Behavior Problems
• Mental Retardation
• Parental Guidance
• Cerebral Palsy
• Learning Disabilities
• Poor Memory
• Down Syndrome
• Sensory Processing Disorder
• Testimonials

A Case Study of Autism: Paul, 3 Years Old

• Autism Blog
• A Case Study of Autism:…

Arun was brought for consultation with Dr. A M Reddy by his parents. He was about 4 years old, the second child to the parents. Even while he was being brought into the room, we could hear his loud wailing. It took some time for the child to calm down and later we could observe that the child was very restless. He was running around the room, pulling down cushions and generally creating chaos in the room and mother was quite harried in trying to control him. He was diagnosed with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder).

What is ASD?

Autism or Mutinism as it was earlier known was thought primarily to affect communication skills but with more studies, it was understood that autistic children display a wide range of symptoms, hence the word “spectrum” was added to Autism disorder. Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder which affects a person’s social behavior and communication skills.

Why it occurs?

The exact reason why ASD occurs is not known but many risk factors have been identified like age of the parents, poor ovulation, infections or exposures to harmful chemicals or radiation during pregnancy, thyroid, diabetes type of hormonal disorders, birth injuries, infections in childhood, vaccinations, etc.

What are its symptoms?

As its name suggests, ASD displays a myriad of symptoms but some of the common symptoms of ASD is lack of speech. While some children have no speech, in some children speech that was developed before may regress. Many of them do not prefer to mingle with children of their age group. Repetitive action, physical restlessness, inability to understand emotions, mood swings like sudden bouts of excitement, crying without any reason, are few symptoms displayed by many autistic children.

Aggressive behaviors like self-harming, head-banging, tantrum-throwing, biting/pushing others, destructiveness, can be displayed by few. Response to name call, having sustained eye contact, unable to understand commands, stereotypical actions and stimming are some of the common symptoms exhibited by many.

Coming back to the case of Arun, a detailed case history was noted down by our doctors, a summary of which is given below.

He is the second child and the age difference between both the siblings is seven years. After the first child was born, the mother developed hypothyroidism for which she was on thyroxine 50 mcg daily tablets. No history of abortions or contraceptive use was reported. Father was apparently healthy. The age of the parents was 35 and 38 years respectively during conception. She conceived naturally and pregnancy was apparently uneventful. But on deeper probing few differences were found out between both the pregnancies.

While during the first pregnancy the parents were in India, but during second there were in the United States. She was advised to continue with the same dosage of thyroxine and during 6-7 months of the pregnancy, she was given flu and T Dap vaccine. The child was born of emergency C – section as the water broke early. The birth cry was normal and seemingly the child was progressing well but after his first birthday, the child had a bout of severe gastrointestinal infection when they visited India where he was hospitalized for three days and given medicines.

Parents were worried that he seems to put everything in his mouth and his favorite items were paper, cloth, wall plaster. His demands have to be met, else he used to become very upset. Emotional connectivity towards parents was less. He would not follow simple commands and it was becoming increasingly difficult for the parents to manage him. With therapies, his eye contact improved a little and was able to follow a few simple commands but the progress was slow.

He was a picky eater and liked crunchy foods. His bowels were constipated and he was not yet toilet trained. He was given Cuprum Sulph 10 M and was kept on regular follow up.

On the next visit to Dr. A M Reddy Autism Center , the parents complained that their child developed itching on the skin but his restlessness reduced slightly. The medication was continued for about three months during which the child’s anger reduced by 30%, his eye contact improved and he was no longer constipated. His itching too reduced in the meanwhile. A second dose was repeated and about six to seven months of treatment, he started saying few words, tantrum-throwing reduced and his habit of putting everything in the mouth was gone.

The dose was repeated in 50M potency. After about a year and half of treatment, he started interactive communication, giving relevant answers to questions and was doing much better. On the advice of Dr. A M Reddy, they placed him in normal school and he is doing well.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Post comment

Case Studies

Case study 1.

• Special school

Child’s name & age: AB, 12

Main areas of concern: Playing with private parts, poking bottom, smearing faeces, refusal to have hair cut, refusal to go to dentist

Case study 2

• Mainstream primary

Child’s name & age: CD, 5

Main areas of concern: Does not stay in seat, cannot complete work, very rough with classmates, refuses to sit for circle time, occasionally hits and bites staff

Case study 3

• Mainstream post-primary

Child’s name & age: EF, 13

Main areas of concern: Inconsistent attendance at school, increasing incidence of school refusal, minimal friendships, refusing to leave house

Case study 4

Child’s name & age: GH, 9

Main areas of concern: Biting his hand, banging his head, hitting and biting staff, high frequency of repetitive behaviours (pacing, flapping hands in front of eyes), eating non-food items

Case study 5

Child’s name & age: IJ, 16

Main areas of concern: Sensory over-responsive, Aggressive and negative outbursts during transport to and from School and in the classroom

Case study 6

Child’s name & age: KL, 13

Main areas of concern: Selective mutism in school, refusal to complete work; and to participate in class and sometimes to sit in class. Sensory over responsive, particularly with tactile and auditory input.

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

• Group Subscriptions
• Email Updates
• Renew & Reflect
• Healing Charism
• Lay Formation
• Pastoral Skills
• Continuing Education
• In-Person Workshops
• 2015 Workshop Recordings
• Mental Health Matters
• Foundations
• Celibacy Formation
• Resources for Vocation Directors
• Webinar FAQ
• Using SLIconnect
• Our Experts
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy

Diagnosing Adult Autism: Case Study

Lukenotes, spring 2017.

Sister Monica received a message from her superior, asking her to meet later in the day about something that was very important.

Immediately, Sr. Monica began to feel anxious. She had a good relationship with Sr. Mary. She found her compassionate, but she could tell by the tone of her voice that the meeting was serious.

Sr. Monica finished up her paperwork at the parish and headed to her house where she could retreat to her room.

She thought about having a drink before the meeting to calm her nerves, but knew that this was not a good idea. However bad it was, things would be worse if Sr. Mary smelled alcohol on her breath.

Once home, she politely said hello to the other sisters before heading upstairs. Sr. Monica had learned it was far easier to say something polite quickly rather than not say anything at all. As a child, not responding had earned a good deal of teasing. In her room, she lay down and tried to relax, though unsuccessfully.

The Meeting

Later that afternoon, Sr. Monica nervously walked into the meeting with Sr. Mary, who jumped right into the issues. A number of people had reported concerns about Sr. Monica. The pastor, Father John, complained about her chronically tardy paperwork. He reported that when he raised the issue, sometimes angrily, she simply stared at him blankly.

The sisters she lived with said she rarely spent time with them, refusing invitations to dinner, movies, and even skipping out on meetings, household duties and communal prayer. They had expressed concern that they sometimes smelled alcohol on her, as well. Sr. Mary asked Sr. Monica directly what was happening and if she was all right.

Sr. Monica shared that the past several months had been very hard. She had no friends in community, felt awkward and was overwhelmed by tasks at work. She was trying her best to get things done and fit in, but no matter what she did, something never felt quite right and people either ignored her or became frustrated. This had happened most of her life. She had been hopeful things would be different when she took on this new ministry and living situation. As a way of coping with the anxiety, she had started drinking daily.

Finding an Answer

Sr. Mary contacted the community’s health administrator, who referred them to Saint Luke Institute.

Sr. Monica came to Saint Luke for a one-week evaluation. During one of the interviews with a therapist, she talked about her background. She did not speak until she was two years old. Even after that, it was difficult for her to communicate with others. She was relentlessly teased throughout elementary school for being so quiet, for having a hard time reading aloud and for a habit she had of rocking back and forth when she was upset.

During high school, a school psychologist suggested she had ADHD and dyslexia.

Raised in a devout Catholic family, she felt called to a religious vocation and she had come to love the sense of community and dedication she gained from religious life.

After interviews, neuropsychological testing and medical and psychiatric consultations, the evaluation team at Saint Luke diagnosed Sr. Monica with autism spectrum disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, persistent depressive disorder, and alcohol use disorder. This was the first time anyone had suggested autism.

Given the complexity of issues, the team recommended residential treatment. While at Saint Luke’s Talitha-Life program for women, Sr. Monica learned more about ASD. She was relieved to feel that it was not that she was stupid or lazy, but that her brain simply worked differently.

In individual and group therapy, she learned how to better communicate and interact with other people. She learned to identify healthy ways of coping with stress and anxiety and, working with her therapists, identified sources of support to help her continue to stay healthy after residential treatment.

Saint Luke’s continuing care team assisted both Sr. Monica and her community with her transition back to ministry, with a re-entry workshop, support team and follow-up care. This provided Sr. Monica and the community leadership great relief.

Disclosing her Diagnosis

After discussing the issue with her therapists and support team, Sr. Monica decided to disclose her diagnosis to her community. Several members approached her to offer words of support. While there are still moments of challenge and frustration, Sr. Monica has come to see her experience as one of learning and perseverance.

She began teaching and assisting sisters at their retirement home, a better fit for her than the heavy administrative position she had at the parish. When Sr. Monica looks back, she regrets the years of not knowing. Still, she is grateful for the opportunity now to understand herself better and, with the right support, to continue living out and sharing her vocation in a meaningful way.

Tasha Dorsey, Psy.D., is a therapist for the residential program at Saint Luke Institute.

To ensure confidentiality, names, identifying data and other details have been altered.

Practical tips for healthy ministry

View all articles

In-depth articles and case studies written by Saint Luke Institute experts

8380 Colesville Road Suite 300 | Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 | www.sli.org

© 2012-2024 Saint Luke Institute