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Tony Attwood, Ph.D.
A Word from Tony Attwood
"I would like to state quite clearly that having a diagnosis of autism or
Asperger's syndrome does not render a person automatically incapable of
being a good partner and parent. Indeed, many of the people I know with
autism and Asperger's syndrome as clients and friends are exceptionally good
parents and partners. Should a separation occur between partners and a
Court examine the issue of custody of children and access then in my
opinion, any decisions should be made on the basis of the abilities of each
parent and not simply assume that a parent with autism or Asperger's
syndrome is incapable of being a good parent.
The term "Cassandra Affective Deprivation Disorder" has been coined by
Maxine Aston. It is not an official diagnostic category. I do know that
stress within a relationship between an adult with Asperger's syndrome and
their partner can lead to the neurotypical partner having signs of a
clinical depression. Effective relationship counselling by a counsellor
knowledgeable in the area of autism and Asperger's syndrome can
significantly improve the relationship and help alleviate the signs of
depression.
According to my knowledge, there is no research to suggest that people with
autism and Asperger's syndrome are likely to be violent in a relationship to
any greater degree than a typical person in the general population. I do
know that a significant proportion of the clients that I see in my clinical
practice express to me their concern in their ability to manage their temper
but we now have programs such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy to help those
with autism and Asperger's syndrome manage feelings such as anger. Problems
with anger management also occur in the ordinary population but the nature
of the treatment of difficulties with anger management must include an
appreciation of the different experiences and cognitive profile of someone
with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
I have presented workshops for FAAAS for couples where one of the partners
has a diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome and in all my presentations, I have
approached the issues in a very positive way examining strategies to make a
successful relationship."
by Tony Attwood via email, May 8, 2009
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