Aliah Lawson

    Autism Spectrum Disorder, also referred to as ASD,  is commonly known to be a developmental disability. Characteristics associated with ASD are “impairment of social interactions with others, impairment of verbal and nonverbal communication, and impairment of play and imaginative activities” (Sacks 246). There are many ways that these characteristics can be translated into behaviors (as shown in the video) and they are usually observed around the age of 3 years old. Not every Autistic person will have the same traits related to ASD, but they will typically be related to their personal social and communication skills.As stated previously, the development of one’s personal identity is not just dependent on themselves alone. Adolescence is the prime time for one’s personal identity development. A large factor that goes into the building of one’s identity is social interactions with others. ASD makes it hard for people who have it to socialize and communicate with others, especially if they do not think in similar ways. Therefore, in adolescence, when one is supposed to develop their identity the most, people with Autism are often excluded from the social interactions around them, and as a result, the development of their identity is hindered.

Autism is known to be a Spectrum Disorder, which means that there is a wide range of different types of Autism, some being mild and some being severe. Temple Grandin, a professor of animal science who is well-known for her livestock lifestyle expertise and work in the field who has Autism, would fall along the side of Asperger’s Syndrome, which is a high-functioning type of Autism. However, Asperger’s Syndrome still brings along problems with effectively communicating and socializing. Grandin's case will exlemplifes many characteristics and behaviors that are associated with Autism at a young age and throughout her adolescence.