A Strange World – Autism, Asperger's Syndrome and PDD-NOS

A Guide for Parents, Partners, Professional Carers, and People with ASDs

Martine F. Delfos

Foreword by Tony Attwood

256 Pages

A Strange World is an intriguing and comprehensive guide to autistic spectrum disorders presented from a new scientific perspective. Delfos’s biopsychological model provides a strong theoretical analysis of the nature of autism and what problems it can cause. She offers practical advice on how to approach these problems from the various perspectives of autistic children, adolescents and adults, as well as parents and carers of autistic people.

Balancing theory and practice, Delfos incorporates the findings of current research, and moves beyond. She addresses issues such as differences between men and women with autistic spectrum disorders, and the question of what is 'normal', illustrating her points with many real life examples. A Strange World is both an accessible resource for parents and an important textbook for students and professionals.

CONTENTS

Foreword. Preface. Part 1: What is it? 1. Introduction. 2. Predisposition or environment. 3. Differences between men and women. 4. Autistic disorders. 5. The core of the problem. Part 2: What can you do about it? 6. Before and after diagnosis. 7. Stimulating me-other differentiation and empathy. 8. Social skills. 9. Forming friendships and relationships. 10. Resistance against change. 11. Coping with anxiety and obsessions. 12. Coping with aggression. 13. Acquired social anxiety. 14. Epilogue. Appendix I: Diagnoses. Appendix II: Internet addresses. Appendix IIa: Summary of the article by Karen Williams. Appendix III: Books. Appendix IV: Anxiety model. Appendix VI: The socioscheme as explanatory model. References. Index.