Adults with autism see interests as strengths, career paths
The findings, published in the journal Occupational Therapy in Mental Health , continue a shift away from perceiving strong interests as a negative and toward a perspective that recognizes the strengths and potential of these personal pursuits. Research has shown that people with autism may show intense interest in subjects like science, technology, and art -- developing, for instance, a deep knowledge and appreciation of trains, mechanics, animals, or anime and cartoons. Historically, these "preferred interests" have been negatively perceived and deemed as "restrictive" problems or even obsessions. Some experts have thought that the intensity of the interests may interfere with people on the spectrum's ability to develop social relationships by limiting their topics of conversation. However, the field of autism is shifting away from this deficit-focused perspective and is beginning to recognize the benefits of preferred interests. Researchers are now a...