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Help build tolerance and
understanding amongst friends or
family members.
Finally, don’t seek perfection, settle for
reasonable approximations of socially
acceptable behaviour and emphasise the
positive. Work with others to find good
solutions and avoid taking episodes of poor
behaviour as a personal attack. Try to
ensure calm and predictable classroom and
home contexts, and agree how the
transition between the two can best be
managed to minimise anxiety.
Asperger Syndrome
Information for
Professionals,
Parents and Carers
Managing Behaviour
This leaflet is the joint work of Sheffield
Educational Psychology Service and Jayne Dore
of The Asperger Training Company
.
Why does inappropriate behaviour
happen?
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The nature of the condition means social
communication, flexibility in thinking about
situations and social competence are
delayed or disordered (triad of
impairments).
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Children and young people with Asperger
Syndrome tend to:
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Be single minded in pursuing their
own areas of interests
Struggle to remain focussed and
on track for longer than when the
topic is not self-generated.
Appear distant and detached.
Be self-determined in pursuing own
fixed interests.
Have tunnel-vision; be preoccupied
with self while failing to
track/monitor what is going on
around him/her at any one time.
Find difficulty in “reading” social
situations, so cannot take a flexible
approach or find alternative
solutions.
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What works best in managing
behaviour?
No single strategy, approach or idea will
work for everyone or for all of the time.
Behaviour difficulties occur in a social
context – the most challenging area of
functioning for those with Asperger
Syndrome. For the most part disruption at
home, in the community or in the
classroom is a reflection of the personal
vulnerabilities the child or young person
with this condition. Adopting a number of
basic approaches can help reduce risks of
unacceptable behaviours. These
principles include:
As a consequence behaviour problems
can arise due to:

Recognition of being “different”
which can lead to frustration
Lack of motivation to stay on task
and see things through
High level of self-direction/interest
to the exclusion of others needs or
expectations.
Lack of self organisation
Misunderstanding of the
intentions/behaviours of others
Target (or perception of being one)
for bullying or ridicule.

Poor self-control and emotional
regulation
Anxiety and distress
Frustration and mood swings
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.
Aim for consistency and balance in
dealing with inappropriate
behaviours
Look for triggers and modify the
environment
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Set clear expectations about what
is acceptable behaviour – build in
visual prompts
Give short, clear messages about
what good behaviour looks like.
Draw attention to good role models
of others doing what they should
Keep stress and distress under
control through clear structure,
rules and routines and monitor
levels of sensory stimulation (see
leaflet on sensory overload)
Intervene early when anxiety or
confusion is developing
Plan carefully for any changes to
the normal routine. Prepare,
forewarn and build in lead in time
to adapt.
Meaningful involvement of all key
adults – partnership working
between home and school
Understand that every young
person is unique, value this
diversity and avoid making global
assumptions about having a
condition like Asperger Syndrome.
Anticipate potential difficulties and
develop a plan to overcome or
minimise these
Look for creative solutions – accept
different ways of achieving the
same goals
Protect the dignity of children and
young people at all times – agree
how to exit situations which are
getting out of control