Violence Patterns in Autistic Kids

Violence Patterns in Autistic Kids

According to Adler (2017), contrary to common belief, violence is a rare phenomenon among autistic children. In addition, a study shows that autistic kids are more susceptible to violence, which contradicts the typical assumption that they are easily provoked. Adler (2017) further ascertains that no scientific evidence exists to associate persons with autistic spectrum disorder with heightened violence patterns than their usual compatriots. However, a small proportion of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are violent, but their actions are widely justified to originate from external factors such as individual childhood experiences. As a result, statements made by parents of Bear Creek High School about John Schmidt should be disregarded as inaccurate and prejudicial towards people with an autism spectrum disorder.

According to studies, children with autism exhibit more minor violent tendencies; thus, they should be given the same opportunities for social engagement as their peers. Additionally, denying autistic kids the opportunity to interact with others freely could translate to adverse childhood experiences. Such experiences have a high likelihood of nurturing violent behaviors in the future. When that happens, it may confirm arguments connecting autistic people to violence even though it is a stereotype against people living with an autism spectrum disorder.

According to Alley et al. (2016), experimental research on seventy-five individuals involved in mass shootings found that six portrayed symptoms of autism spectrum disorder. The high pattern of autistic individuals in the sample was about seven times higher than the world rates (Allely et al., 2016). However, the findings did not conclusively ascertain that people with autism have a high likelihood of engaging in violent activities. Therefore, it can be argued that the statements made by Bear Creek High School parents portray a severe deficiency of societal awareness of the condition and the different healthcare problems that autistic individuals go through. There is a significant deficit in knowledge on autism spectrum disorder(ASD), and a global awareness campaign must be important as far as autism disorder is concerned (Alsehemi et al., 2017). Autistic children must be cared for and treated like any other child without secluding them and making their peers see them as beasts that ought to be left alone (Alsehemi et al., 2017). Robert Merton, an American psychologist, believed that humans are more likely to be attracted to what is considered normal (Adler, (January 3, 2017)). That means society tends to support things that may be deemed psychologically acceptable or endorsed culturally. Therefore, it is likely that these parents developed those ideologies against autistic children through cultural structures and institutional pressures.

Society can benefit from Merton’s different adaptation modes, including ritualism, conformity, and rebellion, to recover from societal strains and improve their attitudes and behaviors in specific scenarios. For example, social institutions may leverage conformity to promote acceptance of cultural objectives and available approaches to spread awareness about autism spectrum disorder. Also, society should work towards changing its perception of autistic people through the ritualism model, which offers guidance on ignoring established social and institutional notions regarding various psychological issues (Adler, (January 3, 2017)). Finally, parents should be ready to see beyond what they have been made to believe and embrace psychological acceptance that may help them address inconsistencies that make it challenging to comprehend the complicated dynamics of autism spectrum disorder. 

References

Adler, F. (January 3, 2017). Criminology. McGraw-Hill Education; 9 edition .

Allely, C. S., Wilson, P., Minnis, H., Thompson, L., Yaksic, E., & Gillberg, C. (2016). Violence is Rare in Autism: When It Does Occur, Is It Sometimes Extreme? The Journal of Psychology, 151(1), 49–68. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223980.2016.1175998

Alsehemi, M., Abousaadah, M., Sairafi, R., & Jan, M. (2017). Public awareness of autism spectrum disorder. Neurosciences, 22(3), 213–215. https://doi.org/10.17712/nsj.2017.3.20160525