self-fullfilling profecy effect...does it happen?

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This could be asked of many conditions, not just AS.
Some people have never had an official diagnosis and thus others expected them to...do whatever NTs do. I may be totally off but I think at least in some instances, when people DON'T know you're having trouble in one area, when they expect you to do something... can force you to adapt better, can force you to try things otherwise you might be reluctant to, can force you to find alternative ways to reach the goal (sometimes creative, innovative paths). Whether you succeed or fail, that's another thing.

I'm thinking of an overprotective family...or of people assuming you (based on a certain condition) won't even touch a certain social activity (dancing, karaoke, public speaking...going to camp...cooking...entering politics..you name it). If they tell you that based on what you have you shouldn't like it or aren't expected to like it..does that actually act as a self-sullfilling profecy? Maybe I am totally wrong, I have no idea, that's why I'm asking. My understanding of this comes from my experience only.

If all one's ever known is that one has a certain condition which prevents one from attaining a certain level of proficiency...is that person as inclined to even try it? Does the person PERSIST at getting better at it, if he/she fails the first time? I'm not talking about RISKY, CRAZY stuff, or stuff that IS medically impossible. Just wondering about differences among people that were raised being told they "have something" vs. people raised in families who never took them to a doc (and just assumed their kid is a bit weird but did not give it much thought but gave the kid LOVE and possitive reinforcement -confidence). I suppose this is also something to do with just how visible AS is in the individual..it would be easier to not be diagnosed if the form is mild or if you're coming from a country where AS/autism isn't known etc..

Looking at this in another light (no pun intended), I was expected to act a certain way, and when I failed to do so, was scolded for it. I'm no psychologist, but I'm pretty sure this just made things even worse.

On the other hand, gentle coaxing, in a safe environment (geez, I sound like a textbook) seemed to provide satisfactory results.

Umm...not sure if I'm going a bit off topic or not

Absolutely fascinating topic, and I think you dead on. I think about this 'self-fulfilling prophecy' phenonmenon daily.

I feel its very easy for some to read the defining criteria of AS and not even try to do the things they're supposed to 'have trouble' with. Or when they do try, subconsciously will falter and give up.

The supportive family environment can't be overemphasized! Simple analogy: As a wee tot, fried liver was put in front of me with the simple explanation of "here's dinner." I ate it. Today I eat liver. If I was told "now lotsa people don't like this, but you should at least try it..." I would have examined it very closely and probably gagged and banned liver from my menu for life.

too simple?

interisting post, i have lived with aspy for over 40 years but not known it and yes there has been alot of things i have done that wernt expected of me, ya not stupid are you, was said often to me along with bullying and alot of other stuff aspy folk seem to have to put up with, atleast now
i know my limatations, but before i discoverd aspy i did seem to use a self forfilling phrofacy which often helped me to fail, but once failed atleast i had a reason for that failure, but now i can see who i realy am, so rather than have a profacy i can atleast recognise my limitations.

Not a black and white issue, because this could be as easily applied to NT parents who are also over protective.

Yes, I did do and try things that I might not have been pushed to do if I had lived in a certain kind of family...it wouldn't have mattered at all in my family though because they do not believe in physical/mental illness(Christian Scientists). They pushed me to do things that I hated and never got desensitized to and others that I did, either through exposure or just a part of time...ie...every human can/does develop new skills with practice and maturity, (one of my big issues with ABA therapy). Even with no knowledge about AS they knew that I was nieve and vulnerable to preditors but I did not...I made my own mistakes and was just lucky that nothing to horrid happened. even at 44, I can't tell who to trust or not to trust and refuse to live in a bubble.


So perhaps some people with AS don't push themselves to their max potential but...I think that is in their nature not their AS. They would be similiar even if they were NT.I think I still would have made better choices if I had understood my own personal strengths and weaknesses. Some can be worked on and some just can't be changed. I can learn some NV communication but it will never come naturally to me...why not play on my strengths instead of wasting my energy on things that will only make me "average", at best. I certainly would not have wasted 4 years in college to be a psychologist if I had understood my self better. I thought I would "out grow" some of my traits and that has not happened.

I'm glad this topic was brought up, because I think that its a big issue that is often forgotten on these boards.

My parents knew I was AS for a number of years and didn't tell me, most likely because they thought that I would start using AS as an excuse not to do things, or not to push myself.

I think that this is a real issue, and is probably one of the most damaging effects of an AS diagnosis.

However, there are plenty of benefits to having a diagnosis, such as knowing how you differ from other people, and knowing what your weak areas so you can work on improving them.

Do the benefits of having a diagnosis outweigh the problem of the self-fulfilling prophecy? I think in my case they do, but I can't speak about anyone else's situation.

Ha, it's going from "cold" mothers to "warm" mothers. Nothing changes.

I went 25 years without knowing, and do you know what? I was the only person who could tell me what I could and couldn't do, not others, for they held [and hold] no sway over me. If I couldn't go to school because I was close to burning it down, I'd stay home; it'd take the threat of death at a policeman's pistol to get me there.

We adapt, but we don't change who we are.