Social Expereinces in College

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Hi Everyone, I am working on my dissertation on the social experiences of college students with Asperger's Syndrome or autism. Some of you may have seen my previous posting so if you have and have responded...THANK YOU! I am almost finished and only need about 10 more responses but the more responses I have the more representative the feedback. So this is a qualitative study that involves an anonymous online survey. I have been working with a group of college students diagnosed with Asperger's for the past 5 years trying to help them with the transition to college and I now I am working on my dissertation, trying to get information about what students REALLY want and need from the social aspects of college. If you are interested please see the information about my study below.

I have prepared a questionnaire to ask questions about the social experience of college. Participation in this research will provide valuable information about the experience of students with Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism in college and give service providers a better picture of what kind of social experience students with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome want and need.

If you would like to be a part of this research you may contact the researcher listed below or you may take the survey online anonymously by clicking on the link below:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Student_ ... rspectives

Jennifer Cullen, L.S.W
Email: [email protected]

Thank you in advance for taking the time to help give a voice to the experience of college for individuals on the Spectrum!

Straight up, I have two criticisms:

1) I attempted to take the survey. It asked, Have you been diagnosed with Asperger's or HFA? I answered No. It said, Thank you for taking the survey. End of survey.

I am self-diagnosed, for the very practical reason that I have largely had negative experiences with mental health professionals. Other people are self-diagnosed, for all kinds of reasons personal to them.

2) More and more I question the division between "high"-functioning and "low"-function. This division seems to be mainly for the convenience of medical and educational institutions, and not so much for the welfare of the people concerned.

For example, the economist Adam Smith, yes, that guy, who wrote The Wealth of Nations.

Economist Adam Smith was aspie?
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt152005.html
‘ . . . he struck observers with his eccentricities because he often talked to himself, and his head turned from side to side while he walked. One of his biographers commented, “Often, moreover, his lips would be moving all the while, and smiling in rapt conversation with invisible companions.” . . ’

So, was Adam Smith "high"-functioning or "low"-functioning?