B3A: Autism, Mental Health and “Failure to Launch”: What’s neuroscience got to do with it?

Salon 1

Abstract

Autistic adolescents and young adults often face significant challenges in adaptively responding to the demands of adult life. A failed launch attempt can increase the risk of psychiatric comorbidities often requiring intensive and complex treatment. An understanding of the development and maturation in late adolescence and early adulthood provides a lens for understanding the critical developmental epoch of transition to adulthood post high school. This presentation will provide an overview of the autistic brain and the mental health challenges often experienced by autistic adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder level 1 in the context of transition to adulthood. A case study of a young adult patient’s journey from failed college attempt and the resulting mental health challenges to a successful relaunch will be reviewed.

Objectives

1. Understand “failure to launch” in adolescents and adults with autism Understand the critical brain development epoch in late adolescence and early adulthood
2. Differentiate between the concepts of dependence, independence, and interdependence
3. Learn the common cycle and mental health components involved in “failure to launch” Understand the impact of excessive electronics and gaming on “failure to launch”
4. Learn the impact of a failure to launch on mental health Identify components for successful launch and relaunch

All Behavior Communication Early Childhood Family Health & Wellness Mental Health Research Social Skills Transition

Christopher Kye

Cheryl Checkers