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Special Interests in People with Autism: How Do They Change the Way We Live and Learn?
Special interests are interests that focus on certain topics, common among people with autism. These interests are often more intense than ordinary hobbies and may occupy a significant amount of an individual's free time. People with special interests often delve into the subject for hours, hoping to learn everything about it and incorporate it into their games and art.
Research indicates that 75% to 90% of autistic people will develop some kind of special interest, and some studies even show that this proportion is as high as 95%.
Special interests generally begin to develop between the ages of one and four, but in some cases may continue into adulthood. Many children with autism may initially have a special interest in a specific object, such as Thomas the Tank Engine. Over time, this interest may evolve into a fascination with a specific subject, such as trains. in-depth attention. These interests may change throughout a person's life, or they may persist.
According to a 2014 survey, the average autistic person has two special interests, and the average lifespan of these interests is 13 years. Early on, French psychiatrist Jean-Étienne Dominique Esquirol mentioned intense special interests in 1827, a phenomenon closely related to what is today considered autism. In addition, contemporary psychiatrists such as Hans Asperger and Leo Kanner have also conducted research on this, which has played an important role in raising people's understanding of autism.
Since 2013, special interests have been listed as a diagnostic feature of autism in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), described as "intense, limiting interest that is unusual in intensity or focus."
The impact of participating in special interests
Participation in special interests brings tremendous joy to people with autism. Many people spend a considerable amount of time working on their special interests. For adults, engaging in special interests can improve mental health, self-esteem, and effectively help them manage stress.
However, special interests can sometimes interfere with other parts of a person's life, such as school performance. For children, integrating their special interests into education has been shown to improve learning outcomes, increase focus on learning topics, and help them learn behaviors such as teamwork. Research shows that when students with autism write on a topic that is of their special interest, their writing performance is better than that on a typical control topic.
According to a 2022 study, 25% of autistic workers have careers related to their special interests, suggesting that people with special interests that can contribute may have better employment result. In some cases, special interests enable some people to become geniuses or achieve extremely high levels of achievement in their favorite fields.
Social interaction
Encouraging talk about special interests can help people with autism develop social skills and help them find social groups. Autistic advocates encourage people with autism to embrace their special interests as long as they don't interfere with other parts of their lives. Special interests are sometimes a way for autistic people to understand the world and non-autistic people.
It is worth noting that if autistic people only want to talk about their special interests and are unwilling to discuss other topics, it may cause social difficulties and lead to one-sided conversations.
Some special interests are more socially acceptable than others; for example, an interest in telephone poles may be viewed as more eccentric than an interest in horses or a football team. Autistic people who have mastered this may consciously stop discussing their special interests to avoid social embarrassment, especially if they have been ridiculed or criticized for those interests.
Celebrities and Special Interests
Environmental activist Greta Thunberg, for example, has said that her success is partly due to her special interests. She pointed out in an interview with the Guardian in 2021, "There are many autistic people who have such special interests and can continue to be bored and engaged in them."
Special interests not only add color to the lives of autistic people, but may also evolve into their unique technical and professional skills, thereby affecting the people around them and the work environment. So maybe we should think about how we can better support and understand the special interests of autistic people and realize their full potential?
