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Part of this is going off of my own experience, but I've been thinking lately about job prospects for individuals with high functioning autism/Asperger's. Granted, they may largely be decent individuals who can show great work ethic and pride in what they do, but I can almost guarantee that not all of them were always like that (I certainly wasn't lol). Anyways, my theory behind posting this thread is that I personally believe that small towns are the worst places to raise individuals with high functioning autism/Asperger's because:
- same groups of children throughout the school (if the child has behavioral issues, then that means that whoever that individual has problems with will be in the same schools for most of their years)
- bullying (contrary to popular belief, individuals with high functioning autism or Asperger's are actually more likely to be victims - and given the general nature of small towns as far as not only gossip but also with corruption, the bullying would most likely be not just more often but harder to report, so to speak)
- gossip (similar to what I said above, but this can also go outside of bullying as well)
- finding things to do outside of the house
probably one of the most important things worth mentioning - finding a job. Not only does the individual have to worry about social skills and being 'presentable', but there's also the issues of gossip and the fact that 'everyone knows everyone' - the people that the individual had issues with when they were young could very easily turn the town against the individual without the individual even knowing about it! No job - very little hope for future post junior college unless the entire family moves far away...
Appropriate jobs are difficult to come by for anybody in very small communities. Work, in general, is limited in lower population locales. Specialized work that suits a very specific skill set, even more so.
Apart from that, small communities can be quite beneficial for individuals with ASDs. It can be easier to establish and serve routines in smaller communities, because there are fewer variables, and this can be comforting and therapeutic to people on the spectrum. You see the same people routinely, which, while in general a double-edged sword, can be a comforting factor to those who thrive on predictability and the familiar. Small communities may also be more likely to champion their members who are disabled, whereas people with special needs can get lost in the wash in huge populations. Case in point - yesterday, in my city (Kansas City, a metro of two million) a young man with Asperger's became separated from his party in the massive crowd at the rally held for the Royals in the wake of their World Series win. He was located, eventually, but it was simply a footnote in the local media. In my small hometown, if a young person with an ASD were in peril in any way, the whole town would band together with search parties, etc. Because everyone would know the person, his or her family, he or she would be considered "one of theirs." I grew up in a community of 350. My parents worked in the neighboring school system, based in a community of about 7,000; my mom still does (as a special education para who has worked with people with autism for two decades and counting). Your post seems to indicate that you believe that individuals with autism would necessarily be ridiculed and shunned in a small community. I have experienced the reverse, particularly in current times as more is researched, known, and understood about autism spectrum disorders. People/kids/citizens are increasingly less likely to misunderstand/treat poorly those with ASDs in contemporary times than they were in years past, when autism was less talked about and shrouded more in mystery.
Finding things to do outside the house can be a challenge for anybody in a small community, depending on one's interests. If a person with Asperger's/HFA has deep interests in things such as museums, professional sports, pro music venues, varied retail shopping experiences, etc., yes, finding diversions may be a struggle...just as they are for neurotypical individuals with similar tastes and interests. Gossip affects everyone in small towns. Whether or not it causes a big problem simply depends on the individual.
I'm a special ed teacher, as well, studying to be a counseling psychologist, and have worked with individuals in small town and urban settings. I would not say that either is good or bad for people with ASDs. It's very unique to the individual.
Part of this is going off of my own experience, but I've been thinking lately about job prospects for individuals with high functioning autism/Asperger's. Granted, they may largely be decent individuals who can show great work ethic and pride in what they do, but I can almost guarantee that not all of them were always like that (I certainly wasn't lol). Anyways, my theory behind posting this thread is that I personally believe that small towns are the worst places to raise individuals with high functioning autism/Asperger's because:
- same groups of children throughout the school (if the child has behavioral issues, then that means that whoever that individual has problems with will be in the same schools for most of their years)
- bullying (contrary to popular belief, individuals with high functioning autism or Asperger's are actually more likely to be victims - and given the general nature of small towns as far as not only gossip but also with corruption, the bullying would most likely be not just more often but harder to report, so to speak)
- gossip (similar to what I said above, but this can also go outside of bullying as well)
- finding things to do outside of the house
probably one of the most important things worth mentioning - finding a job. Not only does the individual have to worry about social skills and being 'presentable', but there's also the issues of gossip and the fact that 'everyone knows everyone' - the people that the individual had issues with when they were young could very easily turn the town against the individual without the individual even knowing about it! No job - very little hope for future post junior college unless the entire family moves far away...
What do you think?
In general rural / small town America has severe underemployment problems. Furthermore, the jobs that do exist tend to be small business and service jobs. Large corporate / tech are under represented. That is a tough row to hoe for someone on the spectrum.
A happy medium may be any number of lower COL, high growth, micropolitan and even metropolitan areas. That may mean leaving California in your case.
In general rural / small town America has severe underemployment problems. Furthermore, the jobs that do exist tend to be small business and service jobs. Large corporate / tech are under represented. That is a tough row to hoe for someone on the spectrum.
A happy medium may be any number of lower COL, high growth, micropolitan and even metropolitan areas. That may mean leaving California in your case.
Oddly enough, the area where I live actually has quite a few corporate and tech firms around, though small businesses are definitely king here....
Anyways though, does anyone think it could be possible for a single individual (or a small group of individuals) to be able to essentially turn an entire town against someone they don't care for?
The larger a group is, the less possible it generally ends up being for a single person to exert that much control over the group wholesale.
Well, Grass Valley definitely has over 20 residents, and the same can be said for Nevada City (Grass Valley's 'sister town' located slightly north of it), but even still, I think that small towns are way more likely to be 'under siege' by a single resident or group of residents than say, a larger town like Berkeley or Santa Rosa...
I would not say that either is good or bad for people with ASDs. It's very unique to the individual.
Totally agree with this. I also work with children with ASD (from all corners of the spectrum) and I have a child with ASD (very smart, verbal, etc.). It's not only unique to the individual, it's also unique to the town. My son was in a small school (20 kids per class, one class per grade) and did really well. The teachers knew him really well and accommodated for him but still held him to high standards. He had no real friends in class, but he also really wasn't a victim of bullying. He was with the same kids every year and the sameness was a comfort to him. He knew what to expect from his classmates. When we moved to a bigger area, there was some stress involved in so many teachers, so many students (we moved when he started middle school). He has access to more services now, but the level of nurturing is very different.
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Anyways though, does anyone think it could be possible for a single individual (or a small group of individuals) to be able to essentially turn an entire town against someone they don't care for?
I do think it's possible in some small group dynamics for one person or a small group of people to have a big impact on how others treat specific individuals. I don't think it's something specific that only those with ASD would experience- dynamics like this can negatively impact any one person who is disliked by powerful people.
Part of this is going off of my own experience, but I've been thinking lately about job prospects for individuals with high functioning autism/Asperger's. Granted, they may largely be decent individuals who can show great work ethic and pride in what they do, but I can almost guarantee that not all of them were always like that (I certainly wasn't lol). Anyways, my theory behind posting this thread is that I personally believe that small towns are the worst places to raise individuals with high functioning autism/Asperger's because:
- same groups of children throughout the school (if the child has behavioral issues, then that means that whoever that individual has problems with will be in the same schools for most of their years)
- bullying (contrary to popular belief, individuals with high functioning autism or Asperger's are actually more likely to be victims - and given the general nature of small towns as far as not only gossip but also with corruption, the bullying would most likely be not just more often but harder to report, so to speak)
- gossip (similar to what I said above, but this can also go outside of bullying as well)
- finding things to do outside of the house
probably one of the most important things worth mentioning - finding a job. Not only does the individual have to worry about social skills and being 'presentable', but there's also the issues of gossip and the fact that 'everyone knows everyone' - the people that the individual had issues with when they were young could very easily turn the town against the individual without the individual even knowing about it! No job - very little hope for future post junior college unless the entire family moves far away...
What do you think?
I lived in a small town for about 3 years. I can see all of the things you are saying above. Small towns are not typically places for anyone that is even slightly different than the norm, in any way, not just with autism. I remember some "townies" had admitted they'd never seen a black person (this was 1995!) and had never been further than 45 mins from home their entire lives. And it's a total gossip circle, for sure, because they literally have nothing better to do with their time.
I'd say get out and move on up to places where they are more open-minded and accepting of others.
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