My spectrum of interests ACTIVITY D. YOUR WRITING PROMPTS PAGE 259-260

Meaning: What might my interest in this topic mean?   Do your interests form a sort of substitute friendship? Are they a way of overcoming loneliness? Or do you find you aren’t interested in doing socially based activities anyway? Does the nature of your interest allow you to mix with people without social chat being the main way of connecting? Is your interest extreme? Could it possibly indicate that you need support in an area of your life? Is it a way of expressing negative feelings such as depression? Do you process and express emotions through an external focus of interest? Does this help to make things seem more visible and real? Does your interest calm you down? Will it reduce feelings of anxiety? Is this an effective and positive way of managing your emotions? Does it boost your confidence and self-esteem?

Contd. - Meaning: What might my interest in this topic mean?   Do you become attached to particular people? Why do you think this happens? Is it a way of indirectly focusing on your emotional needs? Do you have a strong sense of identity? Have you a feeling of not being the same as other people? Will you copy everything about one person or want to become someone else? Are you really passionate about a social cause or a moral issue? Do you dedicate time to contribute towards overcoming injustices? Is this something you will follow throughout your whole life?

Strategies: What else would also help me to ________________________________________?   What would help you to make friends? Could you volunteer to support a project you feel passionately about to get a chance to work alongside people with similar interests and dedication to a cause? What questions could you prepare to find out more about a new person to help build a connection? What are their goals/hobbies/motivations? Where could you get support for any underlying emotional difficulties? Have you access to counselling through your school? Would you feel comfortable using this service? Is there a local autism group that provides guidance in this area?

Contd. - Strategies: What else would also help me to _____________________________________?   What helps you to feel balanced and calm? Have you tried doing physical activities such as yoga, swimming, running? Do these help release strong emotions? Is trying new activities a way of increasing feelings of confidence? What makes you feel good about yourself? How could you become more self-aware to understand why you do the things you do? Would it help to create a self-awareness chart to label a behaviour/interest and then identify the reasons behind it (physically, emotionally and mentally).