Special interest (autism)

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Special interests are highly focused interests common in autistic people.[1]

Special interests are more intense than typical interests, such as hobbies,[2] and may take up much of a person's free time. A person with a special interest will often hyperfocus on their special interest for hours, want to learn as much as possible on the topic,[3] collect related items,[4] and incorporate their special interest into play[5] and art.[6] Some interests are more likely to be seen as special interests if they are particularly unusual, specific, or niche.[2] Autism rights advocates and psychologists say this binary of acceptable "passions" and pathologised "obsessions" is unfair.[7][8] Terms like circumscribed interests,[9] obsessions, or restricted interests[10] have historically been used to describe special interests, but these terms are discouraged by autism rights advocates.[7]

Special interests are sometimes confused with hyperfixation.[11] Hyperfixations are short-lived periods of strong interest in a subject over a few days to months which can occur in anyone (although are especially common in people with ADHD),[12] while special interests are an autistic trait and usually last years.[13] A person may hyperfixate on a special interest.

Occurrence and development

Around 75–90% of autistic people develop a special interest,[4] with some studies claiming as high as 95%.[14] Special interests are often developed between one and four years of age but may not develop until adulthood.[4] Many special interests start in children as a fascination with a particular object (e.g. Thomas the Tank Engine) and later develop into an interest in a specific topic (e.g. trains).[2] A special interest may change over time or last a person's whole life.[15] A 2014 survey found that the average number of special interests an autistic person has is 2.7, and the average time they last is 13.8 years.[2]

Special interests in autistic people were first written about in 1943 by Leo Kanner as a trait of classic autism and a year later by Hans Asperger when writing about asperger syndrome.[2] Special interests were later one of the traits listed when autism first appeared in the DSM-3 in 1980.[2] In 2024, special interests are listed as a diagnostic trait of autism in the current DSM-5-TR, described as "highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus (e.g., strong attachment to or preoccupation with unusual objects, excessively circumscribed or perseverative interests)".[16]

Common areas of special interests are transportation, animals, sports, and popular culture.[17]

Engagement

Engaging in special interests can bring autistic people huge joy[18][19] and many autistic people spend large amounts of time engaged in their special interest.[20] In adults, engaging with special interests has been shown to have positive outcomes for mental health,[21] self-esteem,[22] and can be used to manage stress.[17]

Special interests can sometimes interfere with other areas of a person's life, such as school.[23] In children, incorporating a child's special interest into their education has been shown to improve learning outcomes,[24][22] increase attention on learning topics[25] and teach behaviours such as sportsmanship.[26] Students have been shown to write better when writing about their special interest compared to a control topic.[27] A 2022 study showed 25% of autistic people who worked had employment in their area of special interest and that adults with employable special interests may have better employment outcomes.[28] Special interests may lead people to become child prodigies or savants in their area of interest.[17]

Social interaction

Encouraging discussion of a special interest can help autistic people develop social skills[17] and help them find social communities.[29][30]

Special interests may lead to social difficulties if the person does not want to discuss any other topic, and conversations may become one-sided.

electricity pylons being seen as odder than an interest in horses or football teams.[17] Autistic people who are aware of this may deliberately stop themself from talking about their special interest as a form of masking,[17] especially if they have been mocked for their interest in the past.[14] Special interests may be atypical for a person's age.[2][31]

Autism acceptance proponents encourage autistic people to embrace their special interests, as long as they are not interfering with other parts of a person's life.[32] Special interests can be used by autistic people as a way to understand the world and allistic[a] people.[33]

Examples

Greta Thunberg's special interest in the environment led her to become a climate activist.[34]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ non-autistic

References

  1. ^ "Special interests". Ambitious about Autism. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Armstrong, Kimberly Ann (2014-10-17). "Interests in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder". summit.sfu.ca. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  3. ^ https://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/autism-children-special-interests/. Original release on April 29, 2024. Retrieved on May 19, 2024.
  4. ^
    ISSN 1041-6080
    .
  5. PMID 21705474
    .
  6. ^ "Art and Identity on the Spectrum". YES! Magazine. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  7. ^
    ISSN 0261-3077
    . Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  8. ^ Krauss, David (2023-02-19). "De-Pathologizing the 'Intense Special Interests' of Autism". Psychology Today. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  9. ISSN 1573-1707
    .
  10. PMID 21705474
    .
  11. ISSN 2167-1907
    .
  12. ^ "Hyperfixation: What Is It & How to Manage It". Thriveworks. 2024-02-02. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
  13. ^ Wakeman, Caressa (2022-06-28). "May 14, 2024 | Neurodiversity in Engineering". Retrieved 2024-05-15.
  14. ^
    ISSN 1052-2263
    .
  15. ^ Davey, Lydia (2020-05-31). "Using the special interests of autistic children to facilitate meaningful engagement and learning". Good Autism Practice (GAP). 21 (1): 43–64.
  16. ^ CDC (2022-11-02). "Diagnostic Criteria | Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) | NCBDDD | CDC". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  17. ^
    ISSN 0741-9325
    .
  18. ^ "How being a Titanic autistic helped me find my voice". ABC Everyday. 2024-01-09. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  19. ^ Blackwater, Amelia (2024-04-13). "How I Experience Autistic Joy". The Mighty. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  20. ISSN 1052-2263
    .
  21. PMID 29427546
    .
  22. ^
    ISSN 2164-1102
    .
  23. ^ "Obsessions and repetitive behaviour - a guide for all audiences". www.autism.org.uk. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  24. ^ Davey, Lydia (2020-05-31). "Using the special interests of autistic children to facilitate meaningful engagement and learning". Good Autism Practice (GAP). 21 (1): 43–64.
  25. ISSN 0013-1911
    .
  26. ISSN 1088-3576
    .
  27. hdl:11299/185741. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help
    )
  28. ISSN 1052-2263
    .
  29. ISSN 2573-9581
    .
  30. doi:10.53841/bpsecp.2020.37.4.81
    .
  31. ^ Motokane, Christine (2024-04-30). "How Pressure to Be 'Age Appropriate' Can Harm Autistic People". The Mighty. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  32. ^ Zukor, Leslie A. (2023-04-27). "Autistic People Should Embrace Our Special Interests". The Mighty. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  33. ^ Moss, Haley (2020-04-02). "For Autistic People, Star Trek Can be a Lens Into the World". www.startrek.com. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  34. ^ Silberman, Steve (2019-05-06). "Greta Thunberg became a climate activist not in spite of her autism, but because of it". Vox. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
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