|
|
RDI Continued..... Gutstein reviewed over thirty years of research on autism and identified what he felt were autism's “core deficits.” Based on this set of deficits, he developed a family-based therapeutic approach complete with trained consultants, training seminars for parents, support networks, publications, products and more. Gutstein says that the literature
clearly shows that autistic individuals have six shared deficits. These six areas, he says, "Are universal to every person
on the autism spectrum. Moreover, they have not been shown to improve with age, even following intensive intervention programs."
According
to Gutstein, deficits occur in the following areas: Emotional Referencing, the ability
to use an emotional feedback system to learn from the subjective experiences of others. Social Coordination,
the ability to observe and continually regulate one’s behavior in order to participate in spontaneous relationships
involving collaboration and exchange of emotions. Declarative Language, the use of language
and non-verbal communication to express curiosity, invite others to interact, share perceptions and feelings and coordinate
your actions with others. Flexible thinking, the ability to rapidly adapt, change strategies and alter plans
based upon changing circumstances. Relational Information Processing, the ability to obtain meaning based
upon the larger context. Solving problems that have no right-and-wrong solutions. Foresight and Hindsight,
the ability to reflect on past experiences and anticipate potential future scenarios in a productive manner. According to Gutstein, all
of autism's core deficits have one thing in common: they rely upon "dynamic intelligence," also known as the ability
to flexibly and creatively respond to novel situations. The purpose of RDI is to build or remediate dynamic
intelligence. Some basics of RDI therapy: change
your communication (eg, asking fewer questions); slow down the pace of daily activities and create more opportunities for
"productive uncertainty;"spend time doing enjoyable Experience Sharing activities; use photos,
journals or memory books every day to reflect on a few happy moments.
|