The Adult Autism Assessment Handbook is the first serious attempt to provide an in-depth guide for anyone conducting adult assessments for autism. This long-overdue book has been written from a neurodiversity-affirming perspective, by a team of neurotypical and neurodivergent authors, so naturally it talks about monotropism in some depth.
The book’s deep dive into autistic perception is available as a free download. Written by Jessica K. Doyle who also narrates the above video, it says
‘Monotropic focus is an Autistic means by which to both manage perceptual overload (e.g., intense focus on one activity is an excellent way to focus out chaotic, overwhelming environments or reduce uncertainty), whilst also providing an enriching, joyful, beautiful experience.’
It adds:
‘The Autistic way of monotropic processing and engaging in something so deeply and in such a focused manner can be intensely joyful and productive, and is an effective means by which to filter out extraneous demands and cues.’
The theory is discussed further in the chapter on theories of autism, and comes up at various other points in the book.
While its primary audience is obviously people performing autism assessments, this handbook is clearly written and well-referenced, and could be useful and interesting for anyone wanting to understand more about this area.
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