Aspiro Speaks Out On Asperger's and CT Tragedy

Dear Friends,

We at Aspiro, like all parents and professionals who dedicate their working lives to helping children, were extremely saddened by the recent mass shooting in Connecticut. Surely, the tragedy of losing a child is the deepest pain imaginable. Our hearts go out to the families and friends of the victims of this horrible act and to the family of Adam Lanza. This is yet another reminder of the pain that mental illness causes to individuals and their families.

"When tragedies like this take place, people often look for answers. The sad truth is, there are no answers. no good ones anyway." (Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy's remarks Saturday Dec. 15th, 2012)

Many questions remain unanswered. Many things have been reported and then corrected as further information became available. As I write this, the latest reports are indicating the shooter possibly had been diagnosed in the past with Asperger's Disorder.

It is likely that this information will spark many questions about Asperger's. I feel it important to communicate about my experience working with the adolescents and young adults who have been diagnosed with Asperger's. My hope is to help reassure the public and help reduce misinformation and fear.

First, though people with Asperger's can become frustrated more easily, there is no evidence of a link between Asperger's and violent behavior. A recent FaceBook post by the Asperger's Association of New England states "Some people with autism spectrum disorders have co-existing mental health conditions or other complex issues. Nevertheless, violence is not part of the Asperger or autism profile. People with Asperger syndrome or any other form of autism are far more likely to be the victims than the perpetrators of violence." This statement is very consistent with my experience with these folks.

One question in particular has been suggested. Do people with a diagnosis of Asperger's or Autism lack empathy and did this contribute to the shooter's actions? In my experience, there is a difference in the "lack of empathy" seen in Autism Spectrum Disorders and the "lack of empathy" seen in those with antisocial or sociopathic tendencies. A recent article in Psychology Today explores this question.

In my experience, the idea that those with Asperger's do not desire social relationship is a myth. The students I work with want desperately to connect and have friends; they just struggle in knowing how to do it. Their attempts to connect are often so awkward that they are unsuccessful and others often reject or avoid them. I have observed that my students are sensitive and caring and have some capacity for empathy. A recent example was vividly demonstrated by our students who did some volunteer work in an animal shelter. Many students expressed sincere love and concern for these animals. I have seen this sensitivity often toward animals and people. They can understand others have emotions and they don't like to hurt others. The thing they struggle with is understanding what those emotions are. They also struggle in reading nonverbal communication and social nuances.

Obviously, what I have said here doesn't provide much, if any, solace. We may never know why something like this happened. My hope here is to separate the diagnosis from this tragic act. The reality is that the etiology of violence of this magnitude is a very complex and nearly impossible to predict, understand or explain.

We are starting to hear the usual cries that "something must be done." Yes. Something must be done.

Unfortunately, the debate is turning to the issue of gun control. Fortunately, a few brave souls are trying to get us to focus on the real issue: the lack of treatment and support for those suffering from mental illness and their loved ones who struggle daily to help. One such example is dramatically described in a post on The Blue Review by Liz Long, the mother of a son struggling with mental illness.

May this tragedy strengthen our resolve to continue this great work that we are blessed to do. May we always give our very best to our loved ones, our students we serve and to the beautiful children in our lives whom we are charged to protect and nurture.

Gordon L. Day

Aspiro Group family of programs are based on a Wilderness Adventure Therapy (WAT) model. The Aspiro family of programs are a hybrid between traditional wilderness therapy, and adventure programs such as Outward Bound or NOLS.