Education Book Reviews

Willey, Liane Holliday, editor (2003) Asperger Syndrome in Adolescence: Living With the Ups, the Downs and Things in Between. London: Jessica Kingsley.

The title of this book alone will insure considerable interest. As several of the contributors note, there has been little written about the specific challenges faced by adolescents diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. One of the few books currently available is Asperger Syndrome and Adolescence: Helping Preteens and Teens Get Ready for the Real World by Teresa Bolick, a title that will be mentioned later in this review. Another title worthy of note is Asperger Syndrome and Adolescence: Practical Solutions for School Success by Brenda Smith Myles and Diane Adreon, a work which as the title indicates focuses on providing teachers with suitable interventions.

Perhaps one reason that there are so few books available is that Asperger Syndrome was only added to the DSM IV in 1994. It is defined as a condition characterized by marked deficiencies in social skills, difficulty with transitions or changes, and a prefererence for sameness. It is sometimes likened to high functioning autism. Many of the authors represented in the Willey book will be familiar to readers who have previously sought information about Asperger Syndrome. Liane Willey, Tony Atwood, Steven E. Gutstein, Rebecca Moyes, and Mike Stanton are among the contributors who have previously written about the topic. Another familiar name will be Luke Jackson, who wrote both the introduction to this book as well as Freaks, Geeks & Asperger Syndrome, a book of advice for other adolescents who have Asperger characteristics. His, mother, Jacqui Jackson, is included as the author of "Families and Parenting: The Domino Effect," her memorable personal account of her experiences in rearing seven children, four of whom fall within the autism spectrum range and five of whom are now adolescents.

The authors of the thirteen chapters in this book represent a variety of points of view and include psychologists, therapists, and parents. One chapter, “Safety Issues for Adolescents with Asperger Syndrome,” was authored by a parent who is also a licensed private investigator and who has been a leader in training law enforcement officials to be aware of the issues involving autism recognition and response. Some of the chapters by professionals are fairly technical. The first chapter by Richard Howlin, a clinical psychologist, gives an overview of Asperger Syndrome and focuses on the adolescent years. Tony Atwood, another clinical psychologist, writes about cognitive behavior therapy. One chapter that presents considerable new information is “The Sexuality of Adolescents with Asperger Syndrome,” which was written by Isabelle Henault, a sex therapist. Although all of these chapters use some technical vocabulary and refer to research, they can be read and appreciated by the nonprofessional. Several of the other chapters recount the experiences of parents and how they have dealt with issues related to adolescence. All chapters include practical advice, in many cases formatted as bulleted lists.

This variety of viewpoints makes the book of interest to numerous audiences, ranging from persons who know nothing about the condition to professionals. I confess that as an academic librarian I might have overlooked this title since the approval program used by my library lists it as “popular” and since the publisher is not based in the United States. Although “popular” is a legitimate designation for the book given its readability and the fact that it will certainly appeal to parents, it will also be of considerable interest to professionals, including the teacher educators my library supports. Although the publisher is based in the UK, there is not a UK focus, and several of the contributors are from the United States. A quick search indicates that relatively few academic libraries own the titles by Teresa Bolick and Brenda Smith Miles that were mentioned in the first paragraph, and this is a regrettable omission. Academic librarians may need to seek out such titles since they are not always represented by large publishers or marketed to an academic audience. Although the suggested interventions may not yet be supported by extensive research, many teachers rightfully feel that they need to know any recent developments.

Since it has only been in the past few years that Asperger Syndrome has been generally recognized, teachers who did not receive their training very recently should find this book particularly informative. The number of students diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome is growing, and interest in the condition will undoubtedly increase. This book should be purchased for professional collections and by academic libraries that support programs related to autism spectrum disorders.

References

Bolick, Teresa. (2001). Asperger syndrome and adolescence: helping preteens and teens get ready for the real world. Gloucester, MA: Fair Winds.

Jackson, Luke. (2003). Freaks, geeks and asperger syndrome: a user guide to adolescence. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Myles, Brenda Smith, Adreon, Diane, & Stella, Jennifer. (2001). Asperger syndrome and adolescence: practical solutions for school success. Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism Asperger Pub. Co.

Pages: 336     Price: £13.95   $19.95    ISBN: 1-84310-742-2

Reviewed by Sharon Naylor, Illinois State University

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