Welcome to A.S.S.G.O
AS Support Group Online
About the notice board
Born Survivors Opportunity!!!
My name is Sel Vedat and I am a researcher at Hardcash Productions working on a documentary project for BBC 3's 'Born Survivors' series.
We are looking into making a programme about teenagers with Autism. Teenagers who are trying to overcome the difficulties of their illness through support and hard work, but now due to their age face new difficulties of fitting into society, being independent or finding jobs.
We ask if you would know of any teenagers/young adults who may be facing these difficulties, preferably in the next few months?
The documentary aims to create public awareness and help for teenagers and parents who are going through similar difficulties. Like yourselves, we are trying to educate more people about the illness, and with this programme we believe we can bring autism into the public eye, but to do so, we really need to find teenagers with compelling stories, and who are willing to tell them on camera.
I can understand that this may be a daunting idea to some teenagers, but we feel it is a story that needs to be told, and the journey the teenager will face, I believe will be inspirational to watch.
The link to the Born Survivors series is
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008pwt6 . You can also look on our website
www.hardcashproductions.com to see other documentaries our company has produced. Our last programme aired was 'Mum, Dad, Alzheimer's and Me' presented by Fiona Phillips, which was broadcast on the 12th of January on channel4.
You can contact me on this email hcphardcash@googlemail.com or call: 02072532782 at the office,
any help would be appreciated.
Thank you for your time,
Sel Vedat
Hardcash Productions
Research Opportunity
Oxford Doctoral Course in Clinical Psychology
Isis Education Centre
Warneford Hospital
Headington
Oxford
OX3 7JX
REQUEST FOR RESEARCH VOLUNTEERS
To explore whether adults with Asperger’s syndrome have mental health needs
Are there social factors that could affect the mental health of adults with Asperger’s syndrome?
Research involving adults who have NOT been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome have found that there is a relationship between social comparison and mental health, and social support and mental health. Research involving young people (aged 10-16 years) who have Asperger’s syndrome has also found a relationship between social comparison and mental health. (Social comparison is the ability to compare your opinion and achievements with others, and social support refers to support received from your social network, for example, family, work/college, health professional, etc).
The purpose of this study is to try and find out if the same relationships exist in adults who HAVE been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome.
This study will also seek to explore whether age affects mental health. For example, is there a time in life when a person might be more vulnerable to mental health difficulties?
It is my sincere hope that the findings of this study will help to develop better ways of relating to adults who have Asperger’s syndrome.
If you would like to help in providing a better understanding of the mental health needs of adults with Asperger’s syndrome, then I would be grateful for your help.
Your participation will involve completing an online survey. No personal details will be identified as yours, and therefore your information will remain anonymous.
To take part, please go to the webpage link that appears below. This will take you to my study webpage where you will be able to find the following:
1. The study information sheet.
2. The study questionnaire.
Please read the information sheet and then complete all the survey questions as best as you can. Thank you.
Please note: To take part in this study you will need to be over 18 years of age and will need to have been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome.
WEBPAGE LINK: http://weblearn.ox.ac.uk/site/users/manc1019/public/aspergers_1/
For further information, please contact me at the address or email given below:
Rachael Blood
Trainee Clinical Psychologist
Oxford Doctoral Course in Clinical Psychology
Isis Education Centre
Warneford Hospital
Headington
Oxford
OX3 7JX
Email: rachael.blood@hmc.ox.ac.uk
Relationships and Attraction Among Individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder
Hello, my name is Belinda Goldsworthy and I am enrolled in a Doctorate Psychology Degree at Deakin University. As part of my degree I am undertaking research under the supervision of Dr. Mark Stokes, an Associate Professor in the School of Psychology at Deakin University. Professor Tony Attwood also endorses this research. The aim of this research is to learn about relationships involving individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
To date, there is very little research on relationships and attraction among individuals with ASD. Understanding this is the key to developing further social skills development programs, and providing assistance in this important domain.
I need to obtain participants over the age of 18 years old. These would need to be persons who are both in a romantic relationship of some sort, AND who either have an ASD themselves, or that their partner has an ASD.
The questionnaire can be completed online and if required, it can be mailed out to participants. Participation is voluntary and anonymous and the questionnaire will take about 20 minutes to complete. The questionnaire involves completing fifteen romantic partner choice tasks. For each choice task, two imaginary partners will be described in terms of a series of characteristics. From each pair of imaginary partners, your task is to choose which partner you would prefer to have a long term relationship with.
You will also be required to complete a series of questions about how you view yourself as a potential partner.
Link to study questionnaire:
http://www.deakin.edu.au/psychology/research/relationshipsautism/
Thank you very much for your support, we really appreciate it!!!
If you have any questions about the project please contact: Dr. Mark Stokes (Phone: 92446865 or via email: mark.stokes@deakin.edu.au ) or Belinda Goldsworthy (Email: bjgo@deakin.edu.au ).
Memory functioning in adults with Autism and Asperger's syndrome
I am looking for volunteers who are aged 18 years or over with a formal diagnosis of high functioning autism or Asperger’s syndrome who would be interested in taking part in research investigating memory functioning.
Participants will be invited to the University Of Leeds to take part in the research which will take approximately one hour .
The research will involve discussing memories from various periods of your life and answering questions concerning the experience of recalling such memories, volunteers will also be asked to complete a task assessing cognitive abilities.
All participants will be provided with travel expenses or alternatively paid £5 for there time.
If you would like further information or would like to take part please contact me
Contact:
Name: Tilait Tanweer
Email: ps07tt@leeds.ac.uk
Institute of Psychological Sciences
University Of Leeds
Leeds
LS2 9JT
We are a charity offering holidays for people with mental difficulties in Crete, Greece. Our clients are small groups of children or adults with learning difficulties, autism, etc coming from all over EU. Some of the activities we offer -besides accommodation is:
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therapeutic riding
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ergotherapy (occupational therapy)
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trekking
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swimming
If you need more info, you can visit our website www.therapeutic-holidays..org.gr or you can email us back and we will be happy to discuss the details of your holiday. THC is a not-for-profit organisation, so the cost of holidaying in our place is very favourable.
Will be pleased to hear from you,
Brett McBain
Holiday Co-ordinator
Therapeutic Holidays Centre
Drama Workshop
Casting Director looking for links to a Drama Workshop in the North of England for Children with Aspergers. 
Anyone able to help please contact Michelle Smith
Sunderland Uni Study needs participants...
A STUDY EXPLORING TACTILE SENSITIVITY
Are you overly sensitive or under sensitive to certain textures?
Some individuals cannot tolerate certain sensations, such as the feel of sand on their hands or walking barefoot on the grass.
For some individuals their reaction to certain sensations is so extremely aversive that their behaviour becomes inhibited, such as avoiding being touched by others or playing with objects. However, some individuals are under-responsive to certain stimuli, e.g. do not react to temperature or pain. Therefore young children who are over- or under-sensitive to touch may miss out on vital experiences for their sensori-motor, cognitive and social development. Over- and under- sensitivity to tactile stimulation is most frequently associated with children and adults diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorders and Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
WHY STUDY TACTILE SENSITIVITY?
Little is known about what types of textures illicit aversive behaviours, and whether they are consistent across ages and through development.
IMPLICATIONS OF FINDINGS
Findings will provide the possibility to propose ways to alleviate or compensate for aversive tactile response by adjusting the tactile environment, and to be able to enhance sensation for children who are under-responsive to tactile stimulation. Therefore in return could help prevent and / or reduce possible developmental delays.
If you would like to participate in this study, please click on the link below to fill out a short questionnaire about the textures that you or your child likes and dislikes. There are two versions of the same questionnaire. The first one is an adult questionnaire and the second one is if you are filling out the questionnaire for your child.
http://ldscf.sunderland.ac.uk/tpaq/tpaqquestionnaire.cfm (Adult / Self Questionnaire)
http://ldscf.sunderland.ac.uk/tpaq/caregivertpaqquestionnaire.cfm (Caregiver Questionnaire)
THANK-YOU FOR YOU TIME AND HELP WITH THIS STUDY
Can anyone suggest anything?
From: pammcgs@msn.com
Subject: Friends
Sent: 11/30/2006 at 12:40:48 EST from 65.201.131.126
Name: Pam
Comment: My son is 20 and is probably an"Aspie." No one diagnosis has ever fit him perfectly, but AS is the closest. He is DESPERATE to have friends and also maybe for that to include meeting a girl. I don't know what to do--where to take him so he can meet people who would relate to him and to whom he would relate. He sees himself as "normal" (please forgive the use of this dreadful word) but "normal" people do not see him as normal. However, he is not profoundly impaired be any means. One could spend a period of time talking to him and not notice that he's different. Is there anyone out there who can help?
