Choosing mission plans when anxiety is related to core autism features like social difficulties or sensory distress
Social skills
Social skills are a known area of difficulty for autistic children. Thus, failing to initiate or engage in social interactions may just mean that your child is either not interested in interacting or that they do not have the skills. You might feel that your child needs additional support with social skills, however, because social skills are not the specific focus of LUNA. If that is the case, we recommend you check out these resources:
However, for children who are interested in social interactions but still avoid or refuse to engage in them due to a fear of being judged or rejected, or simply due to not understanding how to act in social situations, mission plan targets related to social anxiety may be a great choice. These mission plans may require extra preparation or coaching in social skills from you or another trusted adult. Later on in our program, you will have the option to work through a module on Social Coaching that will help with social anxiety mission plans.
Sensory hypersensitivity
Sometimes children avoid certain things because of sensory sensitivities in addition to anxiety. For example, being picky with food, avoiding loud or overwhelming places, or avoiding wearing certain clothing may be all be due to sensory sensitivities. Youth may feel anxious about experiencing sensory discomfort, so while you can try mission plans for sensory targets such as these, this should probably not be a priority since sensory issues are a core feature of autism and it is less clear if a traditional anxiety-based approach would be as effective.
Choosing Neil’s first mission plan: considerations for possible features of autism
As a reminder, Neil’s fears and worries include:
- The dark
- Vegetables
- Excessive and repetitive reassurance seeking (especially leading up to events or new activities. This is technically not a fear, but it is a fear-based behavior.)
- Changes in routine
- Separation from his mom
Neil’s fear of vegetables may have a sensory component. You can attempt mission plans for targets related to food-selectivity, but again, this should not be the priority and certainly should not be what Neil’s family tackles first. Because Neil’s other fears (i.e., the dark and separation) are more concrete and are less likely to be related to the core symptoms of autism, they are more appropriate targets for his first mission plan.
Choosing Sally’s first mission plan: considerations for possible features of autism
Sally’s fears and worries include:
- Automatic toilets and hand dryers
- Germs
- Public restrooms
- Social fears/worries
- Physical symptoms before school/school avoidance
You could argue that all of Sally’s are related to autism. For example, her issue with automatic toilets and hand dryers could be related to sensitivity to loud noises, the fear of germs could be related to uncomfortable tactile sensations, and not liking public restrooms could be associated with a need for routine and sameness. Also, the physical symptoms she has before school could be tied to her social fears and worries, which, as we discussed, are a known area of difficulty for autistic kids and might have to do with her challenges with social skills. Despite this, there are certainly possible appropriate targets for her first mission plan among this list. When thinking about the remaining two considerations (can we make a clear mission plan? Are we motivated enough?), Sally’s mom decided that tackling social fears is a concrete option that is significant, straightforward, and frequent.
Modifying mission plan goals for targets that may be related to both autism and anxiety
When determining goals for targets that may be related to both autism and anxiety (e.g., has a sensory component or social component), consider what would be appropriate given the core symptoms of autism. For example, the mission plan goal for a child with a target fear of certain noises could have a goal to experience those noises for 5 minutes, but while wearing headphones.
