Can the World Afford Autistic Spectrum Disorder?: Nonverbal Communication, Asperger Syndrome and the Interbrain [Hardcover]

Digby Tantam (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1843106949 | ISBN-13: 978-1843106944 | Publication Date: April 15, 2009

Digby Tantam argues in this book that the world affords us a web of subliminal non-verbal communication that regulates our brains. It helps us understand whether our beliefs do or do not have social approval, and it generally guides us in our relations with others. People with autism do not seem to be influenced by these subliminal signals and this results in the difficulties in social interaction that are so characteristic of all the autistic spectrum disorders. How is such nonverbal communication carried out, and why do people on the autism spectrum find it so difficult? What are the consequences of this for them, and how do these consequences affect their personality, self-awareness, and sense of place in the world? Digby Tantam explores the latest theories on nonverbal communication and how it shapes social behaviour. He provides abundant evidence for it being impaired in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). He shows how knowledge of this difference can be used to overcome some of the impairments in nonverbal communication in people with ASD, but also how acknowledging these problems can result in more positive development elsewhere. This groundbreaking book will be fascinating reading for anyone interested in communication, and particularly for people who have ASD themselves, for their families, and all professionals working with people on the autistic spectrum. It sharpens our understanding of the mysterious phenomenon of human communication and clarifies the special status of people with ASD, showing how much we can learn from their experience.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Dr. Tantam's book takes us through a fascinating tour of a world where social experience is essentially the co-creation of people engaged in fast, broad, and essentially nonverbal inter-actionA". Words are slow, linear, and often obfuscate rather than illuminate others' intentions. This vastly neglected area of research is also likely the single greatest challenge for individuals with autism. Thus in one stroke Dr. Tantam both compels us to uphold social intuition for investigation, and helps us to appreciate what social contact is in the absence of this invisible glue.' --Ami Klin, Ph.D., Director of Autism Program, Harris Professor of Child Psychology and Psychiatry Yale Child Study Center

About the Author

Digby Tantam is Clinical Professor of Psychotherapy at the University of Sheffield, and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist for Sheffield Care Trust. He founded an Asperger Syndrome clinic in 1980, and has written numerous articles and books on autism spectrum disorders.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Pub (April 15, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843106949
• ISBN-13: 978-1843106944
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,500,904 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Uncomfortable to read but thought-provoking, March 25, 2009

By 

J. Howard (NC, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Can the World Afford Autistic Spectrum Disorder?: Nonverbal Communication, Asperger Syndrome and the Interbrain (Hardcover)

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The title made me feel very uncomfortable; it seems to suggest that the world can choose not to encounter autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). Once I got into the book, the author's viewpoint became less unclear. He proposes that the one fundamental problem underlying ASD is "impaired nonverbal communication." He discusses the concept from research and from anecdotal examples, and distinguishes cases that don't seem to fit the premise. I understand him to say that even though his premise cannot at this time be proven with science through neuroimaging data, that the concept will help in the understanding of ASD.

I was left unimpressed with the author's repeated usage of computer terms for the human brain, such as the "interbrain connection" being similar to the network that is the Internet; "cache" for certain abilities or knowledge, being socially "offline"; and the section on "cybernetic parallels for networks mediated by nonverbal communication." Certainly, many people with ASD would be comfortable with Dr. Tantum's terminology, given the predilection of many to focus comfortably on computers, but I had difficulty keeping track of what he meant.

That said, I absolutely reveled in the section near the end that discussed the psychology of bullying and why society cannot afford bullying. The Aspie in my family who was bullied throughout the seven years he spent in the K-12 public school system emerged with post-traumatic stress disorder. This played a large part in his needing a medical withdrawal from graduate school a few years later, which is a tragedy. I would love to have every teacher & school administrator required to study the psychology of bullying to the extent they would start protecting the victims actively and not be afraid to sanction the bullies.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book You Cannot Afford to Pass Up, April 16, 2009

By 

'MaryLou Cheatham "The Collard Patch" (Louisiana) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Can the World Afford Autistic Spectrum Disorder?: Nonverbal Communication, Asperger Syndrome and the Interbrain (Hardcover)

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Can the World Afford Autistic Spectrum Disorder?: Nonverbal Communication, Asperger Syndrome and the Interbrain by Digby Tantam, Ph.D., is a penetrating look by a practicing scientist at the known science and personal observations of the operation and struggles of those afflicted with this type of brain structure.

Tantam describes the behavioral and social functioning of the person with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with some technical terminology yet with good translation of that terminology so that readers with broad educational backgrounds and experience can well understand his discussions.

In his Introduction (P. 20), Tantam states, "What the world affords to most of us [those with what he describes as 'neurotypical brains' or normal brains] is a structure, or a web of subliminal nonverbal communication that points us in directions to go, regulates our minds, indicates whether our beliefs have, or have not, social approval, and generally guides us."

He uses the analogy of a computer connected to the Internet in a continuous, ongoing process of gathering and exchanging information with other similarly connected computers occasionally receiving software upgrades that alter how our computer functions, possibly permanently, in a flowing dynamic process, of which we are mostly unaware.

Contrariwise, the person with ASD is analogous to a person with a computer that is not connected to the Internet. They don't have the benefit of communication with other computers in a network with the give and take allowing them to remain continuously "in touch" with one another and benefiting from the occasional operation-altering software updates that affect the whole community.

He carefully points out that the person with ASD is unaware of the customary nonverbal social cues, such as facial expressions, gestures, and body positioning, governing the behavior of most of us in society. In other words, the person with ASD simply doesn't "get it" when it comes to interpersonal relationships. Persons with ASD are aware that something is missing; they just don't know what it is. They are confused and often embarrassed. It is as though they have done something wrong, and they understand that they are not to do "it" again; they simply don't know what "it" is. Of course, there is a broad range of degrees of the impairment of nonverbal communication from mild to severe.

Tantam goes on to discuss channels of communication such as voice pitch and volume, body posture, gaze direction, and gesture as well as their respective functions of relative social status, alertness/arousal/engagement, emotional expression, and commentary on the production of speech and its focus. It is apparent that when these methods of communication are impaired, the person with ASD is dysfunctional in the social setting to a varying, possibly severe, degree.

His illustration of the profound importance of the specialized functions of many gestures we take for granted is seen in the hand gesture of the circle formed by the thumb and index finger presented with the palm opened in the direction of the listener. It means "OK," of course, yet we use it and see it frequently without ever analyzing it to any degree.

He gives many examples to illustrate that impairment of nonverbal communication is the fundamental brain problem in the person with ASD, showing the struggles those persons have in everyday living in society but especially in the family setting.

In Chapter 7 he focuses on getting the diagnosis and getting it right for the sake of all concerned. The proper diagnosis is vitally important in helping the ASD patients so that those around them properly deal with the results. Tantam uses the example that society will make some accommodations for the partially deaf person, but it is the responsibility of that patient to let the rest of us know what the problem is so we can respond appropriately. At the same time, it is primarily the responsibility of the deaf person to make the necessary adjustments needed to function in society.

A proper diagnosis, properly explained to the patient and any family members, needs to provide a new way of dealing with old problems. Once a person with an ASD and those caring for him begin to see now so many apparently disconnected problems come together as getting consequences of impaired nonverbal communication, there is often a sense of having finally gotten a problem to deal with.

Can society afford to formally "recognize" ASD and those who suffer it? Tantam gets back to this point in Chapter 8 and points out how some of the more severely affected people are usually bullied and that that can have longterm adverse consequences. He also points out that many are unable to find regular work. Furthermore, the medications available are expensive and not recognized by all authorities as being effective. However, there are intervention techniques that are effective if applied properly and early in the patient's life.

Certainly persons affected by ASD will not simply go away; so the real issue is, "Can society afford to exclude people with ASD?" Tantum makes a very convincing argument that we cannot afford to exclude them.

There are editing deficiencies. Here are two examples:
No page numbers in the Table of Contents
Pg. 16: "... of individual's capacity to immerse themselves in social groups..."

I highly recommend this book. It is a very well-written and comprehensive book for the layman - the person with ASD, family members and friends, and other members of society. It also gives excellent insight into the patients' struggles for those professionals who may care for them and to the educators, politicians, and community leaders who are faced with dealing with these patients and their struggles.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Scientific Understanding of Non-verbal Communication, April 2, 2009

By 

Jeffrey Peter A. Hauck "Guerrilla Reader" (Pennsylvania USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Can the World Afford Autistic Spectrum Disorder?: Nonverbal Communication, Asperger Syndrome and the Interbrain (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

Review of Digby Tantam's book: "Can the World Afford Autistic Spectrum Disorder?: Nonverbal Communication, Asperger Syndrome and the Interbrain."

I ordered Dr. Tantam's book purposefully to read his research on nonverbal communication, subliminal or overt.

Starting in the early 1980's Dr. Tantam began studying the related condition of Asperger Syndrome to classic autism. Dr. Tantam' book focuses on one of the core symptoms of autism and Asperger Syndrome, that of non-verbal communication.

Dr. Tantam's discussion includes chapters on "What is nonverbal communication...;" "What is the importance of gaze and shared attention;" "What do people make of nonverbal communication;" and aspects of how impairment of nonverbal communication may be caused by a brain problem and other factors in diagnosing and dealing with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Asperger Syndrome.

The value in this book lies in it's ability to communicate advanced concepts to the layperson. Excerpt from the chapter "What is the specialized function of nonverbal communication," on page 33:

"The competition for effectors can be resolved, as we have seen, by sharing, that is by combining different messages in one communication. the availability of multiple channels helps with this, in that some may carry more of the content, leaving others to carry more of the burden. A famous example of this was provided by Ekman and Friesen (Ekman and Friesen, 1969). They asked a volunteer to play the part of a psychiatric in-patient requesting home leave. He was told that he was to play the role of a patient who had been aggressive on the ward in the previous week, and he would have to lie about his suitability for leave. The subject was able to control his face so that it gave little away, and he largely controlled his trunk, but his anxiety 'leaked out' in his legs and feet, which moved about restlessly."

A very insightful and probably ground breaking book that should not be overlooked by anyone interested in human communication. Well done.



JP