Featuring
Promoting Strengths and Adaptive Resources in Persons With Down Syndrome
Dennis will focus on creative ways to adapt to challenges that have not been emphasized previously. This includes the implementation of concrete forms of thought that will actually affect one's understanding of time, changes in schedule and routine, and the ability to generalize skills across settings. This may also influence the ability to understand communication (such as from teachers, employers, etc.) as well as one's sense of humor or response to humor. We will also reiterate key behavioral characteristics such as self-talk, 'grooves,' social sensitivity, and receptiveness to visual memory and cues – with an emphasis on how these characteristics interact and influence each other. We will discuss how to take advantage of this interaction to solve problems and promote adaptive functioning. For example, we will show how to “reset” a stuck groove (a compulsion) or manage a new situation with the strategic use of self-talk and visual checklists.
