Autism As Context Blindness

Despite years of research and advances in technologies, we still do not fully understand how the “typical” brain works, much less how an autistic brain works. And while we have become increasingly familiar with the term autistic thinking, people with autism are still misunderstood, leading to frustration, depression and missed opportunities to reach one's potential. According to Peter Vermeulen, the treatment of autism is still too focused on behavior and minimally focused on observation or determining the way of thinking that leads to the behavior.

In this groundbreaking book, inspired by the ideas of Uta Frith, the internationally known psychologist and a pioneer in theory of mind as it relates to autism, Vermeulen explains in everyday terms how the autistic brain functions with a particular emphasis on the apparent lack of sensitivity to and awareness of the context in which things happen. Full of examples and often humorous, the book goes on to examine “context” as it relates to observation, social interactions, communication and knowledge. The book concludes with a major section about how to reduce contextual blindness in these various areas -- a skill vital for successful functioning. Due to the far-reaching consequences of contextual blindness, this book is a must-read for those living and working with somebody with autism.