Autism Spectrum Disorder and Violence

This video answers the question: What is the relationship, if any, between autism spectrum disorder and violence? This is a controversial topic due to some poor interpretations of research findings. Some of the attempts to summarize research findings on this topic have not contained enough depth and did not capture the essence of the original articles.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/1...
www.washingtonpost.com/news/m...
Allely, C. S., Minnis, H., Thompson, L., Wilson, P., & Gillberg, C. (2014). Neurodevelopmental and psychosocial risk factors in serial killers and mass murderers. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 19 (3), 288-301. doi:10.1016/j.avb.2014.04.004
C. S. Allely, P. Wilson, H. Minnis, L Thompson, E. Yaksic & C. Gillberg (2017)
Violence is Rare in Autism: When It Does Occur, Is It Sometimes Extreme?, The Journal of
Psychology, 151:1, 49-68, DOI: 10.1080/00223980.2016.1175998

[@chaztikov]

"...in the mental health treatment community, we're not that good at diagnosing...when you're diagnosing a human being with a mental disorder, you're not going to get that right most of the time" THIS is truly insightful. Many thanks for being honest. It's easy to see why many experts in this field would hesitate to 'admit' this. In my experience, too many people take the word of a professional as gospel truth. They forget or don't realize that with any measurement there's inherent uncertainty. Individual human beings are incredibly complex and so it's no surprise that assessments come with enormous error bars.

[@masonicjewel6687]

they dont get it right and destroy peoples lives as a result of their junk science

[@digitalmommydaddy]

I know a child who’s getting terrible counselling from a horrible know-it-all just-barely-trained school counsellor. It’s like watching a life get ruined.

[@Flames0fSekhmet]

My toddler son is autistic. He's such a loving and affectionate child. I'd love to see more videos from you about autism as you are very well informed on these subjects. Thanks for the information!

[@kimberlygabaldon3260]

I have an adult son with higher functioning autistic disorder, and he is very loving.

[@NiteDriv3r]

No he's a Ree

[@Flames0fSekhmet]

@@coffeemom1229 no idea what your comment has to do with mine but ok

[@JP-mn5iv]

Special books for special kids is a great channel about people with disabilities. It’s a great place full of caring and compassionate people. I highly suggest you check it out if you haven’t already. ✌️💚🙏

[@Flames0fSekhmet]

@@JP-mn5iv thanks so much

[@zzulm]

I hate it when autism is used as an insult. There are different levels and characteristics and this society doesn't have sympathy for unique people.

[@concertinamadrigals4058]

My only problem is when people use ASD as an excuse for their own, or other people's destructive behaviour.

[@ashtc926]

Same!!! My baby girl is severely autistic and is the sweetest soul ever I will never stop defending protecting and building her up

[@taraswertelecki7874]

Nope, if someone is one inch outside of Normie experience, that person will be ostracized, abused, excluded romantically, economically and socially.

[@ashtc926]

Taras Wertelecki not if I can help it

[@taraswertelecki7874]

Your daughter is blessed to have you as a parent, but I can tell you from personal experience that many people who through no fault of their own fall outside the normal range in some way are not so fortunate. I was one of those children. Like my namesake, I had a lot of crosses to bear as a child, and still do as an older man today, because of one simple brutal reality most people do not want to admit to. That is society is far harsher, un-sympathetic and more judgmental towards males who fall outside the norm in one or more ways than females, because males frankly are disposable. It's a harsh reality. Nevertheless, I do hope you can shield your daughter from this and enable her to overcome autism. I wish more people out there are like you, there can never be too many people who want the best for their families. Nobody deserves life long suffering because they are outside the norm through no fault of their own.

[@di3486]

Please! Could you talk more about autism in your channel? Particularly their problems with communication and relationships, Cassandra syndrome, etc. The information on this is so scarce!!!

[@homebrandrules]

Di :3 hello friend, could u briefly tell me what cassandra syndrome is? Is it related to cassandra from the city of troy where warnings are unheeded? or something akin to catastrophizing? thanks

[@JayeCole]

Sine the OP hasn’t answered... Cassandra Syndrome is a type of hypothetical trauma caused to a neurotypical person from their attempts to maintain an intimate and emotionally validating relationship with a person with Asperger’s.

[@homebrandrules]

Jaye Cole thankyou for taking the time to share yr knowledge

[@di3486]

You all can tell there is huge misinformation and lack of it about this topic. Only those that suffer the devastating effects of cassandra syndrome can understand.

[@di3486]

Jaye Cole I think the trauma comes from childhood traumas that are projected on the asperger’s partner due to the nature of the relationship dynamics between them. It is very real and it can be devastating. The fact that it is so misunderstood is precisely why it is called cassandra syndrome.

[@pascalevoyer-perron5839]

More ASD videos please! This disorder needs more awareness

[@miriamgonczarska613]

Yes, please!

[@MaricaAmbrosius]

Acceptance*

[@carpediem3044]

Google Doctor Tony Attwood, he's an expert in Autism.

[@sharonjensen3016]

@@MaricaAmbrosius Acceptance, not tolerance, I say.

[@AutisticByNature94]

*Acceptance and Appreciation

[@rnbsteenstar]

The worst thing I could ever do is hit pillows or mattresses, or say something really dumb that I'd end up hating myself for later.

[@rnbsteenstar]

@That one man who makes shit posts on the daily. Wow!

[@Desertphile]

Please consider a video regarding the other side of the coin. My mother married a homicidal sociopath who killed non-combatants in Cambodia (over the Vietnam border) because his god told him to. The USAF "chastised" him for this by sending him home to the USA. I lived with that monster for three years, and if I had not been autistic I would be dead now, or worse, I would be a raving lunatic in prison. Being autistic buffered my brutal suffering, with most of my wit intact.

[@REGjr]

Evolutionarily autism's postponement of ego development is a shot in the dark at surviving long enough to get out on our own and raise ourselves. Pretty sure 2e ASD L1 w/ IG is the most frequent (because it's the most adaptive) and frequently-undetected presentation. Maybe if nonverbal ASD L3 seems to be getting a kid's needs met he has no need of hyperlexia. Or maybe if he doesn't get mixed signals from his mother (likelier to prompt ASD L1s to need to study her face than look away from it) her overt hostility that is very obviously why babies look away (sensing aggression and attempting to avoid further provoking it) prevents him from finding any reason not to give up. When I first learned about surviving narcissistic abuse I felt SO played, but realized the same naivete I was kicking myself for had preserved some sort of goodness in me that realizing she didn't and couldn't love me early-on in life would not have. Surviving the con of telling me she loved me despite only using torturing and betraying me REQUIRED an adaptive 2e developmental asynchrony. I'm also very clear that echolalia is just the perseveration of failure to flatter one's mother into dialogue. The only possible reason verbigeration and echolalia persists even in young adults who taught themselves to read at age three is the still-unmet need for "mirroring". Autism's what becomes of kids who are either overtly deprived or deceived about being provided even enough resources to assemble a psychotic adaptation. The genome has been sequenced for over a dozen years... Autism is obviously neither idiopathic nor genetic, but behavioral heritability within families just-as-obviously appears "genetic". I also agree with you about the utility of the developmental delay inasmuch as the only reason I don't go kill her for abusing a disabled adult by having withheld my autism and IG diagnoses from me is that I'm mature enough to know I wouldn't get away with it. But I wasn't always and might not have handled it with no contact for 7 years now. I'm convinced I only began doing the math after my dad died 7 years ago because it wasn't safe for me to do so any sooner. Much safer to organize it psychoemotionally as the realization it's a very good thing fantasies like some people have of imaginary supernatural guaranteed authoritative third-party forgiveness aren't real, because even though I'm not remorseless about having done something unforgivable like they obviously are....I'd definitely use an equivalent immature afterlife delusion to bring the motherfucker back for just one day so I could tell him all of exactly why and kill him myself.

[@L70s]

Every time there is a mass shooting and the media declares the perpetrator was on the spectrum, I fear this may cause more isolation from peers than my daughter already experiences.

[@ShaareiZoharDaas]

The media has an agenda to demonize in order to gain control in trade for freedoms read Media and the CIA the congressional record from the 1970's...on Pg.5 the director questions why the sudden interest. ? Its predates the congressional exposé.

[@HumanimalChannel]

well see cos then they can get the MONARCH 'treatment'started. in fact....let's justvstary it when they're toddler's and control from it from the start.

[@ShaareiZoharDaas]

@@HumanimalChannel check out the Minds of Men, at Truthstream Media her,e on KZbin and on the MKs check out The international tribunal of natural justice. 'SRA survivor '..also here on KZbin .

[@vice2versa]

People have been ostracizing people on the spectrum for years before mass shootings were even a thing and thats not going to change any time soon. Good news is your daughter was born female so her autism traits will be less impactful than if she were a guy. guys on the spectrum truly suffer lifes most horrible realities which is the reason some autistic males commit these atrocities in the first place. I honestly wish I was born female. life would have been a bit less harsh for me if I was female.

[@kota3117]

@@vice2versa Have you ever been sexually assaulted ? This is something autistic females commonly experience. I think it impacts both genders on an equal level, just in very different ways.

[@PennyJackson123]

I was very violent in my teenage years due to the instability that was forced upon me as I was taken out of the home and placed in many facilities, foster homes, and mental health institutions. Unpredictable living environments so to speak. Placing an autistic individual in the system, and moving him/her around like a package is causing anxiety and outburst to such an extent that one becomes violent. Now that I am an adult close to my 30s I have a life that is stable, and there are daily routines , and the sameness is what keeps me comfortable and content. I rarely experience outbursts or meltdowns unless there are unpredictable changes. Unexpected changes. I am certain that providing autistic humans stability and predictability in their everyday life, as well as a safe environment is crucial during the childhood and teenage years. It is important. I am not meaning to generalize, but I am certain that there are many autistic humans who would end up violent and dangerous if they were to be tossed around in the system, or went through a very unstable childhood with a lot of abuse and unfair treatment.

[@vice2versa]

I hope you are not an incel. I grew up in a two parent household and I feel like it only made me weaker. I now identify as an incel and my hatred for attractive women grows with every year. My autism makes it harder to attract women and I hate them for it. I want them to feel the same pain I feel on a daily basic and I hate that I feel that way.

[@toweypat]

Wow, that would be hard for anyone, let alone someone with autism. I'm glad you are doing well now. Thanks for sharing your story.

[@toweypat]

@@vice2versa Have you tried therapy?

[@Noname-ok4tf]

@@vice2versa I know it doesn’t mean much but I’m sorry you feel this much pain. (You might know this already on some level) I think if you ever decide to, as you work through your own pain you’ll get to a place where you can form connections with women. Most of us really do not have a problem with autism, but the hate will turn many women away (I mean would you find someone who hated you attractive?)

[@vice2versa]

@@Noname-ok4tf (im on a phone so there will be typo galore) not in person, most people cant tell im on the spectrum and im fairlybnormal in person. I never discuss darker thoughts in person, i keep it to myself or on the internet where im anonymous. My love shyness just stops me from even attempting to initiate relationships. I hate that others have an easier time with that than me. Makes me feel weak so whenever i hear of someone who mentions that they sleep around a lot or had a lot of sexual partners, i get this weird physical sensation that overtakes me and i start to feel sorta evil, like a an intense urge that makes me want to hurt them to make up for my inadequacy. I repress those thoughts cause im not an evil person. My doctor believes that my adhd and ocd is magnifying those feelings on top of the mild autism. In general though, i feel for people who like me on some level for people who like me. same with women but i fear rejection so much that its hard to get close. I still try though but stepping out my comfort zone only really lead to heart ache.

[@jrosner6123]

My son is on the spectrum. High functioning, which puts him in a danger zone as far as how the outside world views him. The world at large lives in denial, they view high functioning autistics as normal, and think they should be able to control their quirks/miraculously assimilate in order to meet societal expectations. People are often downright cruel, or just ignorant. We, as parents, often limit our own interaction to other asd families- it's a form of social ostracism. Even school administrators play games with their iep contract, trying to will these kids into some form of old school compliance. Stigmatizing is the standard. I worry about my kid non stop.

[@diegoyanesholtz212]

I have Asperger's, there are some people that say having a high IQ is a curse, if you have high functioning autism, you are double curse. People don't get autism and I am from a very authoritarian abusive family, they don't want to get.

[@raquellofstedt9713]

I usually point out in my job in the schools, that if you know one person with Autism or ADHD, you know one person with Autism or ADHD. Having an adult, nonverbal son with Autism, I can easily say that while some of his coping can be violent (he has limited number of choices to express himself, and limited IQ., it has never been premeditated and he has shown regret or remorse for his actions. If a person is a jerk, if he or she has autism or ADHD, then they'll be jerk with autism or ADHD. Neither disorder makes them a bad person, or less of an individual for that matter.

[@sciencefictionisreal1608]

I wish you and your son the best in life.

[@raquellofstedt9713]

@@sciencefictionisreal1608 Thank you.

[@raquellofstedt9713]

@@enturnetrol7869 Being over sensitive or avoiding people is not what I at least would call a jerk. People can be hard to deal with, and all of us develop strategies and habits that help us handle this.. There are those who enjoy sowing chaos and distress among others, and this is a personality trait that I don´t see as being exactly as you describe in yourself. Those are what I would call "jerks". Yes, people can develop traits in response to their environment; I became a fairly aggressive individual because of how I was treated in school. As I noticed how this affected people who had never harmed me, I learned to work on curbing this. It´s easier said than done. A "jerk" isn´t some one who would particularly worry about how others are affected by their actions, if they were aware of the affects.

[@digitalmommydaddy]

@raquellofstedt9713. THANK YOU! I’m so exasperated by all this us and them mud slinging these days. I don’t know how kids grow up in this environment and survive. When I was in school, people weren’t labelled, we were each called by our names, not a disorder.

[@Kabaselefh]

I am in disability field and work with young adults with ASD. Most ASD young adults or adults become violent if they feel misunderstood or their needs are being ignored.

[@Postiveflowers1991]

I do agree with your statement thank you for kindness 🙂

[@Dubhain]

Nonsense. Most ASD adults fly under the radar. And are more likely to be victims of violence then violent themselves.

[@kbowler9266]

@@Dubhain what is your experience? Have you worked with or lived with an autistic person?

[@Medietos]

@@frenne_dilley Were you having a good, thriving life situation, without allergic diet like gluten and dairy? And balanced bio-chemistry, nutrition absorption?

[@Medietos]

@@MsTinkerbelle87 Can also be so that others take it as though against them, but when nervous/soul arousal is too high and others don't respect when one tells it is too much, one needs peace, or shows signs of it, or the other knows of one's situation, -f ex severe sleep deprivation makes one more easily aroused/ overloaded, stressed and unable to cope and tólerate mess, social turmoil, noise etc. Attempts to protect oneself thus, and cry/ask for help in a situation has often been taken as bad behaviour, since they don't notice, realize, understand ask what is going on.Unlucky,

[@NarcissisticAbuseRehab]

Awesome topic, Dr.Grande 👊 There’s so much misinformation and stigma about ASD.

[@miriamgonczarska613]

Yes, but still less than personality disorders and so many autistic people are misdiagnosed and confused as ppl with personality disorders...

[@jeladsnikpoh1289]

Another great video, Sir! I have Aspergers (ASD) as well as possible Avoidant Personality Disorder, ADD, OCD, PTSD, etc. most of which were onset by lifelong trauma. I have high intelligence, values, and kindness, but am a 'black sheep' for some reason. Discarded by even the best of people. I was always vulnerable to abuse/crime, and totally against committing such acts! Peace loving and able to feel empathy, I just find it exhausting to relate with others. Beyond that, the trauma from rejection, undeserved stigma, bullying, and otherwise unrelated abuse has made me nervous, cynical, uninterested in relationships, forcing me to be avoidant and isolated (moreso than just typical ASD). Still feel lonely and unloved by all, not sure why I even crave human bonding when humans seem so threatening and shallow. What an awful and confusing paradox! I suppose I wasted your and my time typing this- just pointless venting without solution. Sorry I came into this video with apprehension that you'd side with the false stigma, I shoulda known you and your expertise better than that! You were right on, as usual.👍 Thank you!

[@sherryfaye6262]

Please don’t give up on having a more comfortable life and relationships with others.

[@jeladsnikpoh1289]

@@sherryfaye6262 Thanks, Sherry. Been a while since I posted this comment, I must've been having a 'down' day. Anyways, I've never given up on having a more comfortable life, and I've actually found (more of) it! Since my comment, I've moved more than 2000 miles away from everyone I knew, including narcissistic family. Didn't tell virtually anyone, just 'slipped out the back, Jack!' I simply vanished, with no changing my mind. I know it seems crazy and sad, but I've never been happier in my life. Honestly! Loneliness is simply a state of mind. I've always said "Its better to be alone in peace, than to be lonely in a group of people." Its just the way it is! Now I've paid cash for a house and property (main reason I moved so far), my needs are met for life- and there's the added benefit of not having to deal with narcissistic family ever again! Was it 'cold' of me? You can't hurt those that never cared for you! All I know, is I'm free now, and that's what matters! I'll make new friends as opportunity unfolds... 😁 Not what you expected to hear, but life is GOOD!

[@cdorothy444]

Being with bad people can be worse than being alone

[@sciencefictionisreal1608]

I'm so sorry you had to deal with that trauma. You are not alone and I wish you the best in life.

[@jeladsnikpoh1289]

@@sciencefictionisreal1608 You are very kind. There's no reason to be sorry, for every good and 'bad' thing in life has a purpose. I wrote this in a moment of grief, but I don't live in that state. OK to feel your true emotions for a time, but not wallow in them. When life (undeservedly) is rough, there is usually a life lesson or tool in the situation to bring you to a much better place than you ever imagined. But you must use it. Feel the emotions and acknowledge them, but don't let the emotions run your life. Life is good, because we make it that way! Almost like a movie, we are the director. No story is interesting without some 'twists' in the plot.

[@lesmiserabby4892]

As an autistic person, I really want to say thank you for discussing this topic, especially in such a clear way. Also, I'd really love if you could talk about more autism related things, particularly why women/AFAB people tend to get misdiagnosed so much (I myself got misdiagnosed until I was 22, even going to the same doctor and counselor for years).

[@Medietos]

Women are more complicated and more sensitive than men anyway. And you might read books from Library about autistic people and about them. Also, females are more interested in relationships than the men and more able, at surface level. Psych. diagnoses are not natural-scientific and is not exact or always easy to diagnose As well as people not being that knowledgeable,,,,

[@nicholassears6301]

Had to look up "AFAB" and i'm sorry but it did make me cringe a bit. That's all, carry on.

[@vice2versa]

@@Medietos women more interested in relationtionships, not in my experience.

[@NiteDriv3r]

K ew it

[@Tadesan]

It is incredibly cruel and hurtful to use terms such as 'AFAB'. You will gladly indoctrinate yourself for that movement while baby boy's genitals are getting mutilated right here in this country. Shame on you.

[@michaelesq.atpcfii.9862]

The other end of the spectrum formally known as Aspergers is much more common, than the lower end of the spectrum. Seemingly difficult to diagnose those folks, especially female teenagers. Very interesting how they become experts at mimicking to avoid diagnosis. I’d like to see more videos on that aspect

[@sciencefictionisreal1608]

I'm an adult female with very strong ADHD. Some doctors have suggested I might be autistic, and part of me always wondered though I'm not sure it really fits me, but if that's the case, i'd be one of those girls who flies under the radar.

[@titustitus8365]

@@sciencefictionisreal1608 You didn't fool me, i had you figured out from the beginning.

[@allaboardthegravytrain5987]

They are shrewd people who pretend they are innocent and naive.

[@jdmayfield88]

@@titustitus8365 Please elaborate.

[@val9847]

aspergers isnt in the dsm anymore and is named after a nazi

[@sciencefictionisreal1608]

People who are neuro-atypical, for example Autistic or ADHD, also deal with a lot of social stigma from their condition. Like it said in the video, many Autistic ppl are more likely to be a victim of a crime than a perpetrator. They are more likely to be bullied, more likely to be abused by parents, and more likely to be traumatized by misguided attempts to "treat them." (ABA therapy for example.) And I think it's pretty established, at least in the pop psychology sense, that serial and mass murderers are more likely to be people who are socially ostracized and depressed. This could explain the high occurrence of ASD symptoms among such criminals. I think it's also worth mentioning that the social problems we associate with autism might not be a symptom of the disorder itself, but because of the social stigma around it. For example, if someone has "odd" behaviors like repetitive movements or hyper-focused special interests, this might make it more likely they will be bullied or excluded. This can look like an "inability" to interact with peers. And it also creates a vicious cycle where people have less and less practice with regular social interaction, and their social skills, verbal skills, and communication skills develop much more slowly or in maladaptive ways.

[@gazbot9000]

Thanks, Doc. As a person with an autism spectrum condition, I appreciate this summation of the issues. Good work.

[@CynthiaSydnorMusic]

I would love it if you made some more ASD videos. I am an adult on the spectrum and people are so weird about it because nobody actually talks about autism outside of the Autistic community. Ironically, I've found that neurotypical people will invalidate our lived experiences simply due to what they perceive autism to be, implying that we're too stupid to understand the reality of the world and interpersonal relationships. I think the internet could use a LOT more factual information about ASD.

[@digitalmommydaddy]

Most of my heroes are neurodivergent. BUT not just ASD, also highly driven and committed to being the best at their chosen craft. They are fascinating, brilliant, and inspiring. My driving teacher told me “don’t look into oncoming traffic because you drive toward what you’re looking at”

[@francesbernard2445]

Thank you for publishing this to the public Dr. Grande. Shocking how many professionals working in the medical field too make so many negative assumptions too about people who have conditions like for example: Autism and Tourette's Syndrome.

[@jenniferthomson4503]

Another great video Dr Grande, Thankyou. My 13 year old Daughter has been diagnosed with ASD and ADHD. I read and watch as much as I can about both so I can understand her and help her the best I can. More videos from you on ASD and ADHD would be greatly appreciated. From Jen in Scotland 🇬🇧 😊

[@HumanimalChannel]

you may be familiar with the work of tony Attwood? from Australia. if not, very worth your while looking him up. he knows a lot about the difference in girls and boys with autism.

[@jenniferthomson4503]

@@HumanimalChannel Thankyou very much for recommending him, I hadn't heard of him before. All recommendations greatly appreciated x

[@andreasleonlandgren3092]

You are a great parent. Wish my parents wouldve been as smart!

[@moarroz]

I second that adhd and autism video

[@empath4445]

@@andreasleonlandgren3092 I second that! Every kiddo with Autism deserves a parent like you.

[@counselorguy5481]

Hey Dr. Grande, I'm a big fan. If you get a chance, could you talk about traumatic brain injuries and corresponding psychopathologies associated with it?

[@taraswertelecki7874]

I too have an interest in this subject, because I have seen firsthand the devastation head injuries create not only for people injured in that way, but for others close to them. I knew a man who killed himself because he suffered a severe head injury, his mother never recovered from it.

[@Nakam459]

I want to kill myself 10 years after a tbi but I couldn't do it to my dad and sister

[@misse7154]

Another thought and some anecdotes, since your videos always are thought-provoking! I've gotten to know 3 different men with ASD on varying degrees of the spectrum fairly well, including their families (with some of this experience being through my former role as a caseworker for adults with disabilities). In my experience and observations, the 3 individuals I'm thinking about all had very strong family and parental support (even with one of the men being in his 60s and his mother in her 90s!), and their families sought to integrate them into society as much as possible. They were all given tools to express themselves, and I think their families were also helpful in communicating with those outside the family unit as how best to communicate and interact with their ASD loved one. In all cases the individuals with ASD showed a remarkable sense of empathy and concern for others- even if their condition was severe. What I'm suggesting is that nurture plays a very significant role in the way that someone with ASD interacts with the world, and perhaps a much more significant role than someone without ASD. I think this makes sense because a person with ASD has a hard time creating social bonds, so they will inherently have fewer social bonds, so those who are nearest and dearest will ultimately have an even more critical effect on their behavior. So as it pertains to the topic of the video, I would pose a question. Has the background and upbringing of violent offenders with ASD been studied? And if so, have they established a correlation or causation between abuse/neglect of an ASD person and a potential predaliction towards violence?

[@di3486]

I fully believe that the degree of family support is a huge factor in integration and development of social skills. Actually many men and women on the spectrum are highly sensitive and empathetic but they struggle expressing it, that is what make us neurotypicals to assume they feel none. This doesn’t mean that is not hard for both parties to communicate due to this difficulty.

[@misse7154]

@@marlinadykema6474 thanks! I'm always trying to better understand people, and I feel like this forum has been so educational in helping me piece together observations!

[@misse7154]

@@marlinadykema6474have you worked or know many autistic people? One of the men I was referring to was just like Rainman! I worked with him about 20 years ago, and he was in his 60s back then... but you could tell him the day you were born and he could tell you exactly what the weather was like, etc. He had total recall. I distinctly remember how he would get so angry because some of the streetlights where he lived were timed so that one direction was green for much more time than the other. Of course this is because of traffic flow, but to him it was about fairness and justice. It was just so fascinating how his mind worked!

[@tuck-brainwks-eutent-hidva1098]

I think a significant amount of what we label "mental illness" (in several categories, actually) is better understood as variations in brain function. (Our society could make better use of more people's gifts if we incorporated this perspective more often.) That said, it is fascinating/disturbing (welcome to my own "different brain ☻") to note the connection between profound adverse experiences -- in either early or young adult life (without enough corrective support) and violence. It is amazing the difference a strong foundation and/or proactive support/intervention seems to make in many cases. (I am thinking of the varied manifestations of PTSD in returning vets and the wide range of socialization in abuse/neglect survivors, specifically.)

[@misse7154]

@@marlinadykema6474 I also had a very tough time in school, and not so much from my peers, but by my teachers. I am considered "neurotypical" but somehow acquired a label of having an intellectual disability, when in fact that wasn't the case. I was given copious amounts of drugs, and often subjected to mortifying punishments from my teachers - not for acting out or doing anything wrong. But simply for not being able to conform intellectually. Instead of being delayed, I was actually many years ahead of my peers, but my inability to understand certain concepts that were being taught (because at that point they served no purpose to me), was automatically labeled as being "bad" and I was "bad" and made an example for the rest of the school to see. Simply nobody took the time to figure out what was really going on. I have to thank my parents who eventually tired of seeing me subjected to such treatment, and put me in a much more challenging school. In this environment, I was completely "normal"! Because my teachers took the time to realize that I was actually in fact a very bright student, I was given positive feedback and encouragement to continue learning. This is my long-winded way of trying to say that I think I understand the experience of your daughter. People are inherently unique, and we all have our strengths and challenges. It's very disappointing to me that too many people get written off so quickly. I think this is one reason why I easily identified with people with disabilities because although I never actually had one, I was prescribed and treated as one.

[@brenb9793]

I'm with everyone else I would really enjoy more Videos regarding ASD. Your style is extremely descriptive and informative. It's the 1st video of this subject matter that I actually took notes and I was amazed at how u hit the description of my ASD boyfriend on the dot with your into of the 2categories. I've listened to endless information and have read much on this subject also. Your style however really hit home with me. I have so many questions and as you can imagine my boyfriend isn't able to easily communicate about this subject. I desperately want to learn skills that will support him. After this video I realized he has enough struggles to deal with. I need to recognize how to not make it more difficult. Thank u very much.

[@linsaa]

great video, Dr. Grande! I recently came across your channel and have been binge watching your videos. please keep these excellent informational videos coming!

[@ShaareiZoharDaas]

Me too. When I discovered him I ran up my data...lol

[@stevengouthro331]

I really like how you consistantly were sticking up for people with ASD through the video and I have to say, sir you are super intelligent and I feel smarter after watching your vids. You got a thumbs up from me 👍

[@igorkyriakin3745]

Thank you this was most interesting for me. I have issues with violence in response to triggers ranging from repetitive strobe lights, loud noises, actions, and crowds. Also small spaces. The main one trigger is people who lie or do not invest their intellect to find the truth and prefer to spout lies or make injustices as they are lazy/stupid or wanton. So i tend to steer as clear of people as possible otherwise the defense thing kicks in and can make a mess, or reverse onto myself if not sated. its safer for them. i fail to see why anyone need be any less than truthful in any interaction- that's so bad to me. i do have tremendous empathy for living things and respect for items if they need tending, are wounded or require some care- which is not so good as I am not the best carer. i do my best to control the negativity and have done for decades, although its just under the surface and sometimes its all i can do to control it and back up before making a mess. So i do other things...

[@brenb9793]

Can I ask u to what part of the subject matter are u referring to in your reply. I guess it doesn't matter. I will go and review the video again and maybe it will make sense

[@brenb9793]

I think I'm making the connection now apologies. I'm guessing u have ASD. If I'm wrong forgive me for my assumptions. I just wanted to encourage you to really do some therapeutic work in the area of letting other people's insignificant actions and/or comments slide off of you like an egg would with teflon. Mindfulness teacher Marsha Linehan teaches how to let go of negative emotions bottle up in us. She teaches DBT therapy and I highly recommend it. I think u could really benefit from those Skills. God Bless and Hang in there.

[@igorkyriakin3745]

@@brenb9793 hello. thanks for your kind reply. I was brought up in a time when men had to be men or they were garbage, so i just ignored the crud going on in my head and dealt with the repeat failures. up to now, i have managed -more or less- to keep things under control and get on with life as best I can day by day. not easy. my major misconception is that everything must be balanced and in harmony. like (good) maths and music. wrong things so upset me. i thank you for your recommendation. only last year it appeared to me that I am ASD. i am making progress in understanding the confusion. I use astral travel a lot, 'see' a lot, and 'do' a lot not on this plane (plain). vested in the upcommance of E8 (doorway) and far beyond. very far beyond. i am learning every day more and more and reflect that back on myself to check out all positions of reference. not only am i abundantly useful but also seriously dangerous, so i try and keep alone off grid. thanks again for your kind attention :)

[@JoanWhack]

Wonderful job talking about ASD. It's great that you're combating stigma with facts, it will have a far reaching positive impact.

[@oxyuran5998]

As someone on the spectrum I can see a mechanism of how it may come to both serial and mass type killers. Well into my teen years I had massive trouble expressing my emotions and problems in a manner that NTs around me could understand and therefore help me with. This combined with a lot of damaging circumstances lead to pressure building inside me which in earlier years lead to regular violent outbursts on my part. In my teens I learned to reign them in through sheer force will. Later I got better at expressing myself understandably and removing myself from high stress situations which ended the build up and outburst cycle. If someone has this problem without neither support nor coping strategy nor outlet but with easy access to guns such an outburst from enough pressure might become an incident of mass murder or otherwise the cycle may lead to one killing every outburst. However, I think that without other risk factors this could only happen if the person is completely isolated (or neglected) with no support of any kind and a great deal of subjective suffering.

[@ravenID429]

That’s what I thought too, not an inherent risk at all for hurting people that way but a lot of potential for risk factors that would make someone violent because of internal and external struggles

[@AmberBoutilier]

I appreciate your compassion. Thanks for this video Dr. Grande.

[@dinosaysrawr]

This was an excellent breakdown of all of the considerations and confounding variables in play when considering the question of whether or not autistic people are prone to violence! Particularly appreciate the emphasis on trauma, other mental disorders, and particular personality traits as bigger risk factors of/greater contributors to violence, and the essential piece about autistic people tending to be victims, rather than perpetrators. Overwhelmingly, the autistic people I know are often so profoundly empathetic that they'll feel bad for not just other people who are or who may be hurting, but also animals, inanimate objects, and fictional characters. This is in stark contrast to the other autistic people who present as emotionless, robotic, unempathetic, and/or callous. I've long suspected that there may in fact be multiple subtypes of what we broadly call autism, and that we've only just scratched the surface in that regard.

[@tdesq.2463]

Excellent examination! Dr. Grande is uniquely insistent on bringing to light the potentially misguiding effects of likely corrolary factors, environmental and other, on the overall presentation of conditions and their mote prominent observable traits (e.g., the effects of childhood trauma & bonding issues that are far more likely to be experienced by those with ASD than the vast majority of neurotypicals). Always cautious and comprehensive with the analysis. Very responsible Professional here. This is a big reason why I view and listen attentively. And Dr. Grande always seems to make perfect sense to me. Thanks, Doctor! This may very well be of tremendous benefit to someone near & dear to me. So, this video is huge!

[@melissanguyen4904]

This video is so helpful. I’ve been dealing with various forms of abuse from my ex towards myself and child. His friend is convinced he has ASD and that excuses the physical abuse, sexual abuse and addiction, and perpetual lying etc. I’ve been researching a lot. Thank you this clears up the question for me about if this is or isn’t signs of ASD.

[@peridotlazuli6816]

Thanks for covering this topic! I firmly believe I would have gotten my autism diagnosis much sooner (along with some better support earlier in life) if there weren't so many stereotypes perpetuated by misinformation like this. My boyfriend brought up the topic of autism to my mother when I was 22, suggesting that I might be autistic, and she shot it down immediately, citing stereotypes and out-of-context moments from my life. I sought my own diagnosis right before my 24th birthday and found out that I have autism and ADHD. Being twice exceptional (exceptionally smart & exceptionally disabled/disordered) also really complicates things. If you haven't done a video on it already (twice exceptionality), that would be an interesting topic to cover.

[@digitalmommydaddy]

You can be inspirational. Curious people like me love hearing the thoughts and seeing the things that atypical people make. It’s the spice of life!

[@dianajane6185]

I really appreciate your work bringing clarity to complex issues. I especially liked the discussion of the careful use of primary sources.

[@kathycochran544]

Thank you Dr. Grande. I have the blessing of an autistic granddaughter in my life. You have helped with some fears I have been stressing over on her behalf.

[@LemonSte]

as an aspie myself, jeffree dahmer has always struck me as being on the spectrum based on videos i saw and his history. his murders etc could be related to this because of the obsessiveness and need for control and lack of understanding that he was not invincible and would eventually get caught. speaking frankly, as a teenager I was definitely vengeful and fantasized about murder etc, mostly of teachers, and was being treated for anger management issues among other things when i finally got diagnosed. however on top of being aspie i was a young person in very abusive environments, both in the classroom and within my romantic relationships, so looking back it feels less like i had anger issues and more that I was - understandably - struggling to cope with severe neglect and abuse by my peers and teachers, brought on by my aspergers and their reaction to my quirks. In regards to violence/revenge and autism: as an aspie it can be easy to develop a sense that the world is against you and that you are separate from it, because if you're a certain type of aspie (slightly too normal to have your disability taken seriously and slightly too weird to be treated with respect) people just bombard you with neurotypical expectations and abuse for not conforming. You never get any respite and you might just decide that other people matter less than you, that reality has nothing to offer you, so you get caught up in fantasies. that was certainly the case for me as a teen - fantasies of revenge, relationships with famous people, thinking about being famous myself - it def contributed to my problems with narcissism. If everyone is singling you out as weird, but your parents constantly tell you you're basically the most unique and interesting person on the entire planet, perhaps its really is naturally the next step to assume everyone is just jealous and that you must be the next great thing lol. I imagine jeffree dahmer had a similar thing going on in that everyone thought he was weird, but his dad just encouraged his bizarre behaviour for too long and even after he was found guilty of all the murders he just coddled him..

[@neuralmute]

THIS.

[@ShaareiZoharDaas]

I know what you mean. I learned a lot about autism from my psych professor and from befriending an aspergers kid.

[@sensiblecrime7699]

Thank you for talking about your experiences.

[@daisybennett1600]

I’m an adult woman with ASD, and I never even considered participating in any form of violence until I had firsthand experience with it. Prior to that, the likelihood I would engage in violence was probably very low because the idea to be violent never even entered my mind. I only engaged in violence the first time because I was violently assaulted by a man. I’ve since been in a few fights. I do not say this to brag because it’s definitely not brag worthy, but I’ve never lost a fight and I believe this is because of lack of fear/lack of aversion. I found that I was naturally very comfortable with violence… The reality that I am completely unbothered by assaulting another human being was dififcult for me to come to terms with. I do believe it is related to my autism.

[@JoMcD21]

Sounds relatable. I've never been tested myself, but feel that I might be in a similar boat. Your wording of things feels familiar to me. The thought process reminds me of my own.

[@daisybennett1600]

@@JoMcD21 I did find out after this that I’m homozygous for the warrior gene. Not sure if it’s related.

[@LisaD007]

Dr. Grande, as usual, you have made an excellent choice of topics and, of course, you have presented an excellent analysis of the topic as well as the shortcomings of the research in this area.The fact that people with autism can go to the “the dark side,” is often overlooked because people don’t want to blame a person with a disability for horrible acts of violence. Having recognized that this is very rare in the ASD population, I think there should be some examination of this topic because it could provide the means to remediation at a young age. I have felt this way for a long time because I have treated children and young adults on the spectrum that presented with a higher probability to act out violently, and, at least in the school setting, there is a tendency to ignore these behaviors until the child is older, at which point remediation is less effective. Having said that, the draw back to emphasizing any risk of violence in this population is that we could very likely negatively stigmatize them, which is unacceptable. In light of this, the solution should be to research the topic more and when determining risk for violence, to rely less on the diagnoses of an individual and more on the specific behavior(s) that make them more likely to engage in violent behaviors in the present and future as well as to examine the functions of those behaviors so as to mitigate their risk for violence.

[@MatthewC33199]

I have ASD, and I would never be violent towards others (though I do have violent thoughts because I have pure-O OCD). That being said, I do think there is a small subgroup of violent people who are on the spectrum (not including those who self-harm, because a lot of people with ASD do and that's different), and the social isolation common in ASD as well as other mental illnesses probably fuels their violence. However, I think this gets blown way out of proportion by the media and any correlation is probably exaggerated.

[@sophiecailin]

My boyfriend has ASD, Sensory Processing disorder & he is verbally abusive and has been physically abusive in the past. Once he triggers or meltsdown the is not much that can calm him down

[@Heliotail]

The media has multiple, destructive agendas, one of which turning everyone against everyone else, in short divide and conquer.

[@catgirl6803]

My nephew has ASD and he's become increasingly angry and violent as he's gotten older into his teens. He's also very large and it's gotten to the point where I am kind of scared of him. It all stems from the combination of regular teenage angst, sensory issues, and lack of coping skills when dealing with others, and a lack of wanting to be around others or engage. He's working on the coping skills. He is just very impatient and annoyed with everyone around him, with limited ability to express his feelings which results in frustration, and then pushing, hitting, punching, throwing, etc. So he has trouble with noisy or misbehaving teens at school, people doing things he doesn't like, having to go along with things he doesn't want to do- like if we have to go to the store and he doesn't want to go, etc. He's gotten increasingly more isolated. He's been suspended a few times- once for throwing a desk at a student. I'm not sure of the others. My sister has been fighting for years to get him into a special class but he's considered too high functioning. COVID has actually been a blessing for him, so he may not return to school at all.

[@eyeshadowlady]

@@catgirl6803 that school is causing him psychological harm. This is him expressing how mistreated he is being. He is not being given the supports he needs and the school is ignoring this stuff, not equipped to assist him, and not recognizing his needs supposedly because of perceived (not legitimate) "functioning" labels or IQ. This kid is in agony. An alternative needs to be made. I'd say press legally and with IEP but this school is not going to act fast or well enough to provide what he needs. I'm sorry he is going through this, and that it's reflecting poorly on his character when he's just in distress and constantly triggered by overstimulation and inadequate environmental supports.

[@Scotty2Balls]

@@eyeshadowlady So because he has ASD and is violent ots automatically the schools fault? That is ridiculous. My step son is mid functioning ASD, up until this year has been fairly stable. WITH NO CHANGES TO ROUTINE OR TREATMENT he has become so violent that we are considering hospitalizing him. My partner and I do everything for him and if anything my partner gives HIM preferential treatment, yet still threatens to kill her and me, extremely violent to us and siblings. The school has been very supportive and hes in counseling and behavior therapy. Long story short, just because they are ASD does not relinquish them of personal responsibility.

[@isabellefaguy7351]

Autistic adult and studying to become specialized educator. I really like your videos in general, they really help me understand people around me, why they react like they do, what is the reasoning behind the observable acts, etc. So far, I've found and watched 4 videos about autism on your chain and I do think that you approach the subject in a much more decent way than most psychologists, psychiatrists and other counselling professionnals. There is just one word that really triggers me, and it's not your fault it's the official name, it's the word "disorder". Just as you yourself stated in one of your videos about personnalities disorders, I too wish that society would be more open to a variety of personnality types and not want everyone to have one specific personnality. Autism is often interpreted by counsellors/therapists (I use the word to a wide meaning of any professionnal working in psychiatry, psychology or any other psychosocial or therapy related profession) from their perceptual field (in Carl Roger sense of "perceptual field"). For example, a narcisist therapist I once had (I'm not the one who tagged him as narcissist, it's 3 others therapists I was working with that separately tagged him as such - I personnally had never dealt before with a covert narcisist and was totally unaware of the existence of other forms of narcisim than grandiose narcisism), anyway that therapist attributed me the intention to have an affair with him because I told him I felt affection for him. I had told him because I was not sure it was OK that he continues to be my therapist while I had affection for him. This is an extreme example, where the therapist too probably had an out-of-norm perceptual field. But I've experienced my acts and sayings being interpreted completely incorrectly by all my counsellors and therapists again and again. For example, two separate therapists, who had no way to know the other had come to that conclusion, would be convinced, without even asking me, that I didn't want to take taxi to go the hospital because I was afraid of taxi drivers and I wanted the attention of a third male therapist. They were female therapists intepreting from their point of view. The first reason I had was that I can't count money because of a lack of work memory and here the taxi only take cash and going to the hospital stresses me enough that I don't want to add any other stressor to a visit there, such as having to pay with cash. The only reason I found out those 2 therapists had come to that conclusion was that both of them once exploded with the same sentence, one with an angry voice, the other with an exasperation voice : I know you want Mr. X to drive you and accompany you to doctors appointments because you want to have attention from him. Wow, I would never have attributed that kind of motivation to someone, yet they did. But now that I've taken a few psychology (neurotypical psychology, that is) courses, I understand that most neurotypical motivations are socioaffective-based, so that makes more sense. But at the time this happened, I was genuinely surprised they could have imagined my reason for wanting a person I trust to accompany me to doctors appointments was that I "wanted attention from him". The second reason I had was that I wanted to feel safe at the hospital, because I often am so nervous there because of an hospital related PTSD (which has been caused by the fact that I was late-diagnosed and was constrained during meltdown episodes) that I can't talk and I then need someone who can interact with other people for me and advocate for me so my stereotypies who become so much exacerbated don't make me ending up constrained again. And also that I don't want to add the stress of having to count money for the taxi. Just a few examples, but now that I know more about neurotypical psychology, I am forced to face the sad reality that my acts and sayings are most of the time very incorrectly interpreted by neurotypicals, even counsellors and therapists. If only neurotypical therapists, counsellors and researchers would ask autistic adults about "why" we do what we do. Just like we, autstics, ask neurotypicals why they act the way they act, in an effort to understand them from their perceptual field.

[@ShannonKresge]

Wow, this was so interesting to read! Thank you for sharing

[@huyuli]

We need to stop labelling autism as a disorder and provide increased assistance in place of treatment.

[@GrayWithMe]

@@huyuli it is a disorder. Just like depression is a disorder in the DSM or anxiety. A disorder is anything that impacts your day to day function in a potentially negative way and shape the way you see the world. And ASD absolutely is a disorder. I have anxiety and I’m not angry that it is called a disorder. IT IS.

[@Dorpmuller]

Dead on. Been on disability since 05-just had to stop working. Bullying in school and on jobs was full-time. EXTREMELY blessed that I never did turn into a monster as I get more and more info on this. The first part-your describing the symptoms-you might as well put my picture as the definition. Always said I'm like a train-I've got my rails and I run on them. Drives my wife crazy when I can't process conversation, I freeze and just sit there and can't answer.

[@rejaneoliveira5019]

Excellent presentation on ASD and violence. I tend to agree that interpretation of clinical research can be easily misleading. It takes skill and practice to perform a good analysis of findings. Wonderful job, thank you Dr. Grande!❤️

[@bthomson]

Your clarifications are as clear as a bell! Difficult concepts beautifully explained!

[@ankidaedin3583]

Another great video! Thank you Dr. Grande~

[@lotteliisalotte]

A balanced, considerate, rational and science-based video. I truly appreciate cautioning readers/listeners while interpreting scientific findings and psychiatric diagnoses. The world would be a better place if more people were aware of all of these aspects!

[@AntimatterBeam8954]

I don't have much money to offer but I've been binge watching your channel. I have foetal alcohol spectrum disorder and really like your analyses.

[@annkeany6602]

Always find your videos are so interesting. Thankyou

[@Sulfarius]

Hey! As someone diagnosed with Autism (Aspergers Syndrome to be precise) at a very young age I want to thank you for making this video. I do feel, just like with a lot of disorders, that people like to generalize Autism way too much which sometimes makes it hard to explain to people what it is exactly that I have. Heck, I myself even struggle somewhat to explain it since compared to my youth I've changed quite a bit and these days it's more subtle that I actually have anything to the point where a lot of people are really surprised when I tell them I've got Aspergers Syndrome. There's just a lot misinformation going on about it. A bit more on topic with the video. In my youth I did have, on rare occasion, a rather violent outburst as a reaction to certain things happening, such as people laughing with me for an extended period of time, being pushed too much and so on. It didn't happen much as I usually was more calm but sometimes it did happen. I can imagine those situation standing out to people, especially since I never really made it a secret even in my youth that I had Autism (at the time people didn't use the term Aspergers with me so I didn't know what that was.). People tend to focus a lot on the most negative aspect of things without looking at the full context so they just assume that Autism = Anger issue. However, as I grew older I kind of grew out of these violent bursts and I'm not sure how or why the change happened. I did go to a school for people with Autism & other personality disorders for a big part of my youth so I definitely had help there. I'd be very interested in more videos about this topic.

[@whoiamhowilive2746]

Oh wow... I'd be interested in the name of the school.. I didn't know there was something that great in existence!

[@jeremysmith5919]

Thank you for weighing and respectfully on this issue. I have an autism diagnosis and I felt you did a great job

[@sharonreynolds1584]

Thanks for excellent presentation Dr. Grande. I see children with ASD in my work and the ones with fixations with violence, guns, etc are very concerning and it is very difficult to treat, especially where there is a lack of empathy.

[@homebrandrules]

thankyou so very much dr todd pretty sure I am on the spectrum therefor this is yr most valuable video to me thus far.

[@mastery1723]

Thank you for the video, Dr. Grande! I did not realize that there was a criminal autistic psychopath subtype and wish to conjecture: Is it possible that there is a very specific dysfunction in a sort of emotional relational sense, where the autism itself contributes to an overall lack of understanding of the application of empathy in LIMITED circumstances, confounded by a propensity to avoid social interations which were made more difficult by autism, to such a high extent as to temporarily blunt affective and compassionate components of empathy, until resolve? The intentions and perspectives of various serial and mass murderers certainly differ vastly, but a higher score on psychopathic tendencies correlates to such incidents, based from the interviews which may be applied in a way which does not guide us from misunderstandings of violence. What if the emotions which lead a criminal autistic psychopath to commit violence without remorse relate to the concept of an autistic meltdown? Maybe there is a situation which confuses the CAP to such a level that he develops an intense need for resolve, anger , and a selective lack of empathy which stems from this confusion. Maybe thinking of these types of things makes them rationalize an illegal solution. For example, it is cited that manipulation is truly at the core of psychopathic communication- but what if we assumed that particular individuals who are desensitized to a specific violent act, yet display an intact sense of affective and compassionate empathy, are lying about the empathy that they truly feel. Maybe it is a pathological manner of perceiving the environment and social interactions which leads to a very particular line of reasoning for a sliver of the autistic population, which presents far different from psychopathy.

[@Dan-ud8hz]

I appreciate you making this clarification.

[@katherinecalkin6117]

I believe that autistic people live under a great deal of pressure. In many ways, the world is not comprehensible. They often don't know why things happen or why people do what they do. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if a certain portion of autistic people become very angry and frustrated, living in a world they barely understand. That only a small group of them act out violently is due to good parenting and empathy (which we all need).

[@Kageoni187]

People can be so horrible. Twisting facts to further their propaganda. I have an amazing boy who is on the spectrum. This type of fear mongering only perpetuate bullying and other dangerous stereotypes. Thank you for bringing a fully rounded and professional addressing of the topic of these papers. Too many people want to be seen as intellectuals but fall prey to the huberis when it comes to admitting that they are out of there depth when it comes to certain things.

[@angelahamon6730]

Thank you for a really thoughtful video that can be discussed in families, and shared with the person who has ASD, if they are old enough.

[@haleyl398]

if you ever get the chance id love to hear about intrusive thoughts, why they come about, and how you’d deal with them

[@noeltimm246]

I always use the analogy: kick even the nicest dog enough times and it will eventualy bite you. Now take a sensitive person (ASD) and bully them = posible violance?

[@leighanne3266]

I am writing as the mother of a daughter with autism, though that's only one of her descriptors. She's a smart, kind, and thoughtful girl. I'm lucky to be her mom. I thought you explained the severity of autism very well in your introduction and also did a good job clearing up what recent articles have said. There are many aspects of autism that need to change. It's unfortunate that it's defined in the DSM and viewed as a "mental health disorder" when it's truly a neurological disorder. It's no more a mental health disorder than Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, MS, or Huntington's. Unfortunately, there isn't a definitive medical test yet so, behavioral manifestations will be how it is defined and diagnosed. Herein lies the problem. The diagnosis of ASD is a subjective judgment for a practitioner and that judgment is affected by many variables. How many children have they diagnosed? What is their level of expertise? Have they taken the time and input from multiple sources outside of the clinician's office to render a valid diagnosis? I say this because there are kids and adults that I've met who have been diagnosed with ASD that do not meet the diagnostic criteria. In the 16 years since my daughter's diagnosis, the tides have changed and it's become almost fashionable for some adults to say they've been diagnosed recently because they're a little "quirky". My concern is this...when I hear that mass murderers and serial killers have a higher rate of ASD, I question the validity of their diagnosis. Committing a crime of that magnitude requires a level of social sophistication, planning, sneakiness, deceitfulness, as well as a level of executive functioning that would exclude a true diagnosis with an ASD. Thank you for clearly explaining the entirety of the articles!

[@brenb9793]

It's a spectrum and there are also comorbidity issues

[@michellehall2552]

I've got two asd kids, my son is non verbal and my daughter can speak but has a hard time comprehending conversation. But I am so protective of my babies and they are amazing.

[@therealroygbiv]

Hi Dr Grande 👋 As always great content! Thanks. Wondering if you might do a video about the Nicole Nachtman trial that just ocurred in Tampa, FL. Her defense was NGRI (schizophrenia) & self defense (battered childs syndrome)

[@everydaytherapist7315]

Really valuable work, thank you. I'd love to see videos that are directed to therapists in terms of improving treatment (if you're wanting to do something a little different:)

[@jemimac6054]

Thank you for another objective exploration of an important issue! Outside the scientific community, there seem to be three main sources of information: 1) information about ASD by those on the spectrum, including valuable descriptions of personal experience, for neurotypicals and others on the spectrum, promoting awareness, understanding and connection, 2) information about ASD by neurotypicals for both neurotypicals and those on the spectrum informed by science and promoting understanding and support of those with ASD, and 3) information about ASD by neurotypicals and in support of neurotypicals, often demonising ASD and shifting the focus to ‘aren’t they so hard to live with’ and promoting misinformation (e.g. comparing an autistic ‘meltdown’ to the domestic abuse cycle - which is valid in that a neurotypical may perceive them as looking or feeling similar, but in reality they’re not). In my personal and wide experience of relationships with people on the spectrum, including being diagnosed with PTSD directly attributed to a short stay with a person on the spectrum, difficulties of neurotypicals with people with ASD can be resolved largely through education about ASD (I.e. the neurological pathway of meltdowns, difficulties in communication vs intention etc) and perhaps mental health support where required, but largely: support for the person with ASD. Whereas people with ASD require specialised support in many areas to function in our society, and our awareness, empathy and understanding, rather than victimisation and exclusion.

[@brenb9793]

Yes but we also have to be truthful. My boyfriend with ASD who is extremely empathetic and loving most of the time has out of nowhere hit me on quote a few occasions. It seemed to be triggered by frustration. He once literally had a horrifying meltdown where he nearly killed me. I know this is not who he is at his core that is why I am still in relationship with him working on it. He however does not seem to register how a absolutely unacceptable this behavior is. He did feel great remorse for the extreme near-death attack on me . On the others he almost justified it. And this man is a truly loving beautiful being but I believe persons w/ASD can have propensities towards violent outburst. Forgive me if that is politically incorrect but it's my experience.

[@robokill387]

@@brenb9793 it's horrible what you experienced, but remember it's experience with one person, who doesn't represent everyone with this condition.

[@sidcuplens2442]

I am autistic and my child is too. I’m releived to see you speaking up about this. Seems to be the go to diagnosis for armchair psychologists and life coaches whenever an abhorrent crime is committed. This more so with the Chris Watts case. Those who do this are damaging an already vulnerable community. I do try to spread awareness about this but it’s often ignored. One youtuber even making a video about me after I attempted to correct her on this matter. As an autistic my view of the world seems sane to me. Neurotypicals and their small talk and strange rituals however...... :)

[@williesnyder2899]

42 years and counting as a full time direct-care human service worker at an ICF-DD; much, much experience with aggression to others, self-injurious behavior, elopement from “grounds” (running away at the restaurant or the facility, for example), self-stimulatory behavior, apparent lack of pain perception AND tactile defensiveness, dull affect AND hyper-excitability, preoccupations with certain objects, pica (eating in-edibles), property destruction, and on and on… Whereas in 1979 I worked for/with more Down’s Syndrome clients, occult closed head injury clients, hydrocephalus clients, Autism was not one of those conditions at the forefront of diagnosis. Do we have more autistic people or are we diagnosing more people autistic?? Our work continues!!!! Thanks Doctor!!

[@ColorfulBallerina]

Thank you for explaining this. As a woman with ASD I get tired of the lies spread about ASD people. A few positive, and not often mentioned, ASD traits are a strong sense of/need for justice, a strong moral compass, and a need for fairness. Because of this, I would argue that ASD folks are less likely to commit a crime. I have a relative with ASD who committed a violent crime but the crime was due to an inability to process being bullied as a child, and had nothing to do with being on the spectrum. In my experience we are more likely to be bullied and if we do not receive the care and mental support we need, we may lash out. Also, ASD is not a mental illness, it's a mental disability.

[@FunFilmFare]

I think many ASD traits are harmless (including the ones you mentioned), but can become negative under certain circumstances. "Strong sense of justice" can be bad, if you share the same notions of justice as serial killers and mass shooters.

[@Anna-dk6uv]

@@FunFilmFare you must remember that good and bad are opinionated subjective constructs. Killing is justified in many context though the governments point of view, police justice system military war ect and in their eyes a GOOD thing to do. The motives may be different like military conquest over resources or percieved threat vs civilian killings in response to overpopulation of humans resulting in ecological damage for instance, but the judgment is the same, that it is a necessary act and thus a Good thing, I have aspergers so this is my take on the bigger picture

[@northern_soul]

💯🙏

[@roberthurtado9784]

you answered my question, thank you Dr.Grande.

[@jnieto237]

Dr. Grande, just as an aside. Thank you for your excellent material.

[@sciguy68]

I'm autistic and I did my Masters focusing on science communication (particularly how the media fails to report science fairly and accurately) so I really enjoyed your video and I completely agree with your points.

[@USALibertarian]

Psychopaths also have difficulty accessing emotions, empathy, remorse, social cues, etc.

[@kota3117]

Problems with affective empathy...no problem with cognitive empathy and no problems with social cues which makes manipulation very easy for them.

[@paigeatk]

Can you do a video on the misconceptions of bipolar disorder and violence?

[@aresmars2003]

I've taken online tests for aspergers, and score higher than average, but below their threshold. I don't need a diagnosis, but there does seem to be value in understanding how I see things differently than others, and it does seem like I've always felt like I see things, value things differently. I appreciate Simon Baron-Cohen's empathizing-systemizing theory and see my comfort and confidence is with systemizing which he connects to autism.

[@msbayles2661]

I was watching someone react to Dahmer and he said, "Both he (Dahmer) and his dad are 'feeling nothing'" he continued to mention it over and over very intensely. I've watched Dahmer interviews over and over and I always considered Lionel (Jeffrey Dahmer's father) as exhausted. I've recently been diagnosed with ASD and one of the (many) things that started to make sense was remembering how three ex-bosses told me I didn't seem like I was listening or didn't seem to care. Watching this react youtuber react to the Dahmer's makes me genuinely wonder if Jeffrey Dahmer had ASD, and I'd really like a genuine consideration of wether he did or not. I don't believe people with ASD are violent, but I do think Dahmer had ASD....

[@daisybennett1600]

I have ASD and have extensively researched about Jeffrey Dahmer (and have read Lionel Dahmer’s book), and I believe there is a very high possibility Jeffrey Dahmer had ASD.

[@megavegeta2588]

He had high functioning autism. That's part of why he became obsessed with controlling people and the repetition of murder. Not what lead him to it. Once he got his first taste of it, he did it over and over. The repetition is what makes sense. But it had nothing to do with going that far as to murder in the first place. That was a choice he made on his own free will.

[@daisybennett1600]

@@megavegeta2588 I would say little to do with it but not NOTHING to do with it. I can dissect an animal and feel nothing but interest. No fear, no disgust, no remorse. Just curiosity.

[@ShannonKresge]

I agree with that 100%

[@GrayWithMe]

@@daisybennett1600 hopefully you are dissecting animals as part of a science program at the university and not just killing animals for no reason

[@Christ_Is_Life10-10]

Thanks! I was just wondering about this!

[@polly6336]

Thank you, Dr. Grande. Do you think there is a correlation between ASD and the Incel phenomenon, and the latter's association with violent crimes? Thank you.

[@mab9987]

Thank you for the video. I didn't find where to make suggestions, so I try it here. I don't know if it belongs to the field of psychology or neuroscience, but if its overlapping would you make a video about "Theory of mind" and "Neurodiversity" and "High functioning autism"?

[@Junkinsally]

These studies need to focus on the conditioning these folks have gotten online. I don’t think people with Autism Spectrum Disorders are more likely to become killers per say. I think they are more susceptible to being influenced by outside influences. You have people who are “different” so society often shuns them. This does cause harm in the form of trauma to them. Add on the inability to filter information properly and respond to it which is basically what autism is. This creates a person who can more easily be radicalized into believing the outside world is “bad” and act on that.

[@virces6563]

Lots of young male mass murderers have OCD-traits and Autism traits or diagnoses.

[@therealroygbiv]

I was thinking of Godejohn too as soon as I saw the topic of your video

[@jadetaylor2443]

I have a 3 year old grandson who is non-verbal who is actually a very physically beautiful child with the sweetest soul. I hope this doesn't change. I know some young adults who are the spectrum are violent.

[@darrylmckinnon12]

Excellent video! Could you possibly list or mention traits that actual violent people with diagnosed ASD tend to exhibit.....basically traits to be watched out for? Thanks!

[@annlvselvis972]

Journalists are not qualified to summarize anything, they take the sensational bits out of context and run with these soundbites because they know they sell papers. For hardworking and earnest researchers though, it must be frustrating to have their work misinterpreted.

[@misse7154]

As a person who works with the media, I would caution you not to label "journalists" as somehow being sloppy and manipulative. There are good and bad ones, like any profession. I happen to work with some of the world's best, and they are often some of the smartest, most careful humans on the planet. They get paid very little and are subject to long hours and erratic schedules. Never mind all the public scrutiny... I have a great respect for journalists only for the fact that I've worked with them for the past 15 years. So I'm the first to defend their profession. Don't scapegoat them. It's not fair, and honestly, I don't think it's professionally very ethical. They are professionals in what they do. And if they aren't reporting the right information, sometimes it's a function of the research community not working properly with reporters to ensure they have the "right" information. Most good media outlets don't have a major agenda to throw other professionals under the bus. All I can say is that if you are a researcher and you don't like what's being reported, help the media to help you. You may be surprised to find yourself in a win-win situation.

[@misse7154]

@@veritasnunc8749 I am not so naive as to assume there is never any bias. There is in all professions. As an economist, I'm sure you would trust receiving your data from somewhere like the World Bank, or BLS, over a private company that may have their own agenda. Humans are inherently biased - whether they work in media, economics, psychology, etc.... I think we can all say that the New York Times is considered more objective and applies more rigorous standards than the National Enquirer. Some sources exists for the mere fact that they are trying to promote a specific agenda, whereas others still maintain a commitment to journalistic integrity and I would argue that those people still exist, despite what POTUS would have you believe... and BTW I'm old enough to remember Walter Cronkite :)

[@joanlynch5271]

Journalists come in with their own ideas and look for stories which support their own personal belief system.

[@misse7154]

@@joanlynch5271 one could make the same argument about any social scientist or even scientist in certain areas of research. You're always going to gather evidence to support your assertion/hypothesis. Journalists are never "right". They have their version of the story. Truth is subjective. And we as consumers must all think critically.

[@taraswertelecki7874]

I was an journalist myself in my youth, and you are correct. However, you also have to consider the fact that stories are edited by copy editors and other editors are well. In that way, things can be taken out of context unwittingly or not. Also the owners of the news media have an agenda, and facts are not allowed to get in the way.

[@Dan-ud8hz]

"Above all, we should bear in mind that our liberty is not an end in itself; it is a means to win respect for human dignity for all classes of our society." (Admiral H.G. Rickover)

[@kimberlygabaldon3260]

Could you please do a video on the impact of ASD kids on neurotypical siblings? My kids were born in the 70's. Little was known about autism, but I did my best with my older son, who has HFAD. Even less was known about the impact on neurotypical siblings. My youngest is neurotypical, and I don't think he got a fair shake, but I really didn't know what to do. I followed the advice I was given at the time, but his pain persists.

[@raquellofstedt9713]

And thank you for a very well done video!

[@miriamgonczarska613]

Yes, thank you so much - amazing! So true! Yes, controlling fascinations are very difficult while autistic, it's definitely safer when those fascinations are more academic. Trauma makes things very difficult for autistic people since obsessions are around trauma and it's like a tape turn on a loop.

[@unabashedindividualist6232]

I spent alot of my early career working in the direct care field at an ADT (Specifically in an art studio) I saw a near perfect consistent trend of older individuals with Autism, who would have been exposed to the old ways of doing things (locking folks away, families leaving their adult children to rot, physical restraining, etc) were much more prone to defaulting to rage to solve a problem than the younger folks I worked with who had the benefit of family support, resources being available to them, etc.

[@srmillard]

Thanks, great vid! A lot of those ASD traits sound like a personality disorder, esp, inflexible/un-resilient to change, hyper-reactivity and inability to read (or misperceiving) facial expressions.

[@fantraine7148]

Hello Dr. Grande, I was wondering if you know any accurate test about borderline personality disorder online? I took a lot but I’m not sure if they are accurate and when I look at BPD traits and “Episodes” it looks like me! I’m very confused about my behaviour and I wanna know if I am a borderline. Thank you.

[@haunteddreams7856]

Don't trust online tests...... They are very wrong

[@4everdaiben]

Do you have any information on the dynamics of an Aspergers mother on parenting?

[@opinionatedmurderafficiona5773]

What about psychosis and violence? What are your thoughts on the not guilty by reason of insanity plea?

[@lupaphormy1125]

Pleading insanity is dumb unless you are a killer (or actually insane). The amount of time you would spend in the psych ward is usually far longer than the prison sentence. My main point is that it isn't like you are free to go. It's a strange misconception. I'm not saying you have fallen victim. I would like to see some content specifically about this as well.

[@cindyrhodes]

My goodness, the weight of responsibility is huge upon these authors, and rightly so, plus it is so true that we all need more information about this! and omg THANK YOU, "the truth is the truth, even if we don't want to hear it!"

[@tropicalbabe1]

I would love for you to discuss the commonalities and differences between Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Vulnerable Narcissism. I have dated two men, both electrical engineers, in which I, as a medical professional, and have had a very hard time distinguishing much difference between these disorders. LOL, it made me feel better as to what you said about inaccurate diagnoses in the mental health field, definitely more clear in the physical arena! I'll check to make sure you have not yet addressed this.. but I think this would be a very helpful topic to point out the similar traits, such as lack of empathy, even what appears to be gaslighting.. and how to distinguish between these two disorders. Thank you! BTW, I've not seen violence in either guy, but definitely passive aggressive behaviors!

[@pyujeh6207]

Interesting post. I was diagnosed as borderline and autistic at least twice by mental health professionals, but am now in psychoanalysis for NPD/BPD. There seems to be diagnostic confusion around autism and personality disorders.

[@SodaSpeakNow]

I was talking to my doctor about object attachment and how I care about my objects the way I care about people. She explained that for the ASD brain for the most part makes it so the neuro pathway for how we think of people is the same as thinking of objects. So some of us who care a lot end up being hoarders (like me) and those who don’t care as much about objects have the potential to treat people like a vending machine and not think of them quite as human and not be as sensitive. I thought that was really interesting and wonder if it connected to violence.

[@jaxbutterfly9186]

Not only do I like today's shirt, but I happen to have a son with Asperger's. He has college degree that he accomplished by only his efforts with work and loans. I'm very happy that he's high functioning. I still worry about him. Mainly I hope he will be able to develop a long term relationship. Nice video. Very complicated topic for sure. Nice job.

[@leedunn1188]

Thank you Dr Grande. An interesting topic. I was surprised to hear you imply at 12.32 that trauma may cause ASD. Is that what you meant, or am I misinterpreting?

[@joegrohmangolffoundation8981]

Lee Dunn my interpretation of what Dr Grande meant was...The trauma caused the violence within the ASD. Not that the trauma caused ASD.

[@brendaforevergreen7436]

Dr Grande, thank you for another outstanding, educational video. Have you studied the Michelle Carter case? She “coaxed” her friend, Conrad Roy, to commit suicide through text messages. Do you think she had a personality disorder?

[@jilltheprivateinvestigator3328]

I would LOVE to hear your take on Darcy Routier!

[@marciasloan534]

You think her SILLY STRING at the Grave site was ASD ?

[@Green_Expedition_Drgn]

Thank you for this explanation!