Understanding the Autism Spectrum

Format

Individual Presentation

Presenters

Sam MarionFollow

First Presenter's Institution

Neurodivergent Spot

First Presenter’s Email Address

sam@sammarion.com

First Presenter's Brief Biography

Sam Marion is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Buford, Georgia who works at the intersection of neurodivergence and trauma. He completed his Master of Social Work at the University of Georgia in 2014, Certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies through the Trauma Center at JRI in 2018, and Postbaccalaureate Certificate in Learning Differences and Neurodiversity with a Specialization in Executive Function from Landmark College in 2024. Sam has advanced training in Art-Based Supervision, expressive arts, play therapy, SandTray, EMDR, and IFS. Sam works with individuals and families in private practice, and he is a content creator, author, speaker, consultant, coach, and advocate.

Submitter

I am submitting this proposal as one of the presenter(s)

Location

Verelst

Strand #1

Health: Mental & Physical Health

Strand #2

Heart: Social & Emotional Skills

Relevance

The proposal relates to the Health strand because it is focused on a diagnosis from the DSM, and it relates to Heart because the diagnosis impacts an individuals social and emotional skills.

Brief Program Description

Anyone working with children and adolescents is aware of the steady rise in autistic-identified students. This increased recognition has not been accompanied by an equal increase in available information that would help professionals understand and support autistic youth from an affirming perspective. This presentation will help attendees understand autism and how to support these young people (and adults) in their lives.

Summary

When the DSM-5 was published in 2013, a major change was the removal of Autistic Disorder and Asperger’s Syndrome while inserting a new diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Over a decade later, professionals in many disciplines continue to inaccurately operate as though the diagnoses were combined into a linear spectrum instead of a binary, essentially drawing a line between the two points. It is common to hear inaccurate language of high and low functioning being used in place of the previous diagnoses; many people assume that applying the high functioning label is a kind thing to do. These, and many other, inaccurate beliefs about autism cause harm to the autistic community, especially children and adolescents who have less opportunity to speak on their own behalf. A unique aspect of autism’s recent history as a diagnosis is that it is the only diagnosis in the DSM that was developed incorporating the feedback of those with lived experience of the diagnosis itself. Autistic self-advocates were able to voice that the autistic experience ranges more akin to a color spectrum because there are so many different possible traits and presentations. The levels delineated within the diagnosis are categories of support needs, not functioning levels, and when people gain that one understanding, it consistently creates an openness to learning what other misconceptions may be held.

This presentation will explain Autism Spectrum Disorder including a brief history, the diagnostic criteria, and how the history impacts the diagnosis as it exists today. The information will be presented from a neurodiversity affirming perspective which may challenge some attendees’ beliefs. Explaining the changes in research over time will put context to the differences in what attendees may have learned previously. Finally, the presentation will include some practical ways that attendees can use their new understanding of autism to support autistic and otherwise neurodivergent students.

Note: While the conference submission page encourages the use of person-first language, this proposal uses identify-first language as an affirming practice since it is shown to be preferred by a growing majority of the members of the autistic and greater neurodivergent community.

Evidence

This presentation will use research on autism from traditional perspectives to demonstrate longevity of certain understandings, and newer research will be used to demonstrate the evolution taking place with the research designs. Recent research will also be presented that demonstrates the limited understanding of autism amongst certain professions that one would expect to have a greater familiarity, and at least one study will demonstrate views held by autistic adults.

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.).

American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed., text rev.).

Ashburn, M. & Edwards, J. (2023). I will die on this hill: Autistic adults, autism parents, and the children who deserve a better world. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Grandin, T. (2013). The autistic brain: Thinking across the spectrum. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Hayden, C. (2023). Different, not less: A neurodivergent’s guide to embracing your true self and finding your happily ever after. Murdoch Books.

Marion, S. (2024). Embracing All Brains: A 30 Day Guided Journal for Becoming a Neurodivergent-Affirming Educator. Sam Marion Counseling and Consulting, Inc.

Monteiro, M. (2010). Autism conversations: Evaluating children on the autism spectrum through authentic conversations. Western Psychological Services.

Patriquin, E., Hartwig, E., Friedman, B., Porges, S., Scarpa, A. (2019). Autonomic response in autism spectrum disorder: Relationship to social and cognitive functioning. Biological Psychology, 145, 185-197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2019.05.004.

Porges, S. (2021). Polyvagal Theory: A biobehavioral journey to sociality. Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology, 7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpnec.2021.100069.

Price, D. (2022). Unmasking autism: discovering the new faces of neurodiversity (First edition.). Harmony Books.

Rogers, A. (2023). Thriving together: An essential guide: finding support and mastering self-care for caregivers of children with differences and disabilities.

Learning Objective 1

Participants will be able to broadly explain autism from an affirming perspective.

Learning Objective 2

Participants will be able to identify differences between a clinical explanation of autism compared to stereotypes and common misunderstandings.

Learning Objective 3

Participants will be able to identify at least three affirming accommodations for autistic students.

Keyword Descriptors

autism, autism spectrum disorder, ASD, neurodiversity, neurodivergence

Presentation Year

2025

Start Date

3-3-2025 1:00 PM

Recommended Citation

Marion, Sam, "Understanding the Autism Spectrum" (2025). National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference. 11.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2025/2025/11