The undervalued role of over-regulation in autism: Chaos Theory as a metaphor and beyond.
OBJECTIVE
A triad of impairment that consists of impaired communication, impaired social skills and over-regulated behavior characterizes autism. Causality of autism is yet to be identified. Therapy has been devised to apply to the work with children and adolescents with a diagnosis of autism in the domains of impaired communication and impaired social skills. Little attention has been paid to the importance of the over-regulated behavior that forms part of the triad of impairment.


OBJECTIVE
This paper considers this point of over-regulation in the triad of impairment in autism through the lens of Chaos theory.


METHODS
Contemporary literature on autism and Chaos theory.


CONCLUSIONS
Implications for nursing practice and research are raised.
Cashin
Andrew
A
University of Technology Sydney, Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia. andrew.cashin@uts.edu.au
Waters
Cheryl
C
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D015984:Causality; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D003142:Communication; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019365:Metaphor; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012951:Socialization; D013850:Thinking; D014705:Verbal Behavior