I recently had the opportunity to work with a few older individuals on the spectrum and I learned so much about their perception on the world around them.
Here are a few thoughts:

Cristina: “How did you feel about high school?”
Client: “I hated it!”

Cristina: “You made it through high-school! Was it hard?”
Client: “At first. After a few months I figured out a way to go to detention – it is quiet there and there are not a lot of people around...”
Cristina: “How did you manage that?”
Client: “I would hit a child in the morning or talk back to a teacher”
Cristina: “What did the school do (aside from sending you to detention)?”
Client: “They sent me to anger management classes”
Cristina: “Did that help?”
Client: “No. I did not have an anger issue. I was doing that on purpose”

Cristina: “What are some things that are hard for you?”
Client: “Being around other people. I don’t know what to do… and people smile a lot. Why do they smile so much? I don’t understand that. Emotions are hard for me.”
Cristina: “What about anger? Do you understand that?”
Client: “Not really… People make funny faces when they are angry. It is kind of funny…”

Cristina: “What was your favorite class?”
Client: “Special ed. It was quiet and dark and I was able to concentrate in there.”