6 Facts About Autism and Special Interests

With more and more information available today, it is possible that you have heard of autism. If you haven’t, this post will help give you some insight. Even if you don’t know what it is, there are many online and offline sources to help you learn about it. This post will cover what autism is and shed some light on one aspect of it: special interests and how they play a role in autism. For simplicity, you can look at special interests as a topic that an autistic person will hyperfocus on.

According to Kennedy Krieger Institute, autism is “a developmental disorder characterized by persistent problems in social communication and interaction,…” they may also have repetitive behaviors and interests. This means that people with autism are affected especially when it comes to thinking, interacting, and experiencing the world.

As the focus here is on special interests, it is important to understand what special interests are. Autism Speaks characterizes special interests as interests that are narrow and intense. Special interests can also be called restricted interests. This is due to the fact that the interests are extremely targeted. For example, an autistic individual may have an interest in vehicles or transportation. However, they may only have an interest in trucks and not other forms of transportation. Simply put, special interests are similar to hobbies that a person with autism will focus on a lot of the time. There are a large number of autistic individuals with special interests. In fact, “75 to 95 percent have them”.

Special interests might look like simple if not overly enthusiastic hobbies but they are more than that. It is said that they have the ability to help autistic people gain knowledge and learn social skills. For example, a child who does not speak could potentially learn to speak through a special interest in Disney movies. A special interest may also cause joy to the person participating in it. If cars are their thing, seeing one of their favorite cars in real life might cause a high level of happiness.

It is important to note that not all autistic individuals have special interests and not all have only one interest. While 75% have at least one special interest, 50% have two or more. Also, not all autistic people have the same interests. Interests can vary and include but are not limited to: sensory-related, vehicles, characters from popular media, TV, and movies, as well as individual interests such as rocks, keys, cleaning, etc.

Having special interests can be a benefit to autistic individuals. One benefit is that they may be able to reduce some of their autism symptoms by simply engaging with and talking about their special interests. For example, while explaining their interest, autistic individuals might be able to make more eye contact, communicate with more advanced vocabulary, and organize their thoughts better. In addition to this, they may be able to learn more information than they may otherwise not have learned. Furthermore, some autistic individuals may be able to turn their special interests into a career. People with autism tend to have problems with connecting with others. Special interests are one way for them to bridge that gap.

Everyone with autism is an individual. Special interests, in addition to promoting better social behavior, can also help the person express their uniqueness. For example, an autistic person that is obsessed with moss and insects can express their personality when talking about these subjects with others. Some may find it hard to see these interests as anything other than obsession but it is important to remember that they contribute to the individual’s identity. Getting to know a person with a special interest would also require the willingness to at least gain a cursory understanding of the interest.

Now you should have an understanding of what autism is and how special interests contribute to their happiness, education, and identity. If you have the opportunity to spend time with an autistic person, make sure to pay attention to what their special interest is and be patient when listening. They will often have a lot to say about their chosen topic. I hope this has helped you to gain a better understanding of autism and special interests.

AutismSpeaks (2023). https://www.autismspeaks.org/science-news/new-research-examines-special-interests-autism

Keneddy Krieger Institute. (2023) https://www.kennedykrieger.org/stories/interactive-autism-network-ian/introduction-autism

Laber-Warren, Emily. (2021) https://www.spectrumnews.org/features/deep-dive/the-benefits-of-special-interests-in-autism/

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