This short course explores the relationship between Autistic emotions and behaviours. It supports professionals working with Autistic clients or students to identify and connect behaviour to its underlying root cause, and to respond in neuro-affirming ways.

Drawing on some common ways Autistic people may show their overwhelm – including meltdowns, shutdowns and burnout – we begin by exploring the complex relationship between Autistic sensory processing and emotional regulation.

We discuss the issues that arise when pathologising Autistic behaviours as either challenging or problematic, and consider an alternative approach that frames behaviours in terms of “can’t” or “won’t”. We then explore the role of Autistic inertia, before turning to Autistic anxiety and Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA).

Each learning topic begins with a video (with transcript) to anchor the subject, followed by a selection of carefully curated resources that draw on lived experience and peer-reviewed research to provide you with a deeper understanding of the topic. Discussion questions are provided to help stimulate your learning and multiple choice quizzes will check your understanding. Finally, a case study will give you the opportunity to apply your new knowledge to a scenario relevant to your work.

Who this course is for: Anyone working with Autistic children or adults in a professional capacity, including allied health professionals, medical professionals, teachers, social workers, and more.

Course outcomes: Participants who complete this short course will have a strong understanding of the connection between emotion and behaviours, with a focus on understanding overwhelm and challenging the concept of pathologised Autistic behaviour.

A certificate of completion will be issued at the end of the short course if the mandatory elements are completed. The mandatory elements include reviewing the materials, completion of the multiple choice quizzes, a case study (with a choice of multiple options), and feedback.

Delivery: All the course materials will be online and on demand to access while the course is open. The only live element is a Zoom discussion lead by an Autistic allied health professional on 1 May 2024 at 5pm AWST/7pm AEST (available as a replay for anyone not available at that time). The Zoom will include a case study discussion and offer the opportunity to ask questions and discuss important topics with your peers.

Structure: All lectures are pre-recorded and the content can be engaged with on-demand while the short course is open

Duration: 3 weeks

Workload: 5-8 hours (approx.) plus 2-3 hours of for the self study pre-requisite Autism Essentials course

The course content will be available in read-only form at the end of the course.

Ticket sales close 19 April 2024 or when the course sells out.