ASD and Compromise
Students with ASD have difficulty compromising because their brains interpret everything literally and their perspectives of the world are black and white, with no room for grey areas (Rucklidge, 2009). This inability to compromise creates a multitude of problems for students with ASD within and outside the school setting (Hui Min & Lay Wah, 2011). The art and importance of compromise cannot be understated. Compromising is a critical skill that facilitates progress and relationships where there would otherwise be dead ends and voids (Ferlazzo, 2011). Teaching the art and skills of compromise to students with ASD might provide them with the additional communication skills and strategies necessary for social success. However, teaching these skills is not a simple task. Students with ASD also are characterized by fixed interests with abnormal intensity, excessive adherence to routine, and resistance to change (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2012). These students with ASD show little to no interest in student discussions and often are ostracized from the group, left out of conversations, and are teased or bullied. Van Roekel (2010) found that adolescents with ASD are more likely to be bullied and are involved in more incidents of bullying at school than students without ASD are.