Autistic Spectrum Disorder: The Case of Sheldon Cooper Essay

Sheldon Cooper is a central character in ‘The Big Bang Theory’ series, which was broadcasted on TV from 2007 to 2019. His peculiar manners and difficulties in building relationships with other people suggest that the series’ main hero may have autism spectrum disorder. According to DSM-5, the latter manifests itself through such symptoms as “persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction” and “repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities” (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013, p. 50). Indeed, Sheldon exhibits both of the mentioned signs of autism spectrum disorder. First of all, the main character is almost unable to understand other people’s emotions which serves as a major barrier to establishing good relations with peers. Secondly, Sheldon needs to knock on the doors three times – no more, no less – and feels nervous when he is unable to finish this small ‘ceremony,’ which is an example of repetitive behavior. Finally, the character negatively reacts to even the slightest changes in his life, which is another symptom of autism spectrum disorder (APA, 2013). For instance, Sheldon nearly panics when his friends decide to eat Chinese food on the ‘pizza night.’

Such a condition of the main character usually interferes with his everyday functioning under various social contexts. As such, Sheldon’s lack of empathy results in the character’s inability to achieve one’s ends at work when, for example, the help of coworkers is needed. Additionally, the major changes in the character’s life usually lead to major depression and refusal to accept the novelty. This, in turn, causes impairment in the occupational, social, and housing spheres. Moreover, Sheldon is highly reliant on the close people around him, and one of the manifestations of the dependence is his inability to take care of himself during periods of sickness.

Autism spectrum disorder cannot be fully remedied, but people can learn how to live with its symptoms. In this regard, it is important that the psychologist put an emphasis on social skills training. In particular, Sheldon can be taught to recognize emotions by facial expressions or the pitch of the voice. At the same time, as the patient understands one’s difficulties in building relations, the professional should provide psychological support explaining that the patient can live happily with the autism spectrum disorder. Lastly, the professional should discuss what is appropriate and inappropriate behavior at work using concrete examples.

Reference

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5, 5^th ed.). American Psychiatric Association.