Sources of Conflict

Characteristics associated with ASD can contribute to roommate difficulties. Awkwardness, lack of eye contact or too much eye contact, odd mannerisms, and inappropriate body language can be misinterpreted by roommates as signs of disinterest, anger, or lead to misunderstanding (Adreon & Durocher, 2007). Additionally, roommate issues frequently arise from disagreements about cleanliness and order. Some residents with autism require order and need the room arranged in a way that makes sense for their world. Others, on the other extreme, have disorganized, even unhygienic living spaces and do not understand why this may bother their roommates (Wolf, Brown, & Bork, 2009). Although these roommate challenges may not seem severe on the surface, dissatisfaction, tension, and misunderstanding can fuel fire and foster feelings of resentment and frustration which can eventually explode in a big conflict. 

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Is a Single Room the Best Option?

With all of the sensory stimulation and busy atmosphere of a college environment, residents with autism may find that they need a retreat space that is quiet and where they can calm themselves down. Some residents with ASD may do so by stimming (engaging in repetitive movements or making repetitive noises), such as rocking back and forth. A retreat space may not be possible when living with roommates, especially if the roommates are almost always in the room. For this reason it is often thought that a single room is the best option for students with ASD. However, living in a single room can lead to experiences and feelings of isolation (Adreon & Durocher, 2007). A good alternative is suite style living with single rooms, providing the resident with ASD a retreat space and suitemates to interact with (Ackles, Fields, & Skinner, 2013; Wolf et al., 2009). 

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What Can R.As Do?

Click on the following link to RA Best Practices By Topic: Roommates

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