Why Autistic People Struggle with Change (And How to Make It Easier)

Key Points:

• Many autistic individuals struggle with routine changes due to a strong need for predictability.
• Factors such as rigid thinking, repetitive behaviors, and sensory sensitivities contribute to these challenges.
• Parents and caregivers can use structured strategies to help ease transitions and minimize distress.

For many autistic individuals, change can be an overwhelming challenge. While most people experience some level of discomfort when routines shift, autistic individuals may find these transitions particularly distressing. The need for predictability, sensitivity to sensory stimuli, and difficulties with cognitive flexibility can make even small changes feel like major disruptions. 

In this article, we’ll dive into the reasons behind these struggles and explore strategies that parents and caregivers can use to help ease transitions and provide support during times of change. 

Autism and Routine Changes: Understanding the Struggle

Whether it's a change in daily schedule, a new environment, or unexpected disruptions, even minor shifts and transitions can feel overwhelming for people with ASD. Understanding why these challenges arise can help parents and caregivers offer better support.

Predictability provides a sense of security for many autistic individuals. Routine changes disrupt this stability, leading to distress, anxiety, and even meltdowns. But why does this happen? To address this, we need to explore the role of predictability, rigid thinking, and sensory processing in autism.

Why Do People with Autism Struggle with Routine Changes?

Routine changes affect autistic individuals differently depending on their sensitivities, cognitive patterns, and personal experiences. However, some key factors contribute to their difficulty in adapting:

• Need for Predictability: Many autistic individuals rely on routines as a coping mechanism for navigating an unpredictable world. When routines shift unexpectedly, it can feel like losing control.
• Executive Function Challenges: The ability to plan, shift focus, and adapt is often more difficult for autistic individuals, making transitions feel abrupt and disorienting.
• Sensory Processing Issues: Changes in the environment, such as new sounds, smells, or textures, can trigger discomfort or overstimulation.
• Emotional Regulation Difficulties: Coping with emotions during unexpected transitions can be overwhelming, leading to autism shutdowns or meltdowns.

Autism and Predictability

For many autistic individuals, predictability is not just a preference—it’s a necessity. It provides structure and a sense of control over their environment. Disrupting this predictability can result in heightened anxiety and distress.

Autism and Repetitive Behaviors

Repetitive behaviors, such as lining up objects, stimming, or sticking to specific routines, help autistic individuals regulate their emotions. These behaviors serve as a grounding mechanism, offering comfort in an unpredictable world. When routine changes interfere with these patterns, distress can escalate quickly.

Autism and Wearing the Same Clothes

It's not uncommon for people to notice that many autistic individuals tend to gravitate towards wearing the same clothes day after day. This preference often stems from several factors, such as:

• Sensory Preferences: Certain fabrics are soothing, while unfamiliar textures might feel too intense or uncomfortable.
• Routine and Predictability: Repeating the same clothing choice can help maintain a sense of order, easing the pressure of making decisions.
• Attachment to Familiarity: For some, even small changes like new clothes can feel unsettling or disruptive to their sense of comfort.

Autism and Eating the Same Food

You may also notice that many autistic individuals prefer to eat the same foods regularly. This common preference often arises from several factors, including:

• Sensory Sensitivities: Certain textures or tastes are more tolerable, while new or unfamiliar foods can be overwhelming.
• Routine and Predictability: Eating the same food creates a predictable routine that can reduce anxiety and stress.
• Comfort in Familiarity: Consistency in meals provides a sense of security, and introducing new foods can feel disruptive.

Autism and Getting Upset When Plans Change

If you have a loved one with autism, you’ve probably encountered the frustration that comes with sudden changes to plans. Last-minute plan changes can be particularly distressing for autistic individuals, and this often stems from:

• Difficulty with Cognitive Flexibility: Sudden changes require immediate adaptation, which can be challenging.
• Anxiety Over Uncertainty: Not knowing what to expect can trigger heightened stress.
• Loss of Control: Predictable plans provide security, and unexpected changes feel like a loss of stability.

Autism and Rigid Thinking

Rigid thinking patterns make it difficult for autistic individuals to accept alternative solutions or unexpected outcomes. This can manifest in various ways:

• Black-and-White Thinking: Viewing situations as strictly good or bad, right or wrong.
• Difficulty with Abstract Concepts: Struggling to understand flexibility and compromise.
• Resistance to New Experiences: Preferring familiar routines over trying something different.

Rigid thinking can make it challenging to adjust to routine changes, even when those changes are minor.

Autism and Routine Changes: How to Cope

While routine changes can be difficult, there are ways to ease transitions and support autistic individuals through these adjustments.

Provide Advance Notice

Giving advance notice about upcoming changes is a great way to help autistic individuals prepare for transitions. Whenever possible, let them know what to expect ahead of time. Using visual schedules, timers, or social stories can help explain what will happen and when, making it easier for them to understand the change. Breaking the transition into smaller, manageable steps helps reduce any feelings of overwhelm and gives them a clear path to follow.

Create a Transition Plan

Creating a transition plan helps establish a sense of predictability. This means setting up a structure around the change so the individual knows what to expect. First-then statements, such as “First we finish breakfast, then we go to the doctor,” provide clarity and order. Instead of making abrupt shifts, gradually introducing new routines allows the individual to adapt more comfortably, making the transition less jarring.

Offer Choices and Control

Offering choices gives the individual a sense of control over the situation, which can ease anxiety. For example, letting them choose between two jacket options, such as “Do you want to wear your blue or red jacket?” can make the transition feel more manageable. Allowing them to carry a familiar comfort item during changes also provides reassurance. Throughout the process, it’s important to validate their feelings and offer support when needed to help them navigate the stress of the change.

Use Visual Supports

Visual supports can be incredibly helpful in reducing uncertainty and making transitions smoother. Visual schedules and social stories outline upcoming changes in a way that is easy to understand. Picture-based routines often work better than verbal explanations, especially when navigating complex transitions. Tools like calendars, timers, or step-by-step charts can further assist by providing a visual cue of what comes next, which reduces feelings of unpredictability.

Practice Coping Strategies

Teaching coping strategies, such as deep breathing exercises or sensory-friendly activities, can help autistic individuals manage the stress of transitions. Social scripts can also be used to prepare them for different scenarios they may face. Encouraging gradual exposure to new environments or routines helps build tolerance over time and lessens the emotional impact of sudden changes. The more prepared they feel, the easier it will be to cope with any challenges that arise.

Reinforce Flexibility

Reinforcing flexibility can help autistic individuals adapt to change in a positive way. Positive reinforcement, like praise or rewards, can be used when they successfully manage a change or adapt to a new situation. Encouraging small, manageable variations in daily routines helps build their flexibility over time. Modeling adaptive thinking—demonstrating how to adjust to unexpected situations—also encourages a growth mindset and helps them see that flexibility can be a positive skill to develop.

How ABA Therapy Can Help with Routine Changes

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy provides structured support to help autistic individuals develop flexibility and coping skills when dealing with change. By using evidence-based strategies, ABA therapists help children and adults navigate transitions in a way that feels safe and manageable.

At Total Care ABA, we specialize in helping autistic individuals build the skills they need to handle life’s inevitable changes. Whether it's adjusting to new environments, coping with transitions, or developing emotional regulation strategies, our team is here to support families every step of the way.

We proudly offer ABA therapy in Indiana, Georgia, Tennessee, Arizona, North Carolina, and Maine. If you're looking for personalized support for your child, reach out to Total Care ABA today.

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