Does my Aspergers child know what’s right and what’s wrong?

Does my Aspergers child know what’s right and what’s wrong?
It seems he does not really know the difference.

On the surface, the issue of right and wrong appears to be a
complicated one for Asperger’s children, but it is not.
Children with Asperger’s Syndrome have very firm ideas of
right and wrong, and they can become argumentative with
adults and peers over issues of proper or improper behavior.

They are typically unable to consider shades of grey and
will perceive issues in black or white terms; however, they
can discuss those issues with an adult and come to an
agreement when solutions are proposed to them.

The good news is that Asperger’s children are known for
being able to follow clearly explained and set rules that
are consistent, and this trait can be used to help them
learn right from wrong.

As these children mature, they will learn right from wrong
in a rote manner at first; but later they will develop a
greater understanding of why something is right or wrong.

An important factor is that the rules, and the explanation
for the rules, should be explained in a manner that they
understand, and the rules should be consistently enforced.

In fact, their inclination to learn right from wrong can be
so profound, it might seem that Asperger’s children are
pre-programmed to detect right and wrong, and they might
even bluntly announce that a request or activity is right or
wrong.

Also, they will take notice of others’ incorrect behavior,
but not their own; this can be perceived as a double
standard. In addition, they may not be able to show empathy
for others, and this can lead to problems as they may do or
say things that seem wrong because they may not be able to
understand or empathize with another person’s feelings.

Children and adults who do not have a diagnosis of
Asperger’s Syndrome can relate to other people and engage
effectively in social interactions with others because they
are able to perceive things from another individual’s point
of view.

The ability to comprehend someone else’s point of view is
the result of correctly perceiving speech patterns, body
language, tone of voice, facial movements, and the situation
in which communication is taking place.

Children with Asperger's Syndrome and other autistic
disorders can lack the capacity to relate to and understand
others’ feelings or behavioral nuances, particularly on an
emotional level.

Also, the child’s inability to interpret someone else’s
actions, whether deliberate or unintentional, can result in
the child’s experiencing paranoia. This can result in
inappropriate behavior.

Children with Asperger’s Syndrome may not exhibit
traditionally moral feelings or behaviors because Asperger’s
denies them the ability to experience the capacity for
emotion and introspection on which society’s perceptions of
morality are based.

These children do not experience the feelings associated
with traditional right and wrong; yet, they may possess a
sense of ethics as well as a cognitive understanding of
right and wrong.

Asperger’s Syndrome does not completely remove a child’s
awareness of correct and incorrect behavior; it does allow
them to behave with a sense of socially acceptable morality
if they are helped to do so.

The Parenting Aspergers Resource Guide: A Complete Resource Guide For Parents Who Have Children Diagnosed With Aspergers Syndrome.