"Learned Helplessness" in Older Teens & Young Adults with Asperger's & High-Functioning Autism
Learned helplessness is a condition in which the affected person feels powerless, failing to respond to adversity even though there are opportunities for the person to help himself or herself by avoiding unpleasant circumstances or by gaining positive rewards. In other words, the individual perceives an "absence of control" over the outcome of a bad situation. From: Launching Adult Children With Aspergers: How To Promote Self-Reliance