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17-year-old college freshman daughter with high functioning Asperger’s having trouble fitting in with new College friends, feeling down. Suggestions?

First off, I want to say that I think your husband is correct. Ultimately, it is up to your daughter to figure this out, and it's not something for you to worry about.
Agree with this, it will be for the daughter to figure out in the long run. That being said, A large part of my problem in the past was an inability to pick up on social cues. I don't like looking at other people. Especially not their faces, and certainly not looking them in the eye. That put me at a real disadvantage socially. People thought I was slow and awkward. If your daughter is in the same boat, she may be interested in the following:

I invested a lot of time and money into Paul Ekman's work. He pioneered the study of microexpressions. A popular TV show was even based on him. His site sells training programs that can help anyone learn to read body language effectively. Too effectively even, because you can't shut the skill off once you have it (now I easily know when someone dislikes me or is lying to me - can be awkward in a marriage). The training is not cheap, but it's worth every penny. Learning how to read people gave me the confidence to interact more with them and has really helped me advance both socially and professionally.

This program is likely beyond the means of a college or uni student, so some financial assistance in obtaining it for her would be a place where you can help her to help herself. If she's interested, that is. Ekman's site is www.paulekman.com

Best of luck, I'm a parent myself and I understand the urge to clear the path for one's offspring.
 

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