Psychologist In The Sky

Originally posted in the American Psychological Association Monitor Magazine

Psychologist in the sky
Print version: page 88

Tom Kolditz, PhD, an APA Fellow in Div. 19 (Society for Military Psychology) and head of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point behavioral sciences and leadership department, has spent plenty of time free-falling as the senior officer representative to the school’s competitive parachute team. But he recently made a jump unlike any other. Kolditz was approached by the parents of Matt, a high-functioning young man with autism who wanted to make a parachute jump for his 18th birthday. Kolditz spent time researching autism so that he could develop special accommodations for Matt, including ear plugs, a fitted leather helmet and non-vented goggles to reduce outside stimulation.
Thanks to Kolditz’s preparation and care, the 50-second free fall and five-minute canopy ride was a success. Matt landed brimming with self-efficacy and energy, Kolditz says.
“As both an extreme sport coach and a social psychologist, it was a growth experience to dig into the psychology of autism and figure out how to train and lead this young man through a very exciting and potentially dangerous experience,” he says.