Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2009. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xii, 170 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 93-112).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Drexel University, 2010. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 45-52).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2005. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 157-174).

Thesis (M.Phil.) - University of Queensland, 2004. / Includes bibliography.

Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 49-53).

Thesis (M.I.T.)--The Evergreen State College, 2010. / Title from title screen (viewed 7/7/2010). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 181-190).

Det övergripande syftet med denna studie är att ta en närmare titt på hur personer diagnostiserade med Aspergers syndrom upplever att ens sociala relationer fungerar i vardagen utifrån deras eget perspektiv. Studien utgår ifrån material som hämtats in ifrån diverse bloggar respektive forum ute på internet. Som teoretisk bakgrund till forskningen används stämplingsteori samt Erving Goffmans stigma-teori. Analysmetoden som används är Grounded Theory, där det insamlade internet-materialet kodas för att sedan delas upp i olika kategorier. Utmärkande kategorier i studien är bland annat:Känslan av att vara missförstådd, frustration över att missuppfattas samt även depression. Studien diskuterar även olika strategier som skapats för att, ifrån samhällets sida, förebygga eventuella sociala problem innan dessa uppstår. Jag kommer även ta en titt på de positiva aspekterna av diagnosen.

Do tangible, testable links exist between the autistic spectrum and creativity? How would such links work from the perspective of an author with Asperger's Syndrome? To what degree would autism mould the author's work, and how would it affect writing technique and style compared to neurotypical (non autistic spectrum authors)? Do these links provide a tangible advantage? Can an Asperger's author successfully engage a non-Asperger's readership? Has Asperger's become fashionable in fiction and if so what are the benefits/consequences? Can an “extraterrestrial stranded without an orientation manual”1 communicate ideas in a meaningful way to non-autistics? Asperger's Syndrome is a form of high functioning autism where those affected express a range of social, behavioural and perceptual traits which have no actual bearing on their level of intelligence. As an author with Asperger's my intention is to examine the degree to which my autism affects my writing technique and style compared to neurotypical (non autistic) creatives. Asperger's sufferers lack empathy and social skills, therefore creating situations a reader can empathise with is challenging. To an Asperger's other people are 'aliens'. If the characters and scenarios in my work are coloured by my difference, then it may be the difference itself which provides the hook for the reader. To what extent do Asperger's authors need to 'pretend to be normal' in order to engage a neurotypical reader, or to make their work generally marketable? Is there an argument that they shouldn't even try? With increasing diagnosis and better understanding of the autistic spectrum, the Asperger's limited but intense range of interests and ability to focus without human distraction might link in to creative excellence that has an appeal far beyond the boundaries of the autistic spectrum. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate whether claims of autistic links to creativity are more than heresay. I examine alleged positive evidence for these links, and see how this evidence ties in with my experience both as an Asperger's and an author, with particular regard to my decisions in crafting my novel The Ghost Land.

The diploma thesis deals with the relationship to reading in selected people with Asperger's syndrome. The aim of the work is to examine the individual reading experience of selected people with Asperger's syndrome. The first chapter of the theoretical part of the thesis characterizes autism, the triad of autism, psychological theories of autism and Asperger's syndrome. The second chapter describes reading, the function of literature, the reading interest and the characteristics of reading in people on the spectrum of Autism. The practical part of the work is based on semi-structured interviews with ten people with Asperger's syndrome. Based on the interviews, brief case studies are created. Subsequently, the interviews are analyzed and research questions are answered.

Individuals diagnosed with Asperger‟s Syndrome (AS) have marked impairments in social interaction, including difficulty expressing and perceiving thoughts, emotions, and intentions. This deficit may be due in part to a delayed or underdeveloped Theory of Mind (ToM). The previous research investigating ToM in individuals with AS has been inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to compare three Theory of Mind (ToM) tasks, presented via three different modalities, to evaluate the recognition of complex emotions and mental states in adolescents with AS compared to typically developing adolescents. Participants in this study included twenty adolescents: 10 adolescents with AS and 10 typically developing adolescents matched by age and gender. Participants were administered three ToM tasks differing in mode of stimuli presentation: a visual mentalizing (VM) task; an auditory mentalizing (AM) task; and, a visual+auditory mentalizing (VAM) task. . Results were analyzed utilizing a factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA). No significant difference was found between the groups overall, or between the groups by task. A pairwise analysis of the data revealed non-significant differences between visual only (VM) compared to auditory only (AM) presentation of stimuli; however significant differences were found between visual only (VM) stimuli compared to the combination of visual + auditory (VAM) stimuli, and between auditory only (AM) stimuli compared to the combination of visual + auditory (VAM) stimuli. These results indicated that the recognition of complex emotions and mental states increased when the stimuli were presented through the combined visual and auditory channels. Clinical implications of these findings were discussed. Recommendations were made for future research investigating ToM in individuals with AS.