<p>The purpose with this study is to describe what individual pupils with neuropsychiatric disorders, such as Asperger syndrome and ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), think of their time in the nine-year compulsory school. The intention is to, from a social and spatial point of view elucidate their experiences, on the basis of their specific needs and the commission and the curriculum of the compulsory school.</p><p>This study have a qualitative approach where I on two occasions have talked to three upper secondary school pupils with neuropsychiatric disorders about their time in the compulsory school. The work method for this study is life stories, a kind of interview that allows the pupils to speak more freely, and where the definitive question formulation appears gradually.</p><p>The result shows that the pupils in many ways experience that they have been misunderstood by both teachers and other pupils, first and foremost regarding teachers not having enough knowledge about how people with Asperger syndrome think and acts. In addition, all three have experiences of being bullied. At the same time the result shows that special adjustments to the pupils’ specific needs works and is a good thing, if they are based upon knowledge and understanding.</p><p>The conclusion is that genuine knowledge about neuropsychiatric disorders and the will to understand among the teachers is very important, and that adjustments of resources, demands and conditions is a good thing, and many times necessary. Many teachers do not have the adequate knowledge and the support to the students is inadequate. A proper, comprehensive and correct diagnosis is important to create knowledge of the specific individual needs.</p> / <p>Syftet med studien är att beskriva hur enskilda elever med neuropsykiatriska funktionsnedsättningar, i första hand Aspergers syndrom och ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), har upplevt sin tid i det obligatoriska skolväsendet. Avsikten är att ur ett socialt och ett rumsligt perspektiv belysa hur de upplevt sin skoltid, utifrån de specifika behoven och skolans uppdrag enligt Lpo94.</p><p>Studien har en kvalitativ ansats där jag vid två tillfällen samtalat med tre ungdomar i gymnasieåldern med diagnostiserade neuropsykiatriska funktionsnedsättningar om deras grundskoletid. Den metod som använts för genomförandet av studien är livsberättelse, en form av intervju som tillåter den intervjuade att berätta mer fritt, och där de definitiva frågeställningarna infinner sig efter hand.</p><p>Resultatet visar att eleverna på många sätt upplever att de blivit missförstådda av både lärare och andra elever, framför allt handlar det om att lärare inte haft tillräcklig kunskap om hur elever med Aspergers syndrom tänker och fungerar. Alla tre upplever dessutom att de varit utsatta för mobbing. Samtidigt visar resultatet att särskilda lösningar och anpassningar efter elevens specifika behov är bra och fungerar, om de bygger på kunskap och förståelse.</p><p>Slutsatser blir att gedigen kunskap om neuropsykiatriska funktionsnedsättningar och vilja till förståelse hos personalen är mycket viktigt, och att anpassningar av resurser, krav och villkor är bra och ofta nödvändigt. Många lärare saknar tillräcklig kunskap och stödet till eleverna är bristfälligt. En ordentlig, fullständig och korrekt diagnostisering är viktigt för att skapa kunskap om de specifika individuella behoven.</p>

This study is based on a qualitative internet research about people with Asperger syndrome and their thoughts and opinions about the difficulties that occurs in the environment outside the home and their experiences of Internet. We have analyzed Internets social influences for those with Asperger syndrome, as a consequence of the difficulties that they meet in other environments. The constructed communities in the environment outside the home and the social interaction that occurs there is not adjusted for those with the diagnosis. This leads to difficulties to be there for those with Asperger syndrome. By doing a content analysis of the assembled data from a community site on the Internet, we found out that the environment on Internet is more comfortable for those with the diagnosis in several ways. A lot of people who earlier felt alone and excluded has thanks to the Internet been able to develop a healthy social life. / Den här uppsatsen grundar sig på en kvalitativ internetstudie om personer med Asperger syndroms tankar och åsikter om svårigheter som de möter i miljön utanför hemmet och erfarenheter av internet. Vi har analyserat hur internet har påverkat de med Asperger syndrom socialt, till följd av svårigheterna som de möter i andra miljöer. De konstruerade mötesplatserna i miljön utanför hemmet och den kommunikation som sker där är inte anpassad för de med diagnosen, vilket har lett till att de med Asperger syndrom har svårt att visats där. Genom att göra en innehållsanalys av material från ett diskussionsforum på internet, har vi kommit fram till att internets miljö tilltalar de med diagnosen på flera olika sätt. Flera personer som tidigare känt sig ensamma och utanför har tack vare internet kunnat utveckla en god livskvalitet.

Kunskap gällande barn och ungdomar som har olika funktionsnedsättningar är underutvecklad både i skolsituationen och i det sociala arbetet. Därmed är syftet med studien att studera hur kunskapsläget ser ut bland kuratorer respektive lärare som arbetar i särskilda klasser för elever som har Asperger syndrom. Vidare syftar studien till att granska vilka riktlinjer som finns uppsatta för kuratorer och lärare som möter ungdomar med särskilda behov samt hur ett professionellt bemötande beskrivs och tillämpas i praktiken. En kvalitativ metod har använts och studien omfattar sju intervjuer med kuratorer och lärare från två olika särskilda gymnasier. Resultatet visar att skolpersonalen lägger ett stort fokus på bemötandet av dessa elever och detta är en central del i det sociala arbetet med eleverna. För ett gynnsamt utfall hjälper inte enbart Skolverkets riktlinjer gällande hur arbetet med eleverna ska se ut. De båda verksamheterna har valt att utforma ytterligare riktlinjer för att skapa en god miljö där eleverna ska utvecklas och stärkas i sig själva. Detta arbetssätt går i linje med empowerment som tillsammans med stämplingsteorin har varit analysverktyg i studien. I diskussionen gällande vilka för- och nackdelar som finns med särskilda klasser för elever med Asperger syndrom kan ses att fördelarna väger tyngre än de nackdelar som råder. / The knowledge in children and adolescents who have various disabilities are under-developed both in school as well as in social work. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine how the state of knowledge appears among social workers and teachers working in special classes for students with Asperger syndrome. Furthermore, the study aims to examine the guidelines that are set for counselors and teachers who work with adolescents with special needs and how a professional approach is described and applied in practice. A qualitative method was used and the study includes seven interviews with counselors and teachers from two special schools. The result shows that school staff places a strong focus on treatment of these students and this is a central part in social work with adolescents. To achieve a favorable outcome for the students with Asperger syndrome not only the Agency's guidelines are helpful for work with these students. The two schools have therefor chosen to develop their own additional guidelines for creating a good environment in which students will be developed and strengthened in themselves. This approach is in line with empowerment along with labeling theory, and these two have been research tools in the study. The discussion shows that the advantages of special classes for students with Asperger syndrome outweigh the few disadvantages that exist.

One of the main diagnostic criteria for Asperger Syndrome is a severe social impairment (American Psychiatric Association [DSM-IV-TR] 2000), something that has often been connected to a more specific impairment in facial recognition. However, the main diagnostic tool (the DSM-IV-TR) has received much criticism during later years and is soon to be revised (Woodbury-Smith &amp; Volkmar 2009). Among other things, many researchers claim that the diagnosis should be complemented with a sliding scale of severity (Ring, Woodbury-Smith, Watson, Wheelright &amp; Baron-Cohen 2008). The use of facial information is central in the social interaction of humans, evident in the special patterns of visual scanning that people employ for facial stimuli (Yarbus 1967). Because of that, this symptom of Asperger Syndrome has become a high research priority. The impairment in facial recognition has been connected to a bias towards detail based processing (McPartland, Webb, Keehn &amp; Dawson 2010). A recent study also connects this to an unusually high visual acuity, which could result in a disposition to focus on small facial features. In the present study. facial stimuli were prepared to provoke memory conjunction errors. This type of memory error means that a person erroneously claims to recognize a face assembled by pieces of previously shown stimuli. If a person is more prone to do so, that would imply that he or she is more focused on details than on configural information (Danielsson 2006). Two groups were tested, one consisting of non-diagnosed adults and one of adults diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. A test for visual acuity was administered, which was followed by a series of facial recognition tasks. Responses in the latter part were given with a computer mouse, and eye fixations were recorded using a head mounted eye-tracking device. Three hypotheses were formulated. First, persons with AS were expected to perform more poorly in all facial recognition tasks. Second, persons with AS were expected to make more conjunction errors than test group subjects. Finally, persons with AS were expected to display a mean visual acuity significantly higher than that of the test group. However, no significant differences emerged between the groups in relation to either of the hypotheses, and results could not be referred to flaws in the experimental setup. Therefore, these results are taken to display the heterogeneity of the Asperger Syndrome population, and possibly the importance of early training measures to compensate for social impairments.

The purpose of this study was to investigate and analyse the consequences of being diagnosed with Asperger syndrome during adulthood. My ambition was to investigate the participants’ perspective on how the diagnosis affected their lives and relationships with their partners. To answer the purpose three questions were formulated: (1) How did the participants experience being diagnosed with Asperger syndrome? (2) What have the diagnosis meant to the participants’ self-image and self understanding? (3) Have the diagnosis influenced the participants’ understanding of their partners and have the diagnosis influenced the partners’ understanding of the participants? The study is based on qualitative interviews with two men and two women living in Stockholm, Sweden. The theoretical framework is Symbolic interactionism and Goffmans Stigma concept. The results show that the participants found the diagnosis positive because it provided an explanation and understanding of the difficulties they had experienced. In extension, the majority of the participants experienced a more positive self-image and a better understanding between themselves and their partners. Negative experiences were reported as well, mainly chock, bitterness and grief.

This study investigated the experience of humour of people with Asperger’s syndrome. It aimed to explore the lived experience of this phenomenon. A literature review was undertaken which revealed that people with Asperger’s syndrome are thought not to have a sense of humour and a number of theories are proposed to explain the difficulties that may be experienced in regard to humour. In order to gain insight into the lived experience a qualitative approach was adopted using semi structured research interviews with eight, adult, male participants. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was then used to illuminate the “insider perspective”. The analysis highlighted four main themes, the experience of difference, the experience of learning, what I find amusing and how I use humour. It was suggested that people with Asperger’s syndrome do have a sense of humour but they may need to put in extra effort to develop it. The importance of individuality and acceptance of differences was also recognised. The report highlighted a number of clinical implications such as the role humour plays in social interactions and the importance of asking questions rather than making assumptions when working with people with Asperger’s syndrome.

No description available.

The purpose with this study is to describe what individual pupils with neuropsychiatric disorders, such as Asperger syndrome and ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), think of their time in the nine-year compulsory school. The intention is to, from a social and spatial point of view elucidate their experiences, on the basis of their specific needs and the commission and the curriculum of the compulsory school. This study have a qualitative approach where I on two occasions have talked to three upper secondary school pupils with neuropsychiatric disorders about their time in the compulsory school. The work method for this study is life stories, a kind of interview that allows the pupils to speak more freely, and where the definitive question formulation appears gradually. The result shows that the pupils in many ways experience that they have been misunderstood by both teachers and other pupils, first and foremost regarding teachers not having enough knowledge about how people with Asperger syndrome think and acts. In addition, all three have experiences of being bullied. At the same time the result shows that special adjustments to the pupils’ specific needs works and is a good thing, if they are based upon knowledge and understanding. The conclusion is that genuine knowledge about neuropsychiatric disorders and the will to understand among the teachers is very important, and that adjustments of resources, demands and conditions is a good thing, and many times necessary. Many teachers do not have the adequate knowledge and the support to the students is inadequate. A proper, comprehensive and correct diagnosis is important to create knowledge of the specific individual needs. / Syftet med studien är att beskriva hur enskilda elever med neuropsykiatriska funktionsnedsättningar, i första hand Aspergers syndrom och ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), har upplevt sin tid i det obligatoriska skolväsendet. Avsikten är att ur ett socialt och ett rumsligt perspektiv belysa hur de upplevt sin skoltid, utifrån de specifika behoven och skolans uppdrag enligt Lpo94. Studien har en kvalitativ ansats där jag vid två tillfällen samtalat med tre ungdomar i gymnasieåldern med diagnostiserade neuropsykiatriska funktionsnedsättningar om deras grundskoletid. Den metod som använts för genomförandet av studien är livsberättelse, en form av intervju som tillåter den intervjuade att berätta mer fritt, och där de definitiva frågeställningarna infinner sig efter hand. Resultatet visar att eleverna på många sätt upplever att de blivit missförstådda av både lärare och andra elever, framför allt handlar det om att lärare inte haft tillräcklig kunskap om hur elever med Aspergers syndrom tänker och fungerar. Alla tre upplever dessutom att de varit utsatta för mobbing. Samtidigt visar resultatet att särskilda lösningar och anpassningar efter elevens specifika behov är bra och fungerar, om de bygger på kunskap och förståelse. Slutsatser blir att gedigen kunskap om neuropsykiatriska funktionsnedsättningar och vilja till förståelse hos personalen är mycket viktigt, och att anpassningar av resurser, krav och villkor är bra och ofta nödvändigt. Många lärare saknar tillräcklig kunskap och stödet till eleverna är bristfälligt. En ordentlig, fullständig och korrekt diagnostisering är viktigt för att skapa kunskap om de specifika individuella behoven.

Studiens syfte är att undersöka lek och samspel hos elever med diagnosen Asperger syndrom eller högfungerande autism genom att ta del av deras egna upplevelser av detta. Hur beskriver dessa elever sin lek under förskole- och skoltid? Hur beskriver de sitt samspel med andra? Vilka ställningstaganden gör eleverna för att delta eller icke delta i lekar? I litteraturgenomgången belyses olika begrepp och aspekter som är relevanta för studien såsom lekens betydelse för ett barns utveckling och lärande. Här presenteras också autismspektrumstörningar och vad dessa funktionshinder kan medföra för konsekvenser för barnet när det gäller lek och samspel. Svårigheter som gäller ömsesidig social interaktion, ömsesidig verbal och icke-verbal kommunikation samt fantasi och alla dessa områden är viktiga förutsättningar för lek och samspel. Den metodansats jag är inspirerad av är hermeneutiken. Metoden jag har använt är kvalitativ intervju och informanter är sju elever med diagnoserna Asperger syndrom och hög-fungerande autism i åldrarna 11-19 år, som alla går i specialanpassade verksamheter. Studiens resultat visar på mycket olika erfarenheter av lek och samspel. Vissa elever ger uttryck för ett avståndstagande och ett tydligt undvikande av gemensam lek, i samstämmighet med flera tidigare studier. Andra elever berättar om att de till viss del deltagit i interaktion med andra men samtidigt haft en önskan om ett större deltagande. Några elever ger uttryck för att ha deltagit mycket i olika former av låtsas-lek och älskat det.

Although a modest body of literature has emerged to investigate the experiences of youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), there is a need to better understand their experiences to guide developmentally appropriate interventions and supports. This exploratory mixed-methods project included two studies aimed at gathering information about the self-perceptions and lived experiences of adolescents with ASD. In study 1, 27 adolescents (ages 13-18) completed measures to examine their self-concept and self-perceived competence, self-awareness of ASD characteristics and behaviours, and the types of behavioural attributions and stigmatizing beliefs they ascribe to their problematic behaviours. Two comparison groups (adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and typically developing adolescents) were used for self-concept and behavioural attribution comparisons. Study 2 comprised a smaller sub-set of 13 participants who participated in interviews designed to capture how ASD is perceived and experienced by those living with this disorder. Study 1 results suggested that adolescents with ASD have some awareness of the social, behavioural and adaptive challenges associated with their diagnosis and, as a group, hold some self-perceptions of competence and behavioural attributions that are different from those of adolescents without ASD. In Study 2, interviews were analyzed thematically to capture how adolescents talk about their diagnosis and psychosocial experiences, and how this may impact their self-concept and self-image. Four major categories emerged: (1) self-awareness and understanding of ASD; (2) psychosocial stress; (3) social-ecological factors; and (4) sources of support. Together, these results provide insights about how they perceive themselves and their diagnosis and some of the individual, family, and school factors related to their self-perceptions and self-awareness. Results from both studies converge to provide support for a systems approach to understanding the interactions between adolescents, families, peers, school, community, and greater society when undertaking individual assessments of needs and treatment planning for ASD. Findings from the studies are discussed with respect to the positive and negative effects of awareness and knowledge about one’s diagnosis on self-perceptions and psychological adaptation. This research has important implications for clinical and educational interventions that address the unique needs and strengths of adolescents with ASD to promote positive developmental outcomes.