This Master's thesis deals with how people with autistic disorders experience social life.
In the theoretical part, I focused on the definitions of autism and Asperger's syndrome through various theories. I also briefly described the importance of early identification of autistic disorders, working further with children and later working with adults with autistic disorders. In the last part, I focused on the characteristics of the social life of adults with autistic disorders, particularly on their education, employment, living arrangements, social relationships, and the problems that they face within these areas. I examined the prevalence of various forms of assistance for adults with autistic disorders and reviewed the Slovenian and foreign research in this field.
In the empirical part, using qualitative analysis of five semi-structured interviews I had carried out with adults with autistic disorders, I tried to get a complex insight into their social life through their own personal experiences. The results are presented in seven thematic sets: diagnosis, education, employment, living arrangements, social participation, support, and the future.
Social integration can be a problem for adults with autistic disorders as they often have a pronounced social deficit. My study confirms that social participation of adults with autistic disorders has been insufficiently researched in Slovenia and that there is plenty of space for social pedagogy to participate in it.
Abstract: This Master's thesis deals with how people with autistic disorders experience social life.
In the theoretical part, I focused on the definitions of autism and Asperger's syndrome through various theories. I also briefly described the importance of early identification of autistic disorders, working further with children and later working with adults with autistic disorders. In the last part, I focused on the characteristics of the social life of adults with autistic disorders, particularly on their education, employment, living arrangements, social relationships, and the problems that they face within these areas. I examined the prevalence of various forms of assistance for adults with autistic disorders and reviewed the Slovenian and foreign research in this field.
In the empirical part, using qualitative analysis of five semi-structured interviews I had carried out with adults with autistic disorders, I tried to get a complex insight into their social life through their own personal experiences. The results are presented in seven thematic sets: diagnosis, education, employment, living arrangements, social participation, support, and the future.
Social integration can be a problem for adults with autistic disorders as they often have a pronounced social deficit. My study confirms that social participation of adults with autistic disorders has been insufficiently researched in Slovenia and that there is plenty of space for social pedagogy to participate in it.
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