Perceptions of School by Two Teenage Boys with Asperger Syndrome and their Mothers: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

This qualitative study aimed to develop an understanding of the challenges faced by teenage boys with Asperger syndrome and their mothers. A case study approach was used to collect data from two 13-year-old boys who have Asperger syndrome and their mothers in Queensland, Australia. Data were collected through the use of semistructured interviews. The words of the boys and their mothers provide a valuable insight into the personal experiences and feelings of the participants. An inductive approach to data analysis identified four themes: (1) developmental differences; (2) problems associated with the general characteristics of Asperger syndrome (i.e. communication and social difficulties, restricted range of interests, a need for routine); (3) stress; and (4) 'masquerading'. The first three themes relate strongly to the current literature, but the emergence of masquerading is of particular interest in developing a fuller understanding of the experiences of individuals with Asperger syndrome at school.

Anorexia nervosa and autism spectrum disorders: Guided investigation of social cognitive endophenotypes.

“…As described in the DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association, 1994), insistence on sameness is defined as the "apparent inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals" (p. 71). This behavioral rigidity has been described across multiple areas of functioning including daily routines (Carrington & Graham, 2001), food type and texture (Ahearn, Castine, Nault, & Green, 2001;Schreck, Williams, & Smith, 2004;Williams et al, 2000), and environmental features (Greaves, Prince, Evans, & Charman, 2006). In parents, more subtle expressions of this feature have been described (Piven et al, 1997).…”

‘I am who I am’: Reputation concerns in adolescents on the autism spectrum

“…Qualitative methods can provide a deeper understanding of reputation in autism from the perspective of autistic individuals themselves (Bölte, 2014), and highlight previously unconsidered explanations of reputation in autism in order to inform future experimental work. Qualitative methods can also empower individuals whose voices often go unheard (Carrington & Graham, 2001) -and adolescent autistic voices are all too often unheard in autism research (Pellicano, Dinsmore & Charman, 2014). Our previous quantitative work on reputation management (Cage et al, 2013) could not easily be explained by behavioural paradigms alone -suggesting that qualitative research can tell a story that cannot be told alone by numbers (Brown & Lloyd, 2001).…”

The perceptions and experiences of adolescent boys with autism spectrum disorder: A personal construct psychology perspective

“…Following ethical standards for research with children, written consent was obtained from the participants and their parents. An interview guide was developed based on a review of relevant interview guides (Benderix & Sivberg, 2007;Carrington & Graham, 2001;Mascha & Boucher, 2006;Vliem, 2009) and through multiple discussions among the research team. Based on research recommendations (Cridland, Jones, Caputi, & Magee, 2015), the interview guide was pilot tested on one family with an adolescent family member with ASD.…”

“…(4) Monitoring, and where necessary intervention, for mental health issues is also imperative for adolescents with ASD (Kim, Szatmari, Bryson, Streiner, & Wilson, 2000). Early warning signs for anxious or depressive symptomology in adolescents with ASD may include disorganisation, inattentiveness, decreased stress threshold, fatigue, and disinterest in hobbies and pleasurable activities (Carrington & Graham, 2001). (5) The influence of the school environment on the wellbeing of adolescents with ASD must not be underestimated.…”

“…Transitioning to secondary school is another significant change for adolescents involving management of complex routines, increased student population, increased academic workload and expectations, more varied and complex subjects and assignments, and exposure to a greater number of teachers (Adreon & Stella, 2001;Carrington & Graham, 2001;Poon et al, 2014). Adjusting to these broad-ranging changes can result in vulnerability to stress, anxiety, and other emotional issues for many adolescents (Myles & Simpson, 2003).…”