Exploring the Experience of Adolescents with High-Functioning Autism

• Main Authors: Huang, Jyun-Dai, 黃君代
• Other Authors: Lin, Yi-Chen
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/10979512142170787800

碩士 === 中臺科技大學 === 護理系碩士班 === 102 === The aim of this study is to investigate the experience of high-functioning autistic adolescents.This was done by using purposive sampling method in a Hospital Specialist School of Children and Adolescents Psychiatric Outpatient in the center of Taiwan. The one-on-one in-depth interviews were conducted to the subjects aged between 16 and 19 and diagnosed with high functioning autism cases.The data of verbal and non-verbal behaviors for the cases were collected using digital voice recorder and by taking notes. There were a total of seven high-functioning autism cases when the data collected reached saturation. The data were analyzed using Tesch data analysis method. This study consists of three themes and seven sub-themes, namely(a) inner self-world:self-mental state, hself-behavior performance(b)hopes and difficulties of interpersonal relationship: senses from interpersonal relationship, feelings of others’ interaction; (c)Adaptability and adjustability:self-protecting reaction, controlling on pressure, direct actions. The following recommendations were made based on the findings of this study:(a) First was clinical care to enhance the training of nurses on the assessment and screening of autism-related knowledge and skills. In pediatric routine health checks, nurses should help in early detection and early ntervention to implement early intervention policies and facilitate future growth and development in teenage life.(b) Second was health policies in healthcare institutions and government agencies, which should join with special education teachers or hire special education teachers in order to provide more comprehensive, complete, diverse, and effective evaluation and treatment by providing integrated education to students who cannot participate in class, thereby obtaining the relevant enrollment record.(c) Third was education, whereby education institutions should set up a curriculum transferring system between schools, such as immediate early intervention to help students to adapt to schools, implement a school autistic youth counseling system, provide regular psychological counseling, and achieve a positive common understanding between parents and mentors, and assign counselors for regular tracking to understand and grasp the students’ psychological states to prevent depression and self-harm behavior. (d) Fourth was research.For difficulties faced in adult life and job application, we focused on further exploration and tried to help these adolescents to live independently in the community. Hopefully through the results of experience of high-functioning autistic teens in this study, reference for clinical studies, educational decision making, other researches, policy making, and other levels of intellectual applications may be provided.