Björnkram eller björntjänst? Möjligheter för personer med neuropsykiatriska funktionshinder att känna och uttrycka inflytande i insatser med avsikt att bidra till deras delaktighet i samhället.
Asperger syndromNeuropsykiatriska funktionshinderBrukarinflytandeDelaktighetInflytandeSocial sciencesSamhällsvetenskaperPsychologyPsykologiPedagogy and didacticsPedagogikDidaktikSocial Sciences
In Sweden there are laws and recommendations from The National Board of Health and Welfare about the importance of a user's involvement in and possibility of influencing services directed at them. Even with such good intentions the same board reports that it is hard to know if people experience that they do. The purpose of my study was to examine how professionals can use their knowledge to help users increase their sense of influence in services that they use. My focus has been on adults with neuropsychiatric disabilities within the autistic spectra, such as Asperger syndrome, and on the professionals working with them. The specific problem among people with neuropsychiatric disabilities is a lack of social skills. They commonly have normal or above normal intelligence and may be very skilled in specific areas. However, their brains lack executive functions, such as bringing structure and organization to their daily life. With such problems it has shown difficult to function in everyday society and thus they often require much help. My starting point, as well as the legislators in Sweden, was that all people have the right to master their own life and live it meaningfully. It is based in a theory by Aaron Antonovsky (1991/2005) presenting the concept SOC - Sense of Coherence: The higher sense of coherence the higher the wellbeing. I have further this idea with a framework extending the importance of social interaction as presented by Paul Spicker (2000) and principles of autonomy discussed by Bo Rothstein (1994). My reading of articles and books in subjects dealing with Asperger syndrome, autism, pedagogics, empowerment and user involvement, resulted in a picture of how work with persons with neuropsychiatric disabilities made them feel more involved and able to affect their services. Most of my chosen articles and books are written by researchers in the particular area of understanding, people with Asperger syndrome, and by professionals in different areas working with people with Asperger syndrome. As a complement to the literature and to illustrate how theory is used in real life interviews were made with four professionals working with neuropsychiatric disabilities among adults within the same organization in Helsingborg, Sweden.The literature studies as well as the first interview revealed three parameters that seem important in how the users experience their possibilities to influence the services, hence they are important in the work of increasing the feeling of involvement and influence among users. These three parameters are: 1) The importance of conversations (between professionals and users) on equal terms; 2) The procurement of structure by making a schedule; 3) The user ability to choose between different alternatives. Further it was possible to put a pedagogical aspect to these parameters. The model is specifically designed to be used in work with people with autism and similar problems and derive from the Division TEACCH-program from North Carolina, U.S.A. The other three interviews were focused on what is done to make people with Asperger syndrome feel involved and able to influence their lives. A new aspect was then added about how they experience social relations and what is done to help them maintain relationships and be part of society. The results were promising within the organization I've been in contact with.