Social status of pupils with Asperger syndrome in elementary school

Osebe z Aspergerjevim sindromom strokovnjakom še danes predstavljajo eno veliko uganko. Čeprav je o Aspergerjevem sindromu napisane že kar nekaj literature, se strokovnjaki še vedno poglabljajo v to motnjo. Preučiti in ugotoviti želijo, katera področja, spretnosti so pri osebah z Aspergerjevim sindromom bolje razvita, katera manj, poskušajo pa razumeti tudi kakšno je njihovo delovanje v vsakodnevnem življenju in kakšne medsebojne odnose so sposobni vzpostaviti. V teoretičnem delu diplomske naloge sta najprej razložena pojem integracije in pojem inkluzije, sledi zakonska podlaga v vzgoji in izobraževanju za otroke s posebnimi potrebami v Republiki Sloveniji, nato je predstavljena sama definicija, kaj Aspergerjev sindrom je, vzroki za nastanek te motnje, značilnosti in razvoj otrok z Aspergerjevim sindromom ter sama obravnava teh otrok. Na koncu tega dela so predstavljeni še različni položaji, ki jih učenci zasedajo znotraj razredov ter metoda s katero ugotavljamo te položaje, podani pa so tudi predlogi, kako nuditi pomoč socialno nespretnim učencem. V empiričnem delu je najprej zajeta analiza sociometrične preizkušnje, nato pa analiza rezultatov pridobljenih s strukturiranim intervjujem. Analiza dobljenih rezultatov sociometrične preizkušnje je pokazala, da večina učencev z Aspergerjevim sindromom znotraj razredov zaseda precej slabše položaje, kot pa njihovi vrstniki, kar posledično vodi do tega, da se sošolci raje izogibajo učencev z omenjeno motnjo, jih zavračajo in prezirajo. Na te rezultate se navezujejo še rezultati pridobljeni pri strukturiranem intervjuju, kjer se je izkazalo, da učenci z Aspergerjevim sindromom sami ocenjujejo, da imajo veliko prijateljev, da se v njihovi družbi zelo dobro počutijo, da se z njimi pogostokrat srečujejo, pa ne samo v šoli pri pouku, ampak tudi pri šolskih in zunajšolskih dejavnostih ter na rojstnodnevnih zabavah. Pri vsem tem je zanimivo to, da se pridobljeni rezultati pri sociometrični preizkušnji in strukturiranem intervjuju med seboj ne dopolnjujejo in ujemajo najbolje, ampak so si v nasprotju s pričakovanim.People with Asperger syndrome still represent quite a puzzle to experts today. Although a lot of literature is written about Asperger syndrome, the experts are still looking into this disorder. They want to examine and determine, what areas and skills are better developed in people with Asperger syndrome and which are less. They also try to understand how the people with Asperger syndrome function in everyday life and what relationships they are able to establish. The theoretical part of the thesis first explains the concept of integration and the concept of inclusion, following the legal basis for education of children with special needs in Slovenia, after which the definition of Asperger syndrome is presented, causes of the development of this disorder, the characteristics and development of children with Asperger syndrome and the treatment of these children. At the end of this thesis, different positions occupied by pupils within each class are presented, and the method by which we establish these status, including suggestions on how to assist the socially challenged pupils. The empirical part has included analysis of sociometric tests and the analysis of the results obtained through a structured interview. Analysis of the results obtained by sociometric tests showed that the majority of pupils with Asperger Syndrome within classes occupy positions much worse than their peers, which leads to aversion by the classmates towards pupils with the disorder, they reject and despise them. These results relate to the results obtained in a structured interview, where it has been shown that children with Asperger syndrome by themselves believe that they have many friends, that they feel very well in their company, that they often meet them, not only in school or in the classroom, but also at school activities, at other extracurricular activities and at birthday parties. All in all, it is interesting that the results obtained in sociometric tests and in the structured interview do not mutually complement and match very well, but are the opposite of what was expected