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An autoethnographic approach to understanding Asperger's syndrome: a personal exploration of self‐identity through reflexive narratives
Author(s) -
Hughes Paul
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
british journal of learning disabilities
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1468-3156
pISSN - 1354-4187
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-3156.2012.00738.x
Subject(s) - autoethnography , symbolic interactionism , reflexivity , narrative , psychology , personal identity , asperger syndrome , interactionism , identity (music) , self , social psychology , sociology , epistemology , aesthetics , developmental psychology , gender studies , autism , social science , linguistics , philosophy
Accessible Summary This article discusses how conceptual frameworks may be used to cope with Asperger's syndrome from a personal point of view. The work encourages those with Asperger's syndrome to view the self in symbolic interactionism terms in which part of the self is projected as a thought out, projected self through reflective consideration of the ‘Other’. Symbolic interactionism describes the way we act in social situations based on our interpretations of how we think others see us. Understanding the ‘self’ in symbolic interactionism terms can help us engage more effectively with the scenarios in which we find ourselves. The work makes use of autoethnography, described as using autobiographical personal experiences to explore aspects of one's own life, to reflect on (i) personal journal narratives and (ii) experiences of school communication classes to help understand the Asperger's self in social situations.Summary This article makes use of autoethnography in which I, as researcher, explore my own awareness of Asperger's syndrome and how this, in turn, has helped me deal with many day to day situations I have encountered. The work illustrates how actively engaging with one's own life story narratives can help the Asperger's learner come to terms with his or her Asperger's self. The work makes use of symbolic interactionism to construct an outward image of the self and then use this projection to play out and engage with the social situations one encounters. The article begins with a brief biographic picture of stages of my school and college journey. This places the work in context. It then discusses the autoethnography approach I use to examine aspects of myself, and how symbolic interactionism provides a framework with which to explore social action in the learning context. Examples from personal journals are used to illustrate aspects of my quest to understand the nature and essence of my Asperger's self.