Παρέμβαση κοινωνικοποίησης ενός παιδιού με αυτισμό στο γενικό σχολείο.

Abstract

The autistic spectrum disorders  are neurodevelopmental disorders that affect people’s  social and communicative interactions with other individuals, while at the same time, cause rigid behavior towards their social environment. Children with autism have cognitive and emotional dysfunctions that negatively affect their social relationships. They can not  understand others’ opinions, they can not understand social and emotional references, and therefore, they  can not evolve their social transactions. Interactions, however, among peers  are an important social experience for children and adolescents, and often lead to stable, mutual and emotional friendships. Surveys have shown that, although children in the autism spectrum show serious deficiencies in their social skills, they desire social relationships and recognize the feeling of loneliness more often than the children of typical development. Through their personal references, the importance of social relationships has been highlighted. Some children with autism want a friend, but avoid relationships with their peers because such kind of relationships require common interests and social skills that they do not possess. Taking into account the research that highlights the desire of children with autism to have a friend but their inability to acquire one, due to their malfunctions, as a result of their diffuse developmental disabilities, this case study aims to improve the social relations of a second – grade student with autism.  The method that was used  is an  intervention  to this particular student. We created a  social story about making friends and taking initiatives concerning social relations, that was written especially for his needs. Sociograms were given before and after the intervention in order to calculate the improvement that will occur to the student. The present study aims to improve this boy's social relationships with his peers, and then, to further improve the quality of his life and mental health, as far as possible. In conclusion, the provision of social history and the observation keys,  that were completed during the school break, made it clear that the student's social relations had improved. The student's   second exposure to social history is recommended   by the end of the school year to see if the results of the intervention are of a lengthy duration and if not, what changes should be made to the intervention so that its results become lasting.