中年輕症自閉症男性的成長境遇與自我調適

Growth process and self-adjustment of two middle-aged fathers with autism spectrum disorder

在沒有特殊教育支持的年代，輕症自閉症者一路的成長境遇如何？本研究聚焦於中年輕症自閉症男性的成長，整體性地揭示其成長境遇與歷程中的自我調適。本研究招募兩位擁有工作、已組成家庭且育有輕症自閉症青少年的自閉症父親，實施七至八次深度訪談，並以現象學方法分析訪談逐字稿，以進行現象的還原並獲得研究對象的結構性描述。研究結果指出，文凱與梧朗共同置身在社交人際的困頓裡，尋不得相處之道，其所面臨更勝於一般人的學習困境、職場緊繃與壓抑，並置身家庭的極端處境。自我調適方面，兩人在學習與家庭面向呈現出不同的策略，在人際與自我面向均顯現相同與相異的策略，從本質結構比較發現，文凱以「認知調適」為主要，認知調整未足以在下回自動化展現合宜的行動；而梧朗是「行為似調適但認知不易調整」，行動上他能做出稍得體的表現，但處事觀點依舊埋藏很多的不認同。兩者即使優勢能力鮮明，卻都在學校場域中面臨早期的挫敗且難以順利升學，在成人期均持續透過認知調整改善社交技巧。然而，調適需視各方的調整配合而定，因此文凱與梧朗在不同場域得到不同的適應品質。兩人在自我調適中均呈現認知調適與行為調適的斷裂，此與其不易卸下堅持、讀心能力不足及行為表現困難有關。除了回答研究問題外，本研究提出反思與建議，對大眾倡議同時也有助於實務工作者進行教育訓練之參考。

Purpose: This study examined how individuals with mild autism spectrum disorder (ASD) developed in the years before special education was commonly provided. In particular, it explored the development of middle-aged fathers with mild autism spectrum disorder to determine their growth process and self-adjustment. Methods: Two fathers with mild autism spectrum disorder were recruited; they both had experience of working, supporting a family, and fathering adolescents with autism. Seven to eight in-depth interviews were held with the participants. The interview transcriptions were then analyzed through a method of phenomenological interpretation research to restore the phenomenon and obtain a structural description of the growth process and self-adjustment of the participants. Results/Findings: It indicated that both Wen-Kai and Wu-Lang were exposed to social interpersonal difficulties and found interpersonal relationships difficult to maintain, leading to learning difficulties, above average workplace tension and depression, and exposure to the extreme challenge situation of the family. The two participants presented different strategies for self-adjustment in both learning and family aspects, and they presented some identical and some different strategies for self-adjustment in both interpersonal aspects and that regarding coexistence with mild autism. In terms of the essential structure of his self-adjustment, Wen-Kai was found to exhibit “cognition accommodation” in certain social situations, but his cognition adjustment was insufficient for acting appropriately in subsequent situations. Wu-Lang’s behavior seemed to exhibite adjustment, but his cognition found it difficult to adjust. His actions therefore were a little bit of socially appropriate, but his point of view had a lot of disagreement about the thinking of the normal person. Conclusions/ Implications: Even though both men had significant and advantageous skills, they faced with an early defeat and experienced difficultly in successfully progressing to the next academic stage at school. Both managed to improve their social skills through cognitive adjustment in adulthood. However, the adjustment process depended on all parties interacting with each other; therefore, Wen-Kai and Wu-Lang experienced varying levels of adjustment quality in different areas. They also exhibited a fracture in the cognitive adjustment and behavioral adjustment of their self-adjustment processes, which was linked with difficulty removing persistence , a lack of the ability to read minds of others, and difficulty in behaving appropriately. In addition to answering the research questions, this paper poses topics for discussion and suggestions: The advocacy to the public should be enhanced, and guidelines for practitioners should be developed for educating and training patients with autism spectrum disorder.