Befrienders to Persons in the Autistic Spectrum in Greece: What Support Do They Offer and What Challenges They Face?

Autor/inn/en	Mavropoulou, Sophia; Avramidis, Elias
Titel	Befrienders to Persons in the Autistic Spectrum in Greece: What Support Do They Offer and What Challenges They Face?
Quelle	In: European Journal of Special Needs Education, 27 (2012) 3, S.337-353 (17 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0885-6257
DOI	10.1080/08856257.2012.691230
Schlagwörter	Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Family (Sociological Unit); Social Support Groups; Autism; Semi Structured Interviews; Interpersonal Relationship; Interaction; Foreign Countries; Content Analysis; Volunteers; Diaries; Friendship; Leisure Time; Greece + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Familie; Social support; Soziale Unterstützung; Autismus; Interpersonal relation; Interpersonal relations; Interpersonelle Beziehung; Zwischenmenschliche Beziehung; Interaktion; Ausland; Inhaltsanalyse; Freiwilliger; Diary; Tagebuch; Freundschaft; Freizeit; Griechenland
Abstract	The aim of this research was to examine the type of activities as well as the challenges faced by befrienders supporting persons with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Twenty-nine volunteers befriending an equal number of families with children with ASD participated in this study. Content analysis was applied on visit logs (n = 465) completed by befrienders during a nine month period, supplemented by thematically analysed evidence derived from semi-structured interviews with befrienders at the end of their volunteering experience. In agreement with our expectations, findings indicate a variation in the type, number and location of activities as well as the challenges of befrienders, depending on the level of ability of persons with ASD. Befrienders in both groups were mostly involved in leisure activities, had greater social interaction with the high functioning autistic group and carried out more structured 1:1 activities with individuals with low functioning autism. Interestingly, befrienders in both groups did not differ significantly on their reported challenges. The implications of this befriending service as a means of social support for families with persons with ASD are discussed. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10