Diagnose – til begjær eller besvær? En kvalitativ studie om opplevelse av mestring og livskvalitet etter diagnostisering av Aspergers syndrom i voksen alder.

摘要

SummaryBackground: In today’s society it is believed to be vital to have a medical diagnosis in order to confirm the need for help and support from the welfare system. Simultaneously, the medical diagnosis manuals are constantly being edited and revised, resulting in inconsistent measuring of normality and deviation.Purpose of the study: The purpose of this study has been to investigate the effects of being given an Asperger’s Syndrome diagnosis as an adult, and how this has impacted the participants’ quality of life and sense of achievement. The focus of the study is emphasised through the research questions, and is mainly concerned with the individual’s view on their own disability, whether there has been any perception of being stigmatised, and if there has been any notable changes to quality of life and sense of achievement following the diagnosis. Additionally, I have enquired about the participants’ personal experiences with the welfare system.Method: I have conducted a qualitative study, and have interviewed six people who were diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome in adulthood, and four of their family members. The participants were interviewed individually. The material was recorded, transcribed and analysed using Systematic Text Condensation, inspired by Giorgi (1985) and phenomenological method.Results: The participants have shared experiences of a welfare system with a management ideology that can put standardised systems and procedures before individually adapted support. In addition to this the participants inform of objectification and a feeling of being stigmatised in meetings with representatives from the welfare system.