Improving Services

[dogfish]

Would any 8-21 (ish) year old with autism or asperger syndrome like to volunteer to take part in my study?

 

I would email you an information sheet and a consent form and ask you to make a video about yourself. Under 18s would need to have a parent sign the consent form to before posting (postage paid) to me.

 

I would be the only person to see the video and i would send you a list of topics you might like to talk about, i.e. Tell me about yourself, your hobbies, likes dislikes. Tell me about school, your friendships, the people that help you. Tell me how your ASD affects your school/social/home life. Tell me about any obsessions, characters you identify with, etc.

 

You can talk about one, all, or none of the topics as i want to know what is important to you. Videos can be as long or short as you want.

 

My research is aiming to impact local health, social care and education services available (or not) for people with an ASD.

 

PM me with your email address if you think you would like to take part.

 

Thank you for reading my post. Please ask any questions you might have here.

 

[dogfish]

Is there a better place to post this? And is there anything i can do to make it more appealing? Edited September 22, 2008 by dogfish

[chris54]

The idea of the video puts me off.

 

First off all I not sure about the sending a video to ??

 

Second my son would just sit there and say nothing.

 

Thirdly I have no means of making a video.

[Kathryn]

Moved this to General Discussion.

 

K x

[ScienceGeek]

I'm too old

[fiorelli]

A few things concern me.

 

I don't know who you are

I don't know what the study is for

I don't know who the study is for

I don't know the detailed aims of the study

I don't know who would see my input

I don't know how to make the video - do you provide the equipment

I don't know exactly what you want in the video - surely to get a proper study, you need questions/answers/focus on a specific area

I don't have any guaranteees as to who would see my input

I don't know who your study is overseen by

I don't know how you would get a person with an ASD to talk about themselves (sorry - I know not all people with ASD present the same, but I know my son wouldn't sit there talking to a camera about himself/his hobbies etc)

 

I am sure there are more, but I can't think of them at the minute.

[fiorelli]

Oh, and I hate it when people write in red. I consider it rude. (sorry if I offend, I know other people can read more clearly in different colours etc.) It just smacks of wanting to get noticed.

[Tally]

Of course no one should feel compelled to take part in this research, but any legitimate researcher would be willing to answer all of those questions and give more information about exactly what is required of participants. Anyone who thinks they may be interested should PM dogfish with their questions. Once she has got back to you, you can make a decision about whether to participate.

 

I don't think it's possible to read too much into a person's character or motives based on what colour they choose to write in. If one person refuses to participate in research because they are upset by the colour the researcher has chosen to write in, then it is probably no great loss to the researcher, who can put their time into other participants.

[dogfish]

Thank you for your replies.

 

I write in brown because i like brown. I use brown on another forum so i feel it is sort of part of my online persona. I'm sorry if you don't like it and i am not at all offended.

 

fiorelli, those are all very good and valid questions. I have an information sheet ready to email to anybody who is interested in finding out more. It answers most of your questions and then some.

 

I have found that many young people with an ASD are happier to make a video about themselves than to take part in a face-to-face interview. And my son, who is eleven and has autism, loves to play with the camcorder and make videos.

 

I have also found that many people with an ASD are happy to talk about what interests them.

 

[fiorelli]

Sorry if I came across as rude on my earlier post. No offence was intended. The brown looks like red on my computer, and I can't read it properly (and I was always brought up to understand that writing in red is rude.)

 

Thank you for clarifying that those questions would be answered in your information sheet.

 

fiorelli x

[dogfish]

That is very true. Writing in red was frowned upon when i were a lass too.

 

I just find it easier to spot my own posts. And i like to be a bit different. I haven't managed to get my avatar sorted yet.

 

Just for you i will change to blue.

 

[pookie170]

Hey Dogfish,

I've asked my 10 year old AS son if he'd like to partake, but he's not enamoured with his diagnosis at the moment and refused flat out. Good luck with the research though.

 

Pookie x

[fiorelli]

dogfish, please don't change it on my account, I am but 1 person in a forum of many.

 

I feel bad now.

[dogfish]

Thank you Pookie.

 

Fiorelli, don't feel bad. Feel special.

 

I'm almost finished with my research. I just need a couple more to give a deeper sense of what it is like to live with autism.

I'm wondering about telling my boy about autism, he says he has special needs so i doubt he will be bothered much, i don't know. When is the right time? Is it even necessary?

 

Is not easy being a parent. He is a good boy though.

 

Sorry, i am threadjacking my own thread.

[dogfish]

*bump*