Experiencing life by a man with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

The author undertakes a phenomenological analysis of Fritz Schütze's biographical narrative in- terview with the identification of Aron Gurwitsch/s thematic fields in order to find answers to the questions of what impact early experiences in the area of social interaction had on the course of life, and how the diagnosis of Asperger syndrome affected the trajectory of the Narrator's life. Method: The analysis of the biographical narrative interview of F. Schütz, conducted with a person with Asperger syndrome, whose diagnosis was made in adulthood, was based on the theory of thematic fields of A. Gurwitsch.
Conclusions: the analysis of the collected material revealed a deterministic narrative in the forming identity of the Narrator. Obtained in adulthood, as it were, on the occasion of the diagnostic process of the Narrator's son was a turning point in biography, and provided the impetus for self- reflection, so the analysis of the narrative in this case was an analysis of the life trajectory.
The diagnosis was a turning point in the narrative, as it redefined the Narrator's perception of his experiences and of himself, and influenced his coping strategies, enabling the Narrator to manage his challenges more consciously. There was a clear correspondence between the narrated life and the lived life where the adaptive strategies developed and used by the Narrator in everyday life were revealed.