Group Meetings With Asperger's Syndrome

I have never been a part of a formal group meeting; however, I have participated in informal group discussions. Prior to my sibling being diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, someone within my nuclear family unit organized a family meeting that took place in the dining room. The family members sat around the circular table and addressed their concerns with his problem behavior. There were no formal procedures to guide the conversation but instead family members would interject when they felt inclined to do so.

My father assumed the facilitator role and informally greeted the group and provided us with an overview of the purpose of the meeting. My eldest brother assumed the internal leader role and would support my father when needed. If the group discussion started to get heated, and the facilitator was unusual in his attempts to redirect and calm the group, the internal leader would interject. My youngest brother, was passive and expressed mixed emotions about participating. He would use sarcasm which visually bothered the other members of the group who expressed genuine interest in being there. I was an adolescent at this time and had a very challenging time understanding my brother’s ongoing problem behavior. When the meeting began I assumed the quiet member role. I was feeling anxious and overwhelmed which lead me to select this role. I assume the other group members did bot take offence to my quiet behavior because of my age. …show more content…
When participating in informal group meetings with family members, the role I assume changes depending on the people involved and the topic being addressed. If the majority of my family wants to meet to discuss something that is concerning to them, I would participate, however I may assume the gatekeeper role because of having mixed emotions. In other group meetings I may assume the monopolizer role if I feel