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Muraškaitė I, Žardeckaitė-Matulaitienė K. The effect of autism phenotype and diagnosis disclosure on students' desire for social distance from autistic peers. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2024:13623613241230128. [PMID: 38411107 DOI: 10.1177/13623613241230128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Autistic students experience loneliness, rejection from peers, which might negatively affect both their well-being, as well as academic results. Others have studied this topic, however, the existing research does not analyze the desire for social distance from autistic female students in higher education. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether the way autism is expressed and disclosing the autism diagnosis had an effect on students' willingness to interact with autistic male and female students. We also analyzed participants' knowledge about autism, contact with autistic people in the past and its pleasantness in relation to their willingness to interact with autistic students described in the scenarios of the present study. We found that students were less willing to interact with autistic male students compared to autistic female students, as well as with autistic students whose diagnosis was not disclosed compared to autistic students whose diagnosis was disclosed to the raters. In addition, students who reported more pleasant contact with autistic individuals in the past were more willing to socially interact with autistic students if their diagnosis was disclosed. Students with higher knowledge of autism expressed greater willingness to interact with autistic males and autistic students regardless of diagnosis disclosure. Findings suggest that autistic males and individuals who prefer not to disclose their diagnosis are more vulnerable to social exclusion. More subtle expressions of autism need to be researched further.
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Kim SY, Gillespie-Lynch K. Do Autistic People's Support Needs and Non-Autistic People's Support for the Neurodiversity Movement Contribute to Heightened Autism Stigma in South Korea vs. the US? J Autism Dev Disord 2023; 53:4199-4213. [PMID: 36071317 PMCID: PMC9450814 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05739-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We examined stigma towards vignette characters representing diverse autistic characteristics (social, non-speaking, or repetitive interests or restricted behaviors; RIRB) among 259 South Korean and 240 American participants (age range = 18 ~ 74). Within each domain, participants were randomized to read a vignette depicting low or high support needs. Koreans reported greater stigma towards autistic characteristics and less awareness of and support for the neurodiversity movement than Americans. Autistic characters' support needs and rater characteristics (autism knowledge, neurodiversity endorsement, and contact quantity) predicted stigma in at least one domain, and after accounting for these variables, participants' nationality was suggestively associated only with stigma towards social characteristics and RIRB. Findings highlight the need for culturally adapted-training that provides contact with diverse autistic people.
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Affiliation(s)
- So Yoon Kim
- Department of Teacher Education, Duksung Women's University, 33, Samyang-ro 144-gil, Dobong-gu, Seoul, 01369, Republic of Korea.
| | - Kristen Gillespie-Lynch
- Department of Psychology, College of Staten Island, Staten Island, 2800 Victory Blvd, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA
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Mason D, Acland J, Stark E, Happé F, Spain D. Compassion-focused therapy with autistic adults. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1267968. [PMID: 37965655 PMCID: PMC10641016 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1267968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Some autistic adults experience repeated adverse events, including rejection, victimization and stigmatization. They also describe others being critical and negatively judging them, such as for how they socially interact or for expressing passion for particular interests. The impact of these adverse events can be substantial, including increasing vulnerability for poorer mental health, and contributing to development of negative self beliefs (such as "I am different" or "I do not fit in") and shame-based difficulties. Not all evidence-based psychological therapies are well-received by autistic people, or effective. Given high rates of self-harm and suicidality, finding acceptable and effective therapies for autistic adults is paramount. Here, writing as autistic and non-autistic clinicians and researchers, we outline the theoretical principles of compassion-focused theory and therapy (CFT). We propose that: (1) compassion-focused theory can provide a useful framework for conceptualizing shame-based difficulties some autistic adults experience; (2) CFT can be appropriate for addressing these; and (3) there is an impetus for practitioners to adopt compassion-focused approaches when supporting autistic adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Mason
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - James Acland
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Eloise Stark
- Oxford Institute of Clinical Psychology Training and Research, Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing, Stoke House, Linacre College, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Francesca Happé
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Debbie Spain
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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Dwyer P, Mineo E, Mifsud K, Lindholm C, Gurba A, Waisman T. Building Neurodiversity-Inclusive Postsecondary Campuses: Recommendations for Leaders in Higher Education. AUTISM IN ADULTHOOD 2023; 5:1-14. [PMID: 36941859 PMCID: PMC10024274 DOI: 10.1089/aut.2021.0042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Dwyer
- Center for Mind and Brain, UC Davis, Davis, California, USA
- Department of Psychology, UC Davis, Davis, California, USA
- Address correspondence to: Patrick Dwyer, MA, PhD Candidate, Center for Mind and Brain, UC Davis, 267 Cousteau Place, Davis, CA 95618, USA
| | - Erica Mineo
- College of Biological Sciences, UC Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Kristin Mifsud
- Department of Political Science, UC Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | | | - Ava Gurba
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - T.C. Waisman
- Adapt Coaching & Training, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Waisman TC, Williams ZJ, Cage E, Santhanam SP, Magiati I, Dwyer P, Stockwell KM, Kofner B, Brown H, Davidson D, Herrell J, Shore SM, Caudel D, Gurbuz E, Gillespie-Lynch K. Learning from the experts: Evaluating a participatory autism and universal design training for university educators. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2023; 27:356-370. [PMID: 35652315 DOI: 10.1177/13623613221097207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Autistic university students have many strengths. They also go through difficulties that professors may not understand. Professors may not understand what college life is like for autistic students. They might judge autistic students. A team of autistic and non-autistic researchers made a training to help professors understand autistic students better. This training also gave professors ideas to help them teach all of their students. Ninety-eight professors did an online survey before the autism training. They shared how they felt about autism and teaching. Before our training, professors who knew more about autism appreciated autism more. Professors who thought people should be equal and women also appreciated autism more. Then, 89 of the professors did our training and another survey after the training. This helped us see what they learned from the training. They did one more survey a month later. This helped us see what they remembered. Our training helped professors understand and value autism. It also helped them understand how they can teach all students better. The professors remembered a lot of what we taught them. This study shows that a training that autistic people helped make can help professors understand their autistic students better.
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