Characters with autism spectrum disorder in fiction: where are the women and girls?

Digital trends in autism: a scoping review exploring coverage of autism across YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook

Autism continues to be a leading neurodevelopmental disorder across adult and pediatric populations that transcends racial, ethnic, age, and socioeconomic groups worldwide. Autism care and treatment also exerts immense costs on the healthcare system and lost productivity which are partly attributed to the existing resource limitations globally. Organizations, campaigns, and policies exist worldwide in increasing equity and accessibility of resources and services to individuals with autism. In the context of our digital era, a wealth of information is also more readily available on autism through electronic communication including social media platforms. As YouTube, Twitter and Facebook are ever-growing and among the leading social media platforms in contemporary times, examination of content covered on autism across these communication mediums is timely and warranted. This review consolidates findings from 32 sources on the sources, formats, and nature of content covered on YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook pertaining to a wealth of dimensions surrounding autism. Strengths and limitations of the studies and endeavors are presented. Implications for future campaign development, health equity, health policy, neurodiversity, and patient care are also delineated. Lastly, recommendations for future research and practice are discussed which present directions for tapping into the potential of YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook as health communication mediums across the ever-changing autism landscape.

Short report: Autistic adults' recommendations on how to improve autistic portrayals in TV-series and movies

BACKGROUND

TV-series and movies are important sources of knowledge about autism for the general public.

AIMS

This study's purpose was to elicit autistic adults' opinions on portrayals of autistic characters in film and television productions and how this can be improved.

METHODS AND PROCEDURE

In this study, we examined the recommendations of autistic adults (n = 798, M_age = 30.3, 48% female) and non-autistic adults (n = 1463, M_age = 35.0, 62% female) from 90 countries on how film and television productions can improve autistic portrayals.

OUTCOMES AND RESULTS

Autistic adults rated three improvement factors as most important: (1) Appointing autistic writers, (2) Having an autistic consultant, and (3) Representing greater diversity in autistic characters. Compared to the non-autistic groups, autistic adults rated "Appointing autistic writers" as more important. Autistic participants also endorsed "Having an autism-expert consultant" and "Making the character display all relevant diagnostic criteria" significantly less than non-autistic groups.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Participants strongly endorsed that autistic adults should to a much larger extent be included as writers, consultants and actors to enhance the making of autistic characters in film and TV.

Portrayals of autism and social awareness: a scoping review

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to look at recent trends in scientific literature on the portrayal of autism in published and broadcast media and social awareness of the subject.

Design/methodology/approach

A bibliometric analysis of content of such publications was performed.

Findings

Results show that portrayals of autism from books, newspapers, news broadcasts, films and TV series are being scrutinized. Research focuses on the social categories of resulting stereotypes, the quality of such depictions, the benefits and downsides, stigmatization of individuals (with autism) and how society responds to these portrayals.

Originality/value

It is important to understand if media portrayals of autism are creating a realistic and constructive awareness of autism in society.

A Review of Research Studying Film and Television Representations of ASD

An increasing number of characters with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are appearing in film and television, leading to increased public perceptions of ASD. This review examined the current state of research focused on ASD representations in film and television, and the extent to which characterizations of ASD have been studied. Eighty-seven characters with ASD were discussed across the 26 articles. Characters were culturally and linguistically diverse, and portrayals of ASD appear to be moving away from typical disability-tropes. Researchers studying ASD portrayals were also culturally and academically diverse, with the majority representing fields outside of traditional ASD research disciplines. Connecting diverse methodological procedures may be a useful next-step to enhance empirical studies of ASD representations.

The presentation, recognition and diagnosis of autism in women and girls

Purpose

Autistic women and girls have received comparatively less attention within clinical practice and research. Research suggests women tend to be diagnosed later than men, and are more likely to experience misdiagnosis.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper aims to report a narrative literature review that examines research on the presentation, recognition, and diagnosis of autistic women and girls.

Findings

Findings suggest that autistic females present differently to males and highlight low recognition of the female presentation of autism among the general public, in social spheres, educational, clinical and forensic settings. This lack of recognition appears to affect the likelihood of females being referred for diagnosis, the reliability of diagnostic assessments and subsequent access to support.

Originality/value

Recommendations for clinical practice focus on initiatives to increase awareness of the female presentation of autism, improving the diagnostic process for females, increasing female representation within autism training and for future research to support these goals.

Images of relationships and emotions: A theoretically informed grounded theory approach to storybooks with youth characters with intellectual disability

This study aims to understand how Swedish storybooks targeting youth portray, the relationships (social capital) and emotions of characters with intellectual disability. A collection of 37 storybooks were analysed using grounded theory. The results suggest that romantic relationships dominate in the storybooks. In the portrayal of romantic relationships, sexuality had a prominent role for the characters with intellectual disability. Work relationships were portrayed as fulfilling and joyful, and family relationships as plentiful and secure. The characters with intellectual disability felt secure at home, almost as a safe haven. Romantic relationships were described as exciting and filled with curiosity. At work, the characters with intellectual disability felt joy and a sense of belonging, and the family invoked a sense of security. Negative emotions had a less prominent role in the stories. The study concludes a strong relationship between social capital and emotions in the storybooks.

Public attitudes to people with ASD: contact, knowledge and ethnicity

Purpose

The increase in autism prevalence and presentation in the media suggests a rise in public awareness. This paper aims to explore what factors (contact, knowledge and ethnicity) may be associated to positive attitudes towards individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey examined contact with and knowledge of ASD among Black, Asian and White ethnic groups to predict public attitudes to people with ASD.

Findings

In multiple regression models, the results suggested that the level of contact predicts positive attitudes towards autism when demographic factors were accounted. The level of knowledge about autism were significantly associated to attitudes, but not consistently when demographic factors were accounted. However, differences in knowledge and attitudes to people with ASD were identified amongst Black, Asian and White ethnic groups.

Research limitations/implications

These findings have implications for policy and public health and education campaigns, including ensuring contact and knowledge of autism among the public.

Originality/value

These findings have implications for policy and public health and education campaigns, including ensuring contact and knowledge of autism among the public. Additionally, further effort is required to target public knowledge and attitudes to autism, particularly among ethnic groups. Institutional support tailored to encourage structured and unstructured contact across public domains such as education, health, social and care practices could effectively reduce prejudice between the public and people with ASD over time.

Autism identification across ethnic groups: a narrative review

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to review autism identification across different ethnic groups. Diagnosis of autism may be missed or delayed in certain ethnic groups, leading to such groups being underserved relative to their needs. This can result in members of such groups being effectively denied essential avenues of support that can substantially improve the quality of life of autistic persons as well as those whom care for them.

Design/methodology/approach

A literature search for articles reporting autism identification across ethnic groups was undertaken. Data are compared, with a special focus on possible explanations for any inter-group variation.

Findings

Autism identification appears to be generally lower in minority ethnic groups relative to the majority population. Individuals presenting with autism from minority groups appear to have more severe forms of the condition.

Originality/value

There are a multitude of potential explanations for inter-ethnicity variation in autism identification, including health care-related factors, broader environmental influences, cultural factors and possible biological differences. Implications for clinical practice and public health include a need to look at means of ensuring equitable access to relevant autism diagnostic and support services across ethnic groups. Further work is required to better understand the belief systems that operate within specific ethnic groups, how this may potentially impact upon autism identification and measures to address the concerns of such groups.