"I don't feel different. But then again, I wouldn't know what it feels like to be normal": Perspectives of Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder
- PMID: 31768717
- DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-04309-1
"I don't feel different. But then again, I wouldn't know what it feels like to be normal": Perspectives of Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Abstract
There is minimal research regarding the personal experiences and perceptions of youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Yet, the positive and negative perceptions that youth internalize about their diagnoses are crucial, as they may have a strong impact on individuals' self-concept and well-being. This paper utilizes mixed methods to describe the perceptions of 38 adolescents with ASD about their diagnoses, as elicited via semi-structured interviews. Quantitative analyses explore links between youths' perceptions and other aspects of their social-emotional well-being. Implications are highlighted regarding the importance of shifting the narrative that individuals with ASD develop about themselves and their diagnoses.
Keywords: ASD diagnosis; Adolescence; Self-perceptions; Well-being.
Similar articles
-
The Self of Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Qualitative Study.J Autism Dev Disord. 2021 May;51(5):1668-1677. doi: 10.1007/s10803-020-04653-7. J Autism Dev Disord. 2021. PMID: 32839893 Free PMC article.
-
Parent- and Self-Reported Social Skills Importance in Autism Spectrum Disorder.J Autism Dev Disord. 2016 Jan;46(1):273-286. doi: 10.1007/s10803-015-2574-7. J Autism Dev Disord. 2016. PMID: 26329638
-
Web-based Assessment of Social-Emotional Skills in School-Aged Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Autism Res. 2019 Aug;12(8):1260-1271. doi: 10.1002/aur.2123. Epub 2019 May 12. Autism Res. 2019. PMID: 31081292
-
How pupils on the autism spectrum make sense of themselves in the context of their experiences in a mainstream school setting: A qualitative metasynthesis.Autism. 2019 Jan;23(1):8-28. doi: 10.1177/1362361317723836. Epub 2017 Nov 15. Autism. 2019. PMID: 29139322 Review.
-
[ADI-R and ADOS and the differential diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders: Interests, limits and openings].Encephale. 2019 Nov;45(5):441-448. doi: 10.1016/j.encep.2019.07.002. Epub 2019 Sep 5. Encephale. 2019. PMID: 31495549 Review. French.
Cited by
-
Negative first impression judgements of autistic children by non-autistic adults.Front Psychiatry. 2023 Oct 6;14:1241584. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1241584. eCollection 2023. Front Psychiatry. 2023. PMID: 37867780 Free PMC article.
-
"My Autism Is My Own": Autistic Identity and Intersectionality in the School Context.Autism Adulthood. 2022 Dec 1;4(4):315-327. doi: 10.1089/aut.2021.0087. Epub 2022 Dec 13. Autism Adulthood. 2022. PMID: 36777377 Free PMC article.
-
'Someone like-minded in a big place': Autistic young adults' attitudes towards autistic peer support in mainstream education.Autism. 2023 Jan;27(1):76-91. doi: 10.1177/13623613221081189. Epub 2022 Mar 5. Autism. 2023. PMID: 35249357 Free PMC article.
References
-
- Achenbach, T. M., & Rescorla, L. A. (2001). Manual for ASEBA school-age forms and profiles. Burlington, VT: University of Vermont, Research Center for Children, Youth, and Families.
-
- American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association. - DOI
-
- Baker, B. L., & Blacher, J. (2019). Brief report: Behavior disorders and social skills in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: Does IQ matter? Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-03954-w . - DOI - PubMed
-
- Blacher, J., Baker, B. L., & Berkovits, L. (2013). Family perspectives on child disability: Views from the sunny side of the street. In M. L. Wehmeyer (Ed.), Oxford handbook of positive psychology and disability (pp. 166–181). New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.
-
- Brechwald, W. A., & Prinstein, M. J. (2011). Beyond homophily: A decade of advances in understanding peer influence processes. Journal of Research on Adolescence,21(1), 166–179. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-7795.2010.00721.x . - DOI - PubMed - PMC
MeSH terms
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical