Brief report: Does autistic community connectedness moderate the relationship between masking and wellbeing?

Background: Masking or camouflaging involves blending in or covering a stigmatised identity, to avoid discrimination and ‘pass’ within society. Autistic people often report masking, both intentionally and unintentionally, to get by in social situations. Autistic people who report high rates of masking also tend to experience poorer mental health. It is important we understand whether there are variables which can protect against the negative effects of masking. One such potential variable is autistic community connectedness – being part of and belonging to the autistic community. Past research suggests autistic people benefit from being socially connected to other autistic people. We investigated whether autistic community connectedness could moderate the relationship between masking and wellbeing.Methods: One hundred and ninety-six autistic people completed an online survey including measures of autistic community connectedness, camouflaging autistic traits and mental wellbeing. We used moderation regression analysis to test whether autistic community connectedness acted as a buffer between masking and wellbeing.Results: Higher self-reported masking related to poorer mental wellbeing. Higher autistic community connectedness related to more positive wellbeing. Higher autistic community connectedness correlated with more masking. However, there was no interaction effect, and autistic community connectedness did not moderate the relationship between masking and wellbeing. Conclusions: Although autistic community connectedness did relate to more positive mental wellbeing overall, it did not moderate the negative relationship between masking and wellbeing. If masking relates to the prejudice faced by autistic people, those with greater attachment to the autistic community may also be more aware of discrimination against their community. Further, autistic people who are more connected might experience a higher salience of masking when moving between autistic and non-autistic settings. Tackling prejudice towards autistic people is critical in helping to protect autistic people against masking, and we must endeavour to change perceptions and increase inclusion of autistic people.

Neurodiversity and Autism Intervention: Reconciling Perspectives Through a Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention Framework

Proponents of autism intervention and those of the neurodiversity movement often appear at odds, the former advocating for intensive treatments and the latter arguing that autism must be accepted as a form of diversity. The history of behavioral intervention has understandably outraged many in the Autistic community, though many still value supports focused on quality of life. This commentary argues that Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs) hold promise for bridging the gap between early intervention and the neurodiversity movement. However, we recognize NDBIs have much room to grow and suggest multiple strategies for improvement. We believe these updates are not only feasible for clinicians and researchers to implement but will ultimately lead to improved quality of life for Autistic individuals.

Language, interests and autism: A tribute to Dr. Dinah Murray (1946–2021), an autism pioneer

So much has changed in our understanding of how autism impacts our lives. We still have a long way to go, however, until it becomes the norm that the principle of ‘nothing about me without me’ is upheld throughout autism research and autism practice. Autistic researchers and practitioners will play a central role in delivering this vision. Currently, the autistic community is mourning the passing of one such person, a true pioneer, Dr. Dinah Murray. It is fitting that we pay a tribute to her achievements and contributions, for these have enriched our lives and over-laid the autism landscape with understanding, acceptance, action and advocacy.

“It’s being a part of a grand tradition, a grand counter-culture which involves communities”: A qualitative investigation of autistic community connectedness

Autistic people report experiencing greater comfort socialising and easier communication with other autistic people compared to with non-autistic people. Despite autism being stereotypically associated with a lack of social motivation or community, an autistic community has been described briefly in the literature but is not yet well understood. Autistic community connectedness (ACC) may play an important role in promoting and protecting wellbeing for autistic people. This qualitative study involved interviewing autistic individuals (N = 20) in-person, via a video-based platform, over a text-based platform, or over email (according to the needs of the participants) to investigate ACC. Critical grounded theory tools were used to collect and analyse the data. Three elements of ACC were apparent in the data: belongingness, social connectedness, and political connectedness. Belongingness referred to the general sense of similarity that autistic people experienced with other autistic people, which they often did not with non-autistic people. Social connectedness referred to specific friendship participants formed with other autistic people. Political connectedness referred to a connectedness to the political or social equality goals of the autistic community. Participants described the benefits of ACC as being increased self-esteem, a sense of direction, and access to a sense of community that they did not typically experience with non-autistic people. Lack of connectedness involved ambivalence with an autism diagnosis and/or feelings of internalised stigma. These experiences of ACC may have implications for autistic people’s health and wellbeing, as well as how they deal with exposure to discrimination and stigma.

Leveling Up Regulatory Support Through Community Collaboration

Purpose No group has more stake in the game than the community that researchers, educators, and practitioners aim to serve. In our field, we must recognize not only that autistic people are those most affected by decisions around programming and policies, but that they are key informants in decisions around the conceptualization, implementation, and evaluation of educational programming for autistic learners. Too often, they are left out of these discussions altogether. To illustrate the process of community collaboration, we discuss emotional and energy regulation (ER), a top priority among autistic people based upon their viewpoints. Method In this clinical focus article, we outline what emotional regulation is, why it is relevant and often challenging for the autistic population, the shortcomings of current practice, as well as practical strategies and ways of thinking about supporting ER for autistic learners. We provide theoretical insights as well as firsthand accounts from a diverse group of autistic people. Each autistic person contributing their perspective in this clinical focus article provided written consent for their participation, as well as direction as to how they wanted to be cited and acknowledged. Quotes were gathered from personal communications, social media posts, and online sources. The clinical viewpoint and materials and tools presented throughout the clinical focus article are the works of the authors that have been informed by the autistic community. Results Based upon the qualitative data presented in this clinical focus article, incorporating the autistic community voice when devising tools and strategies is validating of their experiences and generates useful supports. Conclusions Using a framework similar to the one presented here for engaging the autistic community will help to facilitate the conceptualization of more reliable, valid, and effective supports, goal-setting, and programming overall. Future directions related to the value of empirical study of the tools and strategies developed through such a process are offered.

Integrating Community Participation With Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Reflections on Engaging the Autism Community

Members of the autistic community have long advocated for more input into and participation with autism-related research. Currently, the power to determine the direction of autism-related research and knowledge production related to autism lies with non-autistic researchers, while the wishes and perspectives of the autistic community are largely ignored. There is a growing trend toward ethical autism-related research, however, in which the perspectives of all stakeholders, particularly those of autistic individuals, are sought and their expertise on autism is foregrounded. In a study exploring the experiences of childhood adversity and resilience among autistic adults, we strove to conduct our research in an inclusive and ethical way, by integrating participatory methods, such as community engagement to inform research design, and credibility checking with participants to confirm that the analysis resonated with their experiences. Five stakeholders, representing parents of children on the autism spectrum, professionals, and autistic community members were recruited to provide input into the research design and provide insight into autistic ways of communicating, interacting, and being. The recommendations generated through this community engagement were then integrated into an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) framework and implemented with four adult autistic participants. Through reflection on the process of community engagement, development of research design, implementation of the study, and credibility checking, it is clear that incorporating participatory methods into IPA increases rigor and ensures that autistic perspectives are represented through research.