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Watts G, Crompton C, Grainger C, Long J, Botha M, Somerville M, Cage E. 'A certain magic' - autistic adults' experiences of interacting with other autistic people and its relation to Quality of Life: A systematic review and thematic meta-synthesis. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2024:13623613241255811. [PMID: 38829019 DOI: 10.1177/13623613241255811] [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: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Research has suggested that autistic people enjoy spending time with other autistic people and find them easier to talk to. We wanted to find out what autistic people say about spending time with other autistic people and whether this makes their life better. We found 52 papers which described this and reviewed what they found. We found that many autistic people had positive experiences of spending time with other autistic people and these experiences had positive impact on their lives in a range of different ways. The papers did not tell us whether this also happens for autistic people with a learning disability. More research is needed to find out more about why spending time with other autistic people helps some autistic people.
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Camus L, Rajendran G, Stewart ME. Social self-efficacy and mental well-being in autistic adults: Exploring the role of social identity. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2024; 28:1258-1267. [PMID: 37728250 PMCID: PMC11067414 DOI: 10.1177/13623613231195799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT In the past, research has suggested that autistic people are not able to communicate well with non-autistic people because of autistic people's communication difficulties. However, newer theories question this conclusion. It is now thought that the communication difficulties may be because autistic and non-autistic people both struggle to understand each other. This study explores how these differences in shared understanding relate to autistic people's mental well-being, confidence in social situations and social identities (groups that we belong to and that influence how we see ourselves). We created an online survey taken by 512 autistic adults, which included questions about their confidence being social with people from different groups (such as other autistic people or people they share a hobby with), about the social groups they felt they belong to and about their mental well-being. First, participants reported higher social confidence when interacting with members of a social group they belonged to. Second, being confident during these interactions was linked to higher mental well-being. Finally, the groups participants belonged to did not influence the link between social confidence and mental well-being. These findings are important as they help us better understand autistic people's experiences of social interactions and what contributes to good and poor mental well-being in autistic people. They also help us to think further about how to improve autistic people's well-being.
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Davies J, Cooper K, Killick E, Sam E, Healy M, Thompson G, Mandy W, Redmayne B, Crane L. Autistic identity: A systematic review of quantitative research. Autism Res 2024; 17:874-897. [PMID: 38334318 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Autism can be considered both a personal and social identity. Identifying the factors contributing to positive Autistic identity development is crucial given the potential implications for mental health and wellbeing. In this systematic review, we aimed to synthesize quantitative literature on Autistic identity to identify the (individual and environmental) factors associated with Autistic identity, and to ascertain the relationship between Autistic identity and mental health and wellbeing. A total of 3,617 studies were screened and 20 met our inclusion criteria. Results indicated that people developed a more positive Autistic identity when receiving external autism acceptance and external support. The association between individual factors and Autistic identity were largely nonsignificant or inconclusive, highlighting the need for broad support that meets the needs of a range of Autistic people, rather than specific subgroups. Importantly, positive Autistic identity was associated with improved mental health and wellbeing. Peer support and/or self-directed support resources may be valuable mechanisms for supporting Autistic people to cultivate a positive Autistic identity. The evaluation of such support, including the long-term impacts on identity development, will be a critical avenue for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jade Davies
- Centre for Research in Autism and Education (CRAE), IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society, University College London, London, UK
| | - Kate Cooper
- Centre for Applied Autism Research, Department of Psychology, University of Bath, UK
| | - Estelle Killick
- Centre for Research in Autism and Education (CRAE), IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society, University College London, London, UK
| | - Evelyn Sam
- Centre for Research in Autism and Education (CRAE), IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society, University College London, London, UK
| | | | | | - Will Mandy
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational, & Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Laura Crane
- Centre for Research in Autism and Education (CRAE), IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society, University College London, London, UK
- Autism Centre for Education and Research (ACER), Department of Disability, Inclusion and Special Needs, School of Education, College of Social Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK
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Wright B, Kingsley E, Cooper C, Biggs K, Bursnall M, Wang HI, Chater T, Coates E, Teare MD, McKendrick K, Gomez de la Cuesta G, Barr A, Solaiman K, Packham A, Marshall D, Varley D, Nekooi R, Parrott S, Ali S, Gilbody S, Le Couteur A. I-SOCIALISE: Results from a cluster randomised controlled trial investigating the social competence and isolation of children with autism taking part in LEGO ® based therapy ('Play Brick Therapy') clubs in school environments. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2023; 27:13623613231159699. [PMID: 36991578 PMCID: PMC10576908 DOI: 10.1177/13623613231159699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Autism is characterised by keen interests and differences in social interactions and communication. Activities that help autistic children and young people with social skills are commonly used in UK schools. LEGO® based therapy is a new activity that provides interesting and fun social opportunities for children and young people and involves building LEGO® models together. This study looked at LEGO® based therapy for the social skills of autistic children and young people in schools. It was a randomised controlled trial, meaning each school was randomly chosen (like flipping a coin) to either run LEGO® based therapy groups in school over 12 weeks and have usual support from school or other professionals, or only have usual support from school or other professionals. The effect of the LEGO® based therapy groups was measured by asking children and young people, their parents/guardians, and a teacher at school in both arms of the study to complete some questionnaires. The main objective was to see if the teacher's questionnaire answers about the children and young people's social skills changed between their first and second completions. The social skills of participants in the LEGO® based therapy groups were found to have improved in a small way when compared to usual support only. The study also found that LEGO® based therapy was not very costly for schools to run and parents/guardians and teachers said they thought it was good for their children and young people. We suggest further research into different potential benefits of LEGO® based therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ellen Kingsley
- COMIC Research, Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, UK
| | - Cindy Cooper
- Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Katie Biggs
- Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Sheffield, UK
| | | | | | - Tim Chater
- Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Sheffield, UK
| | | | | | | | | | - Amy Barr
- Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Kiera Solaiman
- Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Anna Packham
- Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Sheffield, UK
| | | | | | - Roshanak Nekooi
- COMIC Research, Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, UK
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Øverland E, Hauge ÅL, Orm S, Pellicano E, Øie MG, Skogli EW, Andersen PN. Exploring life with autism: Quality of Life, daily functioning and compensatory strategies from childhood to emerging adulthood: A qualitative study protocol. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:1058601. [PMID: 36506426 PMCID: PMC9732257 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1058601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction This study aims to investigate self-perceived quality of life, daily functioning, and the use of compensatory strategies in emerging adults with autism. Methods and analysis Participants will be recruited from the Lillehammer Neurodevelopmental 10-year follow-up study (LINEUP), with the aim of 15 individual in-depth interviews. Subsequently, two focus groups with clinicians will be invited to reflect on the themes found in the individual interviews. All interviews will be recorded and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Ethics and dissemination The study is approved by the Regional Committee for Medical Research Ethics in South-East Norway. The findings will be disseminated to academic and clinical audiences through journal articles and conference presentations. To reach the broader autistic and autism communities, the findings will be shared with the Autism Society at national and local meetings, in their membership magazine, and on their social media channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Øverland
- Division of Mental Health Care, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Brumunddal, Norway
- Department of Psychology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Lillehammer, Norway
| | - Åshild Lappegard Hauge
- Department of Psychology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Lillehammer, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Stian Orm
- Division of Mental Health Care, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Brumunddal, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Elizabeth Pellicano
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Merete Glenne Øie
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Research Department, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Brumunddal, Norway
| | - Erik Winther Skogli
- Division of Mental Health Care, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Brumunddal, Norway
- Department of Psychology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Lillehammer, Norway
| | - Per Normann Andersen
- Department of Psychology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Lillehammer, Norway
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