"I'm Proud to be a Little Bit Different": The Effects of Autistic Individuals' Perceptions of Autism and Autism Social Identity on Their Collective Self-esteem.

Publisher: Springer Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 7904301 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1573-3432 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 01623257 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Autism Dev Disord Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: <2006- >: New York, NY : Springer
Original Publication: New York, Plenum Press.

Perception*/physiology ; Self Concept* ; Social Identification* ; Surveys and Questionnaires*; Autistic Disorder/*psychology; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Autistic Disorder/diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

This study aimed to identify the attributes that autistic people perceive as positively and negatively impacting on their identity and wellbeing. In Study 1, we recruited 140 autistic participants for an online survey. Participants completed autism social identification and collective self-esteem measures and listed attributes they associated with autism. In Study 2, we conducted focus groups with 15 autistic people to explore how positively they perceived the attributes of autism. Participants then discussed the autism attributes in relation to their own experiences and identity. We found a positive relationship between the number of positive attributes participants associated with autism, and their collective self-esteem, to the extent that they identified with other autistic people.

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ICA-CDRF-2018-04-ST2-047 United Kingdom DH_ Department of Health; ICA-CDRF-2018-04-ST2-047 Research Trainees Coordinating Centre

Keywords: Autism community; Autism spectrum disorders; Autism strengths; Self-esteem; Social identity

Date Created: 20200702 Date Completed: 20210420 Latest Revision: 20210421

20221213

PMC7835309

10.1007/s10803-020-04575-4

32607798