Autism in adulthood : challenges and management最新文献

{"title":"Investigating Markers of Rapport in Autistic and Nonautistic Interactions.","authors":"Olivia M Rifai, Sue Fletcher-Watson, Lorena Jiménez-Sánchez, Catherine J Crompton","doi":"10.1089/aut.2021.0017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2021.0017","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Autism is considered to entail a social impairment whereby autistic people experience difficulty interpreting others' mental states. However, recent research has shown that nonautistic people also have difficulty understanding the mental states of autistic people. This mismatch of understanding may explain lower rapport in interactions between autistic and nonautistic people. As mental states can be expressed externally through socially normed signals, it is important to investigate the role of such signals in autistic, nonautistic, and mixed interactions. This study explores variability in two social signals between autistic, nonautistic, and mixed interactions, and how their use may affect rapport within interactions. Methods: Videos from a previous study of autistic, nonautistic, and mixed pair interactions in a diffusion chain context in which participants were aware of others' diagnostic status were video coded for mutual gaze and backchanneling as candidate indicators of interactional rapport. Results: Although use of mutual gaze and backchanneling was lower in mixed pairs than in nonautistic pairs, corresponding to lower ratings of interactional rapport, less backchanneling in autistic pairs of both nonverbal and verbal subtypes corresponded to higher ratings of rapport. Conclusions: We observed differences in the use of candidate rapport markers between autistic, mixed, and nonautistic interactions, which did not map onto patterns of rapport scores, suggesting differences in reliance on these cues between autistic and nonautistic people. These results suggest that visible markers of rapport may vary by neurotype or pairing and give clues to inform future investigations of autistic interaction.","PeriodicalId":72338,"journal":{"name":"Autism in adulthood : challenges and management","volume":"4 1","pages":"3-11"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8992924/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10480990","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Brief Report: Does Autistic Community Connectedness Moderate the Relationship Between Masking and Wellbeing?","authors":"E. Cage, Rebekah Cranney, M. Botha","doi":"10.31234/osf.io/p6bt5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/p6bt5","url":null,"abstract":"Background\u0000Masking involves blending in or covering a stigmatized identity, to avoid discrimination and to \"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 that can protect against the negative effects of masking. One such potential variable is autistic community connectedness (ACC)-being part of and belonging to the autistic community. Past research suggests there are benefits for autistic people socially connecting with other autistic people. We investigated whether ACC could moderate the relationship between masking and wellbeing.\u0000\u0000\u0000Methods\u0000One hundred ninety-six autistic people completed an online survey including measures of ACC, masking, and mental wellbeing. We used moderation analysis to test whether ACC acted as a buffer between masking and wellbeing.\u0000\u0000\u0000Results\u0000Higher self-reported masking related to poorer mental wellbeing. Higher ACC related to more positive wellbeing. Higher ACC correlated with more masking. However, there was no interaction effect, and ACC did not moderate the relationship between masking and wellbeing.\u0000\u0000\u0000Conclusions\u0000Although ACC 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. Furthermore, autistic people who are more connected might experience a higher salience of masking when moving between autistic and nonautistic settings. Tackling prejudice toward autistic people is critical in helping to reduce the negative effects associated with masking, and we must endeavor to change perceptions and increase inclusion of autistic people.","PeriodicalId":72338,"journal":{"name":"Autism in adulthood : challenges and management","volume":"7 1","pages":"247-253"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88462713","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Autistic Adults' Experiences of Camouflaging and Its Perceived Impact on Mental Health.","authors":"Louise Bradley, Rebecca Shaw, Simon Baron-Cohen, Sarah Cassidy","doi":"10.1089/aut.2020.0071","DOIUrl":"10.1089/aut.2020.0071","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b><i>Background:</i></b> Camouflaging (also referred to as \"masking\") is a commonly reported strategy used by autistic adults in everyday life to help them cope in social situations. Autistic adults report that camouflaging can have a devastating effect on mental health and well-being, yet little is known about the lived experiences of camouflaging and its impact.</p><p><p><b><i>Methods:</i></b> We designed an online survey in partnership with autistic adults, to explore the experiences of camouflaging and its impact on mental health. Participants self-reported the lifetime experience of camouflaging, where they camouflaged the frequency and length of time spent camouflaging. Four open questions allowed participants to elaborate their answers to the closed questions on frequency and length of time, and subsequently any positive and negative aspects of their experience of camouflaging. Two hundred seventy-seven autistic adults who self-reported a diagnosis of an autism spectrum condition (128 female, 78 male) or self-identified as autistic (56 female, 15 male) were included in the analysis of qualitative responses to the open-ended questions.</p><p><p><b><i>Findings:</i></b> We thematically analyzed participant answers from the open questions. Three main themes emerged. First, \"dangers of camouflaging\" described how the amount of time spent camouflaging led to exhaustion, isolation, poor mental and physical health, loss of identity and acceptance of self, others' unreal perceptions and expectations, and delayed diagnosis. Second, \"positive aspects of camouflaging\" included greater access to social spaces, and protection from harm. Camouflaging was, therefore, seen as necessary to survive in a world designed for the neurotypical majority. Third, autistic adults described being diagnosed and accepted for who they are as reasons for \"why I don't need to camouflage like I used to.\"</p><p><p><b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Time spent camouflaging is what seems to be most damaging for the participants' mental health. The main reason reported for needing to spend so much time camouflaging is society's lack of awareness and acceptance of autism.</p><p><strong>Lay summary: </strong><b>Why is this study being done?:</b> Many autistic adults report that they need to camouflage their autistic behaviors to help them \"fit in\" and cope in social situations with non-autistic people. This is because society is not as aware and accepting of autistic people as it needs to be. We also know that for most autistic adults camouflaging is exhausting and damaging for their mental health. This study is important, because researchers have not studied camouflaging enough to know what it is like for autistic adults to camouflage in their everyday lives and to understand the impact that camouflaging has on their mental health.<b>What was the purpose of this study?:</b> We wanted to ask autistic adults about their positive and negative experiences of camouflaging. This is imp","PeriodicalId":72338,"journal":{"name":"Autism in adulthood : challenges and management","volume":"3 4","pages":"320-329"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8992917/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10494366","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advancing the Personalization of Assessment and Intervention in Autistic Adolescents and Young Adults by Targeting Self-Determination and Executive Processes.","authors":"Karrie A Shogren, Matthew W Mosconi, Sheida K Raley, Evan E Dean, Ben Edwards, Anna Wallisch, Brian Boyd, Jessie C Kiblen","doi":"10.1089/aut.2021.0010","DOIUrl":"10.1089/aut.2021.0010","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As autistic adolescents and young adults navigate the transition to adulthood, there is a need to partner with them to identify strengths and needed supports to enable goal-directed actions. This article conceptually integrates research on self-determination, defined by Causal Agency Theory, and executive processes in autism to provide direction for future research and practice. We describe how integrating research on self-determination and executive processes could enable autistic adolescents and young adults to be engaged in the process of assessing executive processes and self-determination. We discuss how this can better inform personalization of supports for self-determination interventions by focusing on support needs related to executive processes, including inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility, from a strengths-based perspective. We discuss how this can enable self-determination interventions that promote outcomes aligned with the values of the autistic community.</p>","PeriodicalId":72338,"journal":{"name":"Autism in adulthood : challenges and management","volume":"3 4","pages":"289-299"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8992922/pdf/aut.2021.0010.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10697598","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"\"Masking Is Life\": Experiences of Masking in Autistic and Nonautistic Adults.","authors":"Danielle Miller, Jon Rees, Amy Pearson","doi":"10.1089/aut.2020.0083","DOIUrl":"10.1089/aut.2020.0083","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Autistic masking is an emerging research area, and so far, research has suggested that masking has a negative effect on autistic people. Masking relates to general social practices (such as identity management) and is often driven by stigma avoidance. Many nonautistic people also experience stigma that might drive them to suppress aspects of their identity. In this study, we investigate similarities and differences in experiences of masking in autistic and nonautistic people.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted an online survey about experiences and views of masking in autistic people (<i>n</i> = 144), neurodivergent people without an autism diagnosis (<i>n</i> = 49), and neurotypical people (<i>n</i> = 45) recruited via social media. We used thematic analysis to analyze responses to open-ended items about masking, using an inductive approach, at a semantic level, with a critical realist paradigm.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Thematic analysis revealed that some aspects of masking are shared across autistic and nonautistic people, such as utilizing mimicry of others as a social strategy or feeling exhausted from masking. All groups reported that masking made them feel disconnected from their true sense of identity and had a negative effect on them. Other aspects of masking seemed more specific to autistic people, such as sensory suppression, and masking leading to suicidal ideation.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our findings suggest that many aspects of masking are experienced across different neurotypes and are likely related to outside perceptions of difference and stigma. It is likely that what we call \"autistic masking\" is similar to other forms of stigma management previously theorized. Some aspects of masking do seem more specific to the autistic neurotype (e.g., suppression of stimming) and should be explored further to provide support for autistic people recovering from the negative impact of masking.</p><p><strong>Lay summary: </strong><b>Why was this study done?:</b> Masking is the process of intentionally, or unintentionally, hiding aspects of yourself to avoid harm. Recent research has suggested that autistic people might mask a lot and that this can lead to long-term problems in mental health. At the moment, we do not know which parts of masking are specific to autistic people, and which parts might be experienced by others, especially other neurodivergent people who are not autistic, for example, people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).<b>What was the purpose of this study?:</b> The purpose of this study was to find out about masking in autistic and nonautistic people, to find out whether some parts of masking are specific to autistic people, or experienced by others.<b>What did the researchers do?:</b> We conducted an online survey about masking with three groups of people: autistic people, nonautistic people who have another neurodevelopmental or mental health d","PeriodicalId":72338,"journal":{"name":"Autism in adulthood : challenges and management","volume":"3 4","pages":"330-338"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8992921/pdf/aut.2020.0083.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10494367","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Meta-Analysis of Video Modeling Interventions to Enhance Job Skills of Autistic Adolescents and Adults.","authors":"Leslie Ann Bross, Jason C Travers, Jonathan M Huffman, John L Davis, Rose A Mason","doi":"10.1089/aut.2020.0038","DOIUrl":"10.1089/aut.2020.0038","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Autistic transition-aged youth and young adults face many societal barriers to competitive integrated employment (CIE). Existing evidence-based practices (EBPs) for autistic individuals, such as video modeling (VM), may be a viable on-the-job training method to enhance employment experiences and outcomes for this population.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The purpose of this meta-analysis was to synthesize VM studies to teach job skills for autistic individuals. We applied the Council for Exceptional Children's (CEC) <i>Standards for Evidence-Based Practices in Special Education</i> to evaluate the methodological rigor of included studies using a weighted coding scheme. We further evaluated methodologically sound studies by calculating an omnibus Tau-U effect size.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty articles met our inclusion criteria, and 11 of those studies were classified as methodologically sound according to the CEC's criteria. Results indicate that VM is an EBP to improve job skills of autistic individuals. The overall effect size for methodologically sound studies was strong (0.91), but most studies occurred in contrived or school-based employment settings rather than CIE settings in the local labor market.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Employers, transition professionals, and related service providers can consider VM a viable method to teach job skills to autistic employees. However, additional research conducted in CIE settings is needed to better understand the effects of VM in contexts where autistic employees earn regular wages.</p><p><strong>Lay summary: </strong><b>Why was this study done?:</b> Autistic adolescents and adults often experience barriers obtaining employment in their local communities. They may also benefit from on-the-job supports for successful employment. Video modeling is one intervention technique that has been used to teach a variety of skills to autistic individuals. Video modeling involves creating short video clips that show the person how to do specific skills or tasks. We wanted to learn about how video modeling has been used to teach job skills to autistic employees.<b>What was the purpose of this study?:</b> The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality of research studies that used video modeling to teach job skills to autistic employees. Understanding how video modeling interventions can be used in employment settings may help autistic employees have more positive work experiences.<b>What did the researchers do?:</b> The researchers analyzed the video modeling research studies with autistic participants aged 14 years or older. We evaluated the quality of each study, type of employment setting, type of job skill, and how much the job skills improved. We used a criteria established by a professional organization, the Council for Exceptional Children, to evaluate the quality of the research studies.<b>What were the results of the study?:</b> We analyzed 20 ","PeriodicalId":72338,"journal":{"name":"Autism in adulthood : challenges and management","volume":"3 4","pages":"356-369"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8992915/pdf/aut.2020.0038.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10494361","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Autistic Mothers of Autistic Children: A Preliminary Study in an Under-Researched Area.","authors":"Dawn Adams,&nbsp;Madeline Stainsby,&nbsp;Jessica Paynter","doi":"10.1089/aut.2020.0078","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2020.0078","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Much research exists on the mental health and well-being of parents of autistic children; however, parents who are themselves autistic have received little attention in the literature. We aimed to compare parenting stress and family outcomes in mothers who do, and do not, identify as being autistic.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We matched 20 mothers who identified as being autistic to 20 mothers who do not identify as being autistic on variables associated with parental well-being: child externalizing behaviors, score on the Social Communication Questionnaire, child adaptive functioning, family income, and child and maternal age. All mothers had at least one autistic child. Outcome variables were family outcomes (Family Outcome Survey-Revised) and parenting stress (Parent Stress Index 4-Short Form). Paired <i>t</i>-tests were used to compare scores between the two samples.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>There were no statistical differences in achievement of family outcomes between the autistic and nonautistic mothers. The small effect size on Family Outcome 4 may suggest that autistic mothers develop stronger support networks, but as a statistical comparison for this item nonsignificant, this should be interpreted with caution. Autistic and nonautistic mothers reported equally high levels of parenting stress.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Further research with larger samples is required to explore this under-researched area. Such research would be of value to understand any interaction between parental and child autism characteristics, well-being, and parenting. This could then inform development of supports, which can be tailored for each child's family.</p><p><strong>Lay summary: </strong><b>Why was this research done?:</b> Despite decades of research exploring the well-being and mental health of parents of autistic children, the experience of autistic adults with autistic children has not been researched in detail. In fact, we could find less than five research studies on the topic.<b>What was the purpose of the study?:</b> We wanted to do some preliminary work in the area and look at whether parent well-being or family outcomes are similar or different between autistic and nonautistic mothers of autistic children.<b>What did the researchers do?:</b> We are part of a team of researchers working on a larger study on a different topic. As part of this study, we asked parents about their own experiences and well-being, which included questions on whether or not the parents identify as autistic. This meant that within this larger study, there were the data to look at parent and family outcomes and see if they differ depending on whether or not the mothers themselves identified as being autistic.To do this, we went to the large data set and first identified the mothers who identified as being autistic; this was 20 mothers. Then, one of the researchers (M.S.) carefully matched the 20 autistic mothers to 20 ","PeriodicalId":72338,"journal":{"name":"Autism in adulthood : challenges and management","volume":"3 4","pages":"339-346"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8992919/pdf/aut.2020.0078.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10494362","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Barriers to Employment: Raters' Perceptions of Male Autistic and Non-Autistic Candidates During a Simulated Job Interview and the Impact of Diagnostic Disclosure.","authors":"Rebecca L Flower,&nbsp;Louise M Dickens,&nbsp;Darren Hedley","doi":"10.1089/aut.2020.0075","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2020.0075","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Autistic individuals face low rates of engagement in the labor force. There is evidence that job interviews pose a significant barrier to autistic people entering the workforce. In this experimental study, we investigated the impact of diagnostic disclosure on decisions concerning candidate suitability during job interviews.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Participants (<i>n</i> = 357; 59% female) from the general population rated 10 second \"thin slices\" of simulated job interviews of one male autistic and one male non-autistic candidate. In a between-subjects design, autism diagnostic disclosure was manipulated (None, Brief, and Detailed), so that <i>neither</i> (\"None\" condition) or <i>both</i> (\"Brief\" and \"Detailed\" conditions) candidates were labeled as autistic before the simulated interview (with additional information provided about autism in the \"Detailed\" condition).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Results for 255 non-autistic raters (57.6% female) were analyzed. Participants gave more favorable ratings of first impressions, employability, and endorsement for candidates labeled as autistic, irrespective of the actual diagnostic status (i.e., autistic and non-autistic) of the individual. Participants rated non-autistic candidates more favorably on all employment measures (first impressions, employability, and endorsement), and \"hired\" non-autistic candidates more frequently, compared with autistic candidates. Providing additional information about autism did not result in improved ratings. However, the discrepancy between autistic and non-autistic people chosen for \"hire\" was reduced when more information was provided.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Although we found some support for the benefits of diagnostic disclosure during a simulated interview, these benefits were not restricted to autistic candidates and may be a positive bias associated with the diagnostic label. Contrary to our predictions, providing information about autism in addition to the diagnostic label did not have an overall impact on results. More research is required to determine whether benefits outweigh any risks of disclosure for autistic job candidates, and whether training interviewers about autism might improve employment outcomes for autistic job seekers.</p><p><strong>Lay summary: </strong><b>Why was this study done?:</b> Job interviews seem to be a barrier to employment for autistic people. This is problematic, as job interviews are typically a part of the job application process.<b>What was the purpose of this study?:</b> We wanted to explore how non-autistic people perceive male autistic job candidates, and how this compares with male non-autistic candidates. We also wanted investigate whether disclosing that the candidate was autistic changed the raters' judgments of candidates, and if these judgments improved if more information about autism and employment was provided.<b>What did the researchers do?:</b> We showed 357","PeriodicalId":72338,"journal":{"name":"Autism in adulthood : challenges and management","volume":"3 4","pages":"300-309"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8992918/pdf/aut.2020.0075.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10494360","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Perspectives and Experiences of Autistic Multilingual Adults: A Qualitative Analysis.","authors":"Kathryn Nolte,&nbsp;Sue Fletcher-Watson,&nbsp;Antonella Sorace,&nbsp;Andrew Stanfield,&nbsp;Bérengère G Digard","doi":"10.1089/aut.2020.0067","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2020.0067","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The combined experience of autism and bilingualism is poorly understood, leading to poor support for autistic people in multilingual environments or those interested in languages. While most available studies focus on the language and cognitive profiles of autistic bilinguals, or on the experiences of parents, little is known about the lived experiences of autistic multilinguals.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>To address this question, this study examined the impact of autism and multilingualism on the lives of 54 autistic multilingual adults who completed an online survey assessing the profiles of autistic bi- and multilinguals. We conducted a thematic analysis of responses to the survey's open-ended questions to explore motivations for learning languages and the perceived benefits of being both autistic and multilingual.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>There was a wide range of language profiles in the sample, with various levels of proficiency, ages of acquisition, and learning environments. Respondents felt that being autistic can both positively and negatively influence language learning. They reported various motivating factors for the acquisition of multiple languages, including social aspects and a predisposition for language learning. Respondents reported many benefits of multilingualism, such as educational, employment, or leisure opportunities; social skills and understanding of other people; self-confidence in their own abilities; and relationships with family, friends, and the worldwide autistic community.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Unlike previous work with autistic multilinguals involving case studies, the larger sample involved here offers valuable insight into the profiles and experiences of this overlooked population. Importantly, autistic people can experience numerous benefits from multilingualism. These findings will have implications for language education practices as well as for multilingual families and the practitioners who support them.</p><p><strong>Lay summary: </strong><b>Why was this study done?:</b> We wanted to understand what it feels like to be both autistic and multilingual, in a world where it is often assumed that both cannot go together. The combined experience of autism and bilingualism is poorly understood. This leads to poor support for autistic people in bilingual environments or for those interested in languages. Most studies available focus on the language and mental abilities of autistic bilinguals, or on the experiences of parents. However, very few studies focus on the lived experiences of autistic multilinguals themselves.<b>What was the purpose of this study?:</b> The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of autistic multilingual adults. We focused on their learning motivations and the perceived benefits of being autistic and multilingual.<b>What did the researchers do?:</b> Fifty-four autistic multilingual adults completed an online ques","PeriodicalId":72338,"journal":{"name":"Autism in adulthood : challenges and management","volume":"3 4","pages":"310-319"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8992916/pdf/aut.2020.0067.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10494364","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cultivating Self-Compassion to Improve Mental Health in Autistic Adults.","authors":"Ru Ying Cai,&nbsp;Lydia Brown","doi":"10.1089/aut.2020.0034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2020.0034","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Many autistic adults experience poor mental health. Research has consistently shown that cultivating self-compassion is a promising approach to strengthening resilience in nonautistic adults. Self-compassion is a trainable skill that is associated with several mental health benefits, such as higher levels of happiness and well-being as well as lower symptoms of depression and anxiety. However, no studies to date have explored self-compassion in autistic individuals. We suggest that self-compassion may be a relevant target in mental health interventions for autistic adults without severe or profound intellectual disability. Self-compassion may improve mental health in autistic adults through directly modifying emotions (as an emotion regulation strategy) or its interactions with emotion regulation processes. Existing approaches to cultivating self-compassion include identifying and practicing self-compassionate behaviors, using self-compassionate thought records, and practicing self-compassion meditations. Before self-compassion approaches are implemented by autistic adults, it will be necessary to evaluate their role and effectiveness in mental health through carefully designed studies. We suggest that researchers should first study the relationship between self-compassion and mental health outcomes in autistic adults. Once researchers have established the connection, we can then begin to study self-compassion-based interventions for autistic adults. Relevant clinical considerations include identifying the autistic groups that self-compassion practices are suitable for, determining how autistic adults with and without mental health conditions can effectively practice self-compassion (on their own and with the support of clinicians), and evaluating existing self-compassion tools or designing new tools. It is also relevant for future research to identify the enablers and barriers to using self-compassion in autistic adults.</p><p><strong>Lay summary: </strong><b>What is self-compassion?:</b> Self-compassion is when we: are friendly toward ourselves (kindness)are aware of our feelings and thoughts (mindful awareness)realize that everyone feels pain and makes mistakes (common humanity)<b>What is the purpose of this article?:</b> We think that practicing self-compassion is important for autistic adults. No research has studied self-compassion in autistic individuals. We provide examples of how to improve self-compassion. We make recommendations for future research on self-compassion for autistic adults.<b>What perspectives do the authors bring to this subject?:</b> We bring together different and unique perspectives in this article. One author is a researcher whose research has focused on emotion regulation and mental health in autistic youth and adults. The other author is a self-compassion researcher who is also a private practice clinical psychologist. We have practiced self-compassion and personally experienced the benefits of developing our","PeriodicalId":72338,"journal":{"name":"Autism in adulthood : challenges and management","volume":"3 3","pages":"230-237"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1089/aut.2020.0034","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10494130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}