Journal Article

“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

Russell, Ailsa J., Smith, Laura G. E., Cooper, Kate, Cooper, Rosalind

2021

Overview

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.

• Publisher: Springer US,Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Adolescent / Adult / Aged / Attributes / Autism / Autism Spectrum Disorders / Autistic Disorder - diagnosis / Autistic Disorder - psychology / Behavioral Science and Psychology / Child and School Psychology / Correlation / Depression (Psychology) / Female / Focus Groups / Group identity / Group Membership / Health aspects / Humans / Identification (Psychology) / Individual Characteristics / Interpersonal Relationship / Male / Mental Disorders / Mental Health / Middle Aged / Neurosciences / Original Paper / Participant Characteristics / Pediatrics / Perception - physiology / Pervasive Developmental Disorders / Psychological aspects / Psychological Patterns / Psychology / Public Health / Qualitative Research / Self Concept / Self Esteem / Social Identification / Social identity / Surveys and Questionnaires / Symptoms (Individual Disorders) / Talent Development / Well Being / Young Adult