'Are you by chance on the spectrum?' Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder making sense of their diagnoses

The current phenomenological study aimed to provide a better understanding of how adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) identify with and make meaning of their diagnosis through exploration of their disability narratives. In order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of how adolescen...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Disability & society 2015-11, Vol.30 (10), p.1490-1504
Main Authors: Jones, Jennifer L., Gallus, Kami L., Viering, Kacey L., Oseland, Lauren M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescents
Autism
autism spectrum disorder
Autistic adolescents
Confusion
Disability
Discourse
Meaning
meaning-making
Medical diagnosis
Narratives
Negotiation
qualitative
Social construction
Stigma
Teenagers
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Summary:The current phenomenological study aimed to provide a better understanding of how adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) identify with and make meaning of their diagnosis through exploration of their disability narratives. In order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of how adolescents with ASD negotiate the positive and negative aspects of their diagnoses, social discourse surrounding ASD, as well as their own meaning-making process, the current study explored adolescents' descriptions of ASD and identification with labels of disability. Participants included 10 adolescents with ASD ranging in age from 13 to 20. Three main themes emerged from the qualitative interviews: formation of an ASD narrative; social construction of the label; and confusion regarding whether ASD is a disability. Results of this study indicate the need for reducing social stigma associated with ASD and disability labels.
ISSN:0968-7599
1360-0508
DOI:10.1080/09687599.2015.1108902