Disqualified in the human race: a close reading of the autobiographies of individuals identified as autistic

Abstract

Much can be learned about the experience of autism by listening to the voices of individuals so labelled. They describe their understanding of competence, living in a culture where autism is considered deviant, deficient and outside the range of 'normal' human experience. This paper utilises autobiographical accounts written by individuals who identify as autistic as a source of qualitative research data and specifically explores the ways in which these texts address issues of competence. Using narrative inquiry, it explores how individuals with autism, both adults and adolescents, describe their own notions of competence and, further, the instructional practices that support their ability to demonstrate their competence.

The importance of critical life moments: An explorative study of successful women with autism spectrum disorder

“…The women in this study were able to develop a sense of competence when influential individuals in their lives communicated a belief that they could achieve specific goals and be successful in different aspects of their lives. Researchers (Ashby and Causton-Theoharis, 2009; Biklen and Burke, 2006) have highlighted the significant impact that presumed competence can have on individuals with ASD. In this study, when significant people in their lives presumed their competence to achieve their goals and succeed in different areas (i.e.…”

“…Moreover, removing these challenges may actually prevent them from developing the self-efficacy to engage in problem solving as adults. Previous research (Ashby and Causton-Theoharis, 2009) indicates that when adults with ASD are assumed to be incompetent, they can become exhausted with the effort of constantly proving their skills. Biklen and Burke (2006) assert that presuming incompetence creates poorer skills in individuals with disabilities, whereas presumed competence and high expectations can actually prompt individuals to believe they can achieve, and thus to develop their skills to do so.…”

“…Ashby and Causton-Theoharis (2009) examined autobiographical accounts of seven individuals with ASD (three women) to explore their understanding of competency and what practices supported them to develop a belief in their own competency. The individuals in this study related they often encountered a tension between what they knew and what they were able to demonstrate.…”

“…Ashby and Causton-Theoharis’ (2009) study provides a rare attempt to examine what factors helped adults with ASD to develop a belief in themselves as competent individuals although it did not determine whether these individuals saw themselves as successful or demonstrated self-determination and self-efficacy. In addition, the majority of studies, which have addressed outcomes for adults, have only included a small percentage of women.…”

The “Muscles of the Psyche”: From Body Literacy to Emotional Literacy

“…This perspective was explored as a potential avenue toward a better understanding of the autistic condition itself, but one should exercise caution in making these inferences automatically. Evidence based research on autism and first person accounts of high-functioning people with autism point to some differences in cognitive and psychic structures ( Baron-Cohen, 2010 ; Mitrani, 2010 ), and it is important to avoid sweeping conclusions, so as not to impose the experience and feelings of the participating therapists on those of their clients, as many first-person accounts hold invaluable data of the experience (e.g., Grandin, 1995 ; Ashby and Causton-Theoharis, 2009 ; Fleischmann, 2012 ; Gratton, 2019 ; Tesfaye et al, 2019 ).…”