Friends and Lovers: The Relationships of Autistic and Neurotypical Women

Sedgewick, Felicity; Crane, Laura; Hill, Vivian; Pellicano, Liz

doi:10.1089/aut.2018.0028

Cited by 41 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…Fifth, all measures in this study were self-report, and therefore other metrics including reports of caregivers, clinician interviews, and qualitative data would be beneficial to explore these processes from multiple informants and perspectives. Qualitative exploration, in particular, of social contact, loneliness, and quality of relationships would provide richer information about the lived experiences of autistic adults (for instance, see Sedgewick et al, 2019). Finally, a range of factors not measured here should continue to be considered in future research on pathways between autism features and mental health.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of loneliness as a mediator between autism features and mental health among autistic young adults

Schiltz

McVey

Wozniak

et al. 2020

Autism

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Autistic adults commonly experience anxiety and depression. These mental health concerns are often tied to social experiences, such that mental well-being can be supported by social connection and deteriorated by loneliness. The mediating role of social and emotional loneliness (i.e. social isolation and lack of emotional attachment, respectively) between autism features and mental health has yet to be empirically tested among autistic adults. Here, 69 autistic young adults completed self-report questionnaires assessing social contact (Friendship Questionnaire), autism features (Autism Quotient), mental health (Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Social Phobia Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory), and loneliness (Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults). Positive associations emerged between autism features, social loneliness, family loneliness, social anxiety, and depression. In addition, more social contact was related to less social and family loneliness and less social anxiety but was not related to depression. Mediation analyses indicated significant indirect effects of social contact and autism features on mental health through social loneliness. Indirect effects partially held substituting family loneliness for social loneliness and did not hold using romantic loneliness. In light of these results, the scientific and clinical implications of the role of loneliness for autistic young adults are discussed and recommendations provided. Lay abstract Autistic adults commonly experience mental health concerns including social anxiety and depression, which can have negative effects on their quality of life. It is not completely clear, however, why rates of mental health concerns are so high. Some evidence suggests that social connectedness might play a key role. The goal of this study was to explore links between loneliness, mental health concerns, autism features, and social contact among autistic adults and test whether the links between mental health with autism features and social contact can be explained by loneliness. Researchers in this study collected data using questionnaires completed by 69 autistic young adults. Autistic adults who reported more autism features also reported more social and family loneliness, higher levels of social anxiety and depression, and fewer initiated social contacts. In addition, adults with more social contact initiations were likely to report lower levels of social and family loneliness and social anxiety but not depression. Results showed that the link from social engagement and autism features to social anxiety and depression symptoms could be mostly explained by loneliness. The results of this study expand previous findings by illustrating one factor (loneliness) that might be responsible for the high rates of mental health concerns among adults on the autism spectrum. These findings highlight the importance of studying factors related to mental health concerns among autistic adults and ways to best support social connectedness for the mental well-being of autistic young adults.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of loneliness as a mediator between autism features and mental health among autistic young adults

Schiltz

McVey

Wozniak

et al. 2020

Autism

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“…Although some recent research has qualitatively explored autistic people’s friendships from their own perspective (e.g. Sedgewick, Crane et al, 2019 ; Sedgewick, Hill & Pellicano, 2019 ), little is known about whether autistic people experience self-reported differences in relationships with autistic and non-autistic people.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite differences in social interaction, autistic people do not necessarily differ from their neurotypical peers in their desire for social relationships (Bauminger & Kasari, 2000; Cresswell et al, 2019). Many autistic people are motivated to have friendships and sustain meaningful and lasting social relationships (Bargiela et al, 2016; Daniel & Billingsley, 2010; Sedgewick, Crane, Hill, & Pellicano, 2019; Sinclair, 2010). However, initiating, maintaining and navigating these relationships may be difficult for autistic people, due to differences in autistic social cognition.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘I never realised everybody felt as happy as I do when I am around autistic people’: A thematic analysis of autistic adults’ relationships with autistic and neurotypical friends and family

Crompton

Hallett²,

Ropar

et al. 2020

Autism

210

119

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Many autistic people are motivated to have friends, relationships and close family bonds, despite the clinical characterisation of autism as a condition negatively affecting social interaction. Many first-hand accounts of autistic people describe feelings of comfort and ease specifically with other autistic people. This qualitative research explored and contrasted autistic experiences of spending social time with neurotypical and autistic friends and family. In total, 12 autistic adults (10 females, aged 21–51) completed semi-structured interviews focused on time spent with friends and family; positive and negative aspects of time spent with neurotypical and autistic friends and family; and feelings during and after spending time together. Three themes were identified: cross-neurotype understanding, minority status and belonging. Investigation of these themes reveals the benefits of autistic people creating and maintaining social relationships with other autistic people, in a more systematic way than previous individual reports. They highlight the need for autistic-led social opportunities and indicate benefits of informal peer support for autistic adults. Lay abstract Although autistic people may struggle to interact with others, many autistic people have said they find interacting with other autistic people more comfortable. To find out whether this was a common experience, we did hour-long interviews with 12 autistic adults. We asked them questions about how it feels when spending time with their friends and family, and whether it felt different depending on whether the friends and family were autistic or neurotypical. We analysed the interviews and found three common themes in what our participants said. First, they found spending with other autistic people easier and more comfortable than spending time with neurotypical people, and felt they were better understood by other autistic people. Second, autistic people often felt they were in a social minority, and in order to spend time with neurotypical friends and family, they had to conform with what the neurotypical people wanted and were used to. Third, autistic people felt like they belonged with other autistic people and that they could be themselves around them. These findings show that having time with autistic friends and family can be very beneficial for autistic people and played an important role in a happy social life.

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“…Difficulties developing and maintaining relationships are core diagnostic criteria for autism. Sedgewick et al (2019) explored the relationships of autistic women, reporting they found it harder to interpret social situations, had fewer and more intense relationships and more difficulties within their relationships than non-autistic women. Autistic women reported that their negative experiences in interpersonal situations were largely related to their difficulties with social inference.…”

Section: Social Communication and Social Interactionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Parents reported improvements in their daughters' relationships over time, which they attributed to maturing of social skills with age (Sedgewick et al, 2018). Autistic women also report feeling happier in their relationships and more confident in their social skills as they progressed into adulthood (Sedgewick et al, 2019). Kock et al (2019) explored the intimate relationship experiences of autistic women.…”

Section: Social Communication and Social Interactionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The presentation, recognition and diagnosis of autism in women and girls

Driver

Chester

2021

AIA

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Purpose Autistic women and girls have received comparatively less attention within clinical practice and research. Research suggests women tend to be diagnosed later than men, and are more likely to experience misdiagnosis. Design/methodology/approach This paper aims to report a narrative literature review that examines research on the presentation, recognition, and diagnosis of autistic women and girls. Findings Findings suggest that autistic females present differently to males and highlight low recognition of the female presentation of autism among the general public, in social spheres, educational, clinical and forensic settings. This lack of recognition appears to affect the likelihood of females being referred for diagnosis, the reliability of diagnostic assessments and subsequent access to support. Originality/value Recommendations for clinical practice focus on initiatives to increase awareness of the female presentation of autism, improving the diagnostic process for females, increasing female representation within autism training and for future research to support these goals.

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Friends and Lovers: The Relationships of Autistic and Neurotypical Women

Cited by 41 publications

References 41 publications

The role of loneliness as a mediator between autism features and mental health among autistic young adults

The role of loneliness as a mediator between autism features and mental health among autistic young adults

‘I never realised everybody felt as happy as I do when I am around autistic people’: A thematic analysis of autistic adults’ relationships with autistic and neurotypical friends and family

The presentation, recognition and diagnosis of autism in women and girls

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