Stigma, Stigma, and…Stigma

Well, here we are, week 10. I have some bad news — we’re almost at the end of our journey together. But don’t worry there’s also some good news — you’ll be getting to see my senior project presentation pretty soon. Now today, if you haven’t already guessed (from my super vague title), we’ll be continuing down the spiral of the non-scientific, as we discuss the stigma surrounding Autism Spectrum Disorder and experienced by those diagnosed. 

As stated by a 2022 narrative review paper on understanding stigma in autism, autistic people can experience loneliness and fewer friendships compared to their neurotypical peers, fewer friendships in adolescence compared with peers with other special educational needs, have more difficulties with education and employment, experience poor social integration, and face high rates of bullying. These factors are all associated with a reduced quality of life. And while these experiences have been attributed to autistic traits, there is a significant impact of negative societal responses to autistic people (i.e. stigma) on these outcomes. 

The experience of stigma has been reported by both autistic adolescents and adults across a variety of research. Notably, a 2022 systematic review on autistic people’s experiences of stigma found that autistic individuals are aware of being stereotyped, judged, and discriminated against by others. Autistic people also show signs of internalizing stigma, making them more vulnerable to low self-worth and poorer mental health, with these individuals describing the stigma associated with autism as “destructive.” 

Influential Factors 

Poorer public and professional knowledge of autism often correlates with less positive attitudes and increased stigma; negative stereotyping and public misinformation (e.g. autistic people do not show affection or attachments) can be greatly harmful as well.

Furthermore, autistic people’s struggles with social communication are often physically expressed, whether through unusual patterns of eye contact, reduced facial expressions and sharing of emotions, limited gesture use, or restricted and repetitive behaviors (stimming).

These visible autistic traits may in turn lead to negative attitudes during first impression formation; when researchers assessed first impressions, neurotypical individuals were found to perceive autistic people as less attractive, more submissive, and more awkward than their neurotypical counterparts.

Autistic people have also recognized stereotyped or repetitive motor behaviors to be negatively judged by neurotypicals, reporting that some even associate autism with violent acts (which only prompts greater stigmatization).

The Impact 

The stigma surrounding autism has a significant impact on the overall well-being of autistic people, more specifically the mental health and physical health, as stigma can lead to reduced access to quality healthcare, and social connectedness to both their local and wider communities (and resulting social isolation) of these individuals. 

This stigma is also linked to “camouflaging,” in which some autistic people dampen down or mask their autistic traits to try and appear more neurotypical, or in other words, to “fit in;” however, camouflaging certain behaviors is mentally taxing and may also delay diagnosis and access to support for autistic individuals. 

Embracing Neurodiversity

A sentiment echoed by a multitude of researchers, this stigma may be best mitigated by a fundamental shift in the societal perception of autism. The neurodiversity movement celebrates autism for the differences it brings to society, and for being an integral part of autistic individuals’ identities. Essentially, neurodiversity is the recognition of the range of natural diversity found within human development. 

Having views aligned with the neurodiversity model is associated with lower stigma toward autistic people, while autistic identification is positively related to positive self-esteem, as well as lower levels of depression and anxiety; the neurodiversity movement aligns with the ownership that many autistic people have taken of language used to describe them.

Ultimately, the neurodiversity movement has great potential to improve the public and professional understanding of autism, while also fostering a culture where autistic people are able to take pride in and express their true selves. (Fun Fact: Did you know April is Autism Acceptance Month?)

“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.” – Audre Lorde