Neurodiversity, quality of life, and autistic adults: shifting research and professional focuses onto real-life challenges

Added on 12/12/2024

Type de contenu

Journal article of the type Perspective ( ; english)

Scott Robertson *
Neurodiversity, quality of life, and autistic adults: shifting research and professional focuses onto real-life challenges published in the journal "Disability studies quarterly" n°30, vol.1, 19 pages , doi: 10.18061/dsq.v30i1.1069

*The author has publicly identified as autistic. [Learn more about this mention]

- 3% of authors cited in the bibliography of this resource have publicly identified as autistic (4 out of 148 authors).
- 7% of references cited in this resource contain at least one author who has publicly identified as autistic (6 out of 90 references).

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Summary/Presentation

This article examines challenges to the quality of life experienced by autistic adults. The author, who is an autistic researcher, first shares how a neurodiversity perspective offers an important alternative to the deficit model of autism. Whereas the deficit model portrays autistic people as ill, broken, and in need of fixing, the neurodiversity perspective portrays it as a form of human diversity with associated strengths and difficulties. The article’s discussion then shifts to presenting Schalock’s (2000) quality of life framework as a neurodiversity-compatible lens through which domains of quality of life can be viewed. The article analyzes in detail these core domains in relation to the lives of autistic adults. The author suggests that a collaborative approach between professionals/researchers and autistic adults is needed to develop meaningful solutions to these challenges, and he presents possibilities for collaboration.

For your information:

(1) References in blue are resources listed on our site.

(2) Authors listed in this bibliography whose names are in color have published other resources referenced on the site. Clicking on the name allows you to see the list of resources they have published and shared on the site.

(3) Authors whose names are followed by an asterisk have publicly disclosed being autistic.

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