Les expériences des adultes autistes précédemment diagnostiqués avec un trouble de la personnalité limite ou émotionnellement instable : une étude phénoménologique

Ajouté le 19/09/2024

Type de contenu

Article de revue du type Recherche scientifique ( ; anglais)

Bruce Tamilson, Jessica Eccles, Sebastian Shaw* , The experiences of autistic adults who were previously diagnosed with borderline or emotionally unstable personality disorder: A phenomenological study publié dans la revue "Autism", Preprint, 14 pages , doi:10.1177/13623613241276073

*Un·e co-auteur·rice est autiste. [En savoir plus sur cette mention]

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Un nombre croissant d'études s'intéressent aux liens entre l'autisme et le trouble de la personnalité borderline. Les études rapportent des différences qui se chevauchent ainsi que les difficultés à différencier ces deux diagnostics. En pratique, de nombreuses personnes, en particulier les femmes autistes, ressentent qu'elles ont été mal diagnostiquées avec un trouble de la personnalité borderline. Cette étude visait à explorer les expériences d'adultes autistes ayant précédemment reçu un diagnostic de trouble de la personnalité borderline. Il s'agit d'une étude phénoménologique interprétative. Les données ont été recueillies à l'aide d'entretiens individuels semi-structurés. Les enregistrements audio des entretiens ont été transcrits et analysés à l'aide d'une analyse phénoménologique interprétative. Dix personnes ont participé à l'étude. Toutes se sont rappelées des différences autistiques présentes depuis l'enfance qui n'avaient pas été remarquées. Dans la plupart des cas, le trouble de la personnalité borderline a été ressenti comme un mauvais diagnostic. Ce diagnostic erroné a entraîné une stigmatisation, un éclipsage diagnostique et des expériences néfastes pour nos participants. Bien qu'elles ne s'identifient pas à ce diagnostic, elles se sentaient impuissantes à le contester. En revanche, recevoir un diagnostic d'autisme a été « transformateur ». Bien que cela n'ait pas tout résolu, cela a été profondément validant. Cela leur a également permis d'être authentiques, déplaçant le focus du « traitement » et de la modification de leur personnalité pour s'adapter aux autres, vers une acceptation de leurs différences et de leur neurotype. Cela a considérablement amélioré leur santé mentale.

An increasing number of studies are investigating the links between autism and borderline personality disorder. Studies report overlapping differences and the challenges in differentiating between these two diagnostic labels. In practice, there are many people, especially autistic women, who feel that they were misdiagnosed with borderline personality disorder. This study aimed to explore the experiences of autistic adults who were previously diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. This is an interpretive phenomenological study. Data were collected using one-to-one, semi-structured interviews. Interview audio-recordings were transcribed and analysed using an interpretive phenomenological analysis. Ten people participated. All recalled autistic differences since childhood that went unnoticed. In most cases, borderline personality disorder was felt to have been a misdiagnosis. This misdiagnosis carried stigma, introduced diagnostic overshadowing and led to harmful experiences for our participants. While they did not identify with the diagnosis, they felt powerless to challenge it. In contrast, receiving an autism diagnosis was ‘life changing’. While this did not solve everything for them, it was deeply validating. It also allowed them to be their true authentic selves, shifting the focus away from ‘treatment’ and changing who they are to suit others, towards acceptance of their differences and neurotype. This significantly improved their mental health.


Pour information:

(1) les références en bleu sont des ressources référencées sur notre site;

(2) les auteur·rices repris dans cette bibliographie dont le nom est en couleur ont publié d'autres ressources référencées sur le site. Cliquer sur le nom permet de voir la listes des ressources publiées et partagées sur le site;

(3) les auteur·rices dont le nom est suivi d'une astérisque ont publiquement divulgué être autistes. [En savoir plus sur cette mention]


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