Autistic adults' personal experiences of navigating a social world prior to and during Covid-19 lockdown in Spain.
Miguel Lois Mosquera, William Mandy, Georgia Pavlopoulou and 1 others
PMID 34371305WHAT IT FOUND
Autistic adults in Spain described the lockdown as reducing the exhausting need to camouflage socially, allowing time for personal interests.
However, they faced increased stigma and isolation from the public and a lack of autism support, which intensified anxiety and feelings of vulnerability.
Key findings
01Participants reported that the lockdown restrictions removed the social obligations to camouflage, which they experienced as a positive reduction in mental exhaustion.
02Despite the benefits of reduced social interaction, participants experienced increased stigma from the general public and a perceived worsening of the autism support network during the lockdown.
03The combination of social rejection and lack of support led to intensified feelings of vulnerability, anxiety, and social detachment.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study included only five participants, all of whom were self-selected, had no intellectual disability, and belonged to the same ethnic group, so the findings may not represent the wider autistic population. The small sample size means the themes cannot be generalised to all autistic adults. The study is qualitative, so it describes experiences but cannot measure the magnitude of effects or prove causality.
Declared interests
No competing financial interests exist.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that lockdowns are generally beneficial for autistic adults. While participants reported relief from the pressure to camouflage, they also experienced increased stigma, isolation, and a lack of support that worsened their mental health. These findings come from a very small sample and do not prove that social isolation improves wellbeing for the broader autistic community.