'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.
Catherine J Crompton, Sonny Hallett, Danielle Ropar and 2 others
PMID 32148068WHAT IT FOUND
Autistic adults said spending time with autistic people was easier, less tiring and more accepting, while time with non-autistic people often felt effortful, anxious and pressured to mask.
Key findings
01Participants described interactions with non-autistic people as effortful, with anxiety before or during contact and exhaustion afterward.
02Participants reported comfort, ease and less need to mask when spending time with autistic friends and family.
03Participants experienced pressure to conform to non-autistic social norms and activities, including noisy or busy spaces that were difficult to access.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Only 12 participants were interviewed, so the themes describe a small group rather than a population pattern. All participants were speaking adults, with IQ close to 100, or well above, and most were diagnosed in adulthood, so findings may not transfer to children, non-speaking autistic people, people diagnosed in childhood or people with a learning disability. Most participants were female, so experiences may not represent autistic men and non-binary people. All participants were UK based, so findings may not transfer outside UK social norms. The study did not test an intervention or compare outcomes, so it cannot show that spending time with autistic people causes better mental health.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The study was funded by a grant from the Templeton World Charity Foundation, grant number TWCF0200.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that autistic peer support improves mental health. The study was a qualitative interview with 12 autistic adults, and it reports what participants said about their relationships rather than testing an intervention or measuring outcomes.