TY - JOUR
T1 - “Realizing the problem wasn’t necessarily me”
T2 - the meaning of childhood adversity and resilience in the lives of autistic adults
AU - Heselton, Gabrielle A.
AU - Rempel, Gwen R.
AU - Nicholas, David B.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Purpose: There is evidence that childhood adversity is correlated with poor health outcomes across the lifespan. Resilience results when internal and external protective factors in childhood mitigate this relationship. However, among children on the autism spectrum, these relationships are understudied, and little is known about the characteristics and role of adversity and resilience in their in their lives. This study interprets these phenomena as experienced by autistic young adults. Methods: Initially, we conducted community engagement with five members of the autism community who advised on the research question, research design, and analysis. Subsequently, four autistic young adults, three women and one non-binary, aged 19–27, were recruited to participate in semi-structured interviews via phone, video conference, and online chat. Credibility checking interviews followed data analysis. Results: Through interpretative phenomenological analysis we identified themes related to the negative effects of adversity, including social disconnection, mental and emotional well-being, sense of self, and development into young adulthood. Resilience developed in places of refuge and identity and was evident in their transitions into young adulthood. Conclusion: These findings provide direction for decreasing adversity and fostering resilience in children and adolescents on the autism spectrum.
AB - Purpose: There is evidence that childhood adversity is correlated with poor health outcomes across the lifespan. Resilience results when internal and external protective factors in childhood mitigate this relationship. However, among children on the autism spectrum, these relationships are understudied, and little is known about the characteristics and role of adversity and resilience in their in their lives. This study interprets these phenomena as experienced by autistic young adults. Methods: Initially, we conducted community engagement with five members of the autism community who advised on the research question, research design, and analysis. Subsequently, four autistic young adults, three women and one non-binary, aged 19–27, were recruited to participate in semi-structured interviews via phone, video conference, and online chat. Credibility checking interviews followed data analysis. Results: Through interpretative phenomenological analysis we identified themes related to the negative effects of adversity, including social disconnection, mental and emotional well-being, sense of self, and development into young adulthood. Resilience developed in places of refuge and identity and was evident in their transitions into young adulthood. Conclusion: These findings provide direction for decreasing adversity and fostering resilience in children and adolescents on the autism spectrum.
KW - Autism
KW - childhood adversity
KW - interpretative phenomenological analysis
KW - mental health
KW - participatory methods
KW - resilience
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85126662133&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/17482631.2022.2051237
DO - 10.1080/17482631.2022.2051237
M3 - Journal Article
C2 - 35297725
AN - SCOPUS:85126662133
SN - 1748-2623
VL - 17
JO - International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being
JF - International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being
IS - 1
M1 - 2051237
ER -