Many people appear to have inaccurate or misconceived ideas about autism.
For example, many people believe that
- all people on the autism spectrum are the same
- they don't value friendships
- they are less deserving than other people
- they are just 'making it up'.
This can lead to significant problems including isolation, exclusion and bullying as well as poor services.
Many people appear to have inaccurate or misconceived ideas about autism.
For example, many people believe that
- all people on the autism spectrum are the same
- they don't value friendships
- they are less deserving than other people
- they are just 'making it up'.
This can lead to significant problems including isolation, exclusion and bullying as well as poor services.
This page provides details of some of the most significant scientific studies and reviews on attitudes towards autism which have been published in English-language, peer-reviewed journals. If you know of any other studies we should include please email info@researchautism.net with the details. Thank you.
If you know of any other publications we should list on this page please email info@informationautism.org
Please note that we are unable to supply publications unless we are listed as the publisher. However, if you are a UK resident you may be able to obtain them from your local public library, your college library or direct from the publisher.
If you found the information in this section helpful please Make a Donation to Research Autism now and help us continue our vital work.
Your money will enable us to carry out further research and provide more high quality information about interventions, treatments and therapies that may help people on the autism spectrum.
Thank you!
There are some studies published in peer-reviewed journals which appear to show that some interventions, including some of those listed below, may be effective in improving attitudes towards individuals with autism.
Please see Autism and Attitude Intervention Studies for a list of those studies.
There are some anecdotal reports that other interventions, including some of those listed below, may be effective for some individuals.
Please click on the names of the interventions below to find out more about those interventions.
The fact that an intervention is listed below does not necessarily mean that we agree that it is effective for people with autism.
"I usually get stares and tuts from people who just think I'm a bad mother. I even once had a woman in a supermarket tell me that I shouldn't take my son out in public even after I explained that he is autistic. People have even made complaints to store managers about my son's behaviour because his screaming has bothered them." (Mother of an eight-year-old boy with autism, Simmons, 2008)
"If people had a little more training or education then you wouldn't need to change anything. People in councils, job centres, etc need to have some sort of training about autism. People who work with the public should be able to ask themselves whether the people they're working with have got autism." (Middle-aged man with Asperger syndrome, Simmons, 2008)
This page provides details of other publications on attitudes towards autism. If you know of any other publications we should include please email info@researchautism.net with the details. Thank you.
If you know of any other publications we should list on this page please email info@informationautism.org
Please note that we are unable to supply publications unless we are listed as the publisher. However, if you are a UK resident you may be able to obtain them from your local public library, your college library or direct from the publisher.