Charles Sturt University, Australia.
Autism. 2021 Aug;25(6):1553-1564. doi: 10.1177/1362361321993722. Epub 2021 Mar 15.
Most autism spectrum condition research addresses the neurological and biological causes of autism spectrum condition, focusing upon deficits associated with autism spectrum condition and behavioural interventions designed to minimise these deficits. Little is known about the lived experiences of adult women on the autism spectrum and how they navigate social expectations around gender, autism spectrum condition and gendered understandings of autism spectrum condition. The lived experiences of eight women on the AS will be shared here, with attention to how gendered expectations influence women's experiences of autism spectrum condition, their sense of self and well-being. Findings showed these women struggled to reconcile the expectations of others, particularly early in life. The women had difficultly conforming to stereotypical ideals of femininity, yet as they aged, they felt less need to conform, valuing their unique style and behaviours. The women also rejected deficit-oriented descriptions of autism spectrum condition generated by the medical community, preferring to focus on their strengths and unique characteristics. It is hoped this article helps psychologists and the wider community to understand and meet the needs of women on the AS.
大多数自闭症谱系障碍研究都致力于研究自闭症谱系障碍的神经和生物学原因，重点关注与自闭症谱系障碍相关的缺陷以及旨在减少这些缺陷的行为干预措施。对于自闭症谱系障碍成年女性的生活体验，以及她们如何应对围绕性别、自闭症谱系障碍和对自闭症谱系障碍的性别化理解的社会期望，知之甚少。这里将分享八位自闭症谱系障碍女性的生活体验，重点关注性别期望如何影响女性对自闭症谱系障碍、自我和幸福感的体验。研究结果表明，这些女性在早期很难调和他人的期望。这些女性很难符合女性气质的刻板印象，但随着年龄的增长，她们不再需要迎合这些刻板印象，而是更加珍视自己独特的风格和行为。这些女性还拒绝接受医学界对自闭症谱系障碍的缺陷导向描述，更愿意关注自己的优势和独特特征。希望本文能帮助心理学家和更广泛的社区了解和满足自闭症谱系障碍女性的需求。
