Autism as a difference or a disorder? Exploring the views of individuals who use peer-led online support groups for autistic partners.

Individuals who use peer-led online support groups for partners of autistics describe diverse views of autism, with some describing autism as a difference and others describing it as a disorder. I conducted online interviews with 162 non-autistics who believed they were in relationships with autistics and who participated in online support groups on social media. I analyzed their responses by constantly comparing each interview to previous interviews to develop a theory about their social experiences. As many as one-third of autistics participate in romantic relationships, and many of their partners seek support through groups on social media. Few studies explore what it is like to be a non-autistic person who is in a relationship with an autistic person. The way that participants viewed autism influenced the way that they viewed themselves, their partners, and their relationships. Many participants who were dissatisfied in their relationships shared that they believed their partners were autistic, but their partners had never been formally evaluated and did not self-identify as autistic. Future research should explore ways that autism labels are (mis)applied by the general public based on negative stereotypes about autism.