Autistics working in academia: What are the barriers and facilitators?

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Thom-Jones, S. (2022). Autistics working in academia: What are the barriers and facilitators? Autism, 27(3), 822-831. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613221118158

Publication date: 11 Aug 2022 Added to AutiHub: 6 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
1
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 1 (100.0%)
  1. Sandra Thom-Jones *

Abstract

Autistic people are under-represented in university student populations, but their numbers are growing, and the barriers to their inclusion are being recognised. Outside of the student body, autistic people in academia are often overlooked, although this is starting to change with the growth in inclusive autism research. However, they remain absent from the academic literature, despite the evident synergies between autistic strengths and academic careers. This study explored the perceptions of 37 autistic academics from various disciplines: what are the positives of working in academia for autistic people, and what are the negatives? Participants reported many positive aspects of an academic career, including the fit with the strengths, characteristics and motivations of autistic people. However, they also noted barriers and challenges – social, environmental and structural – many of which could be addressed by greater awareness and acceptance of autism. Given the considerable benefits that autistic teachers and researchers bring to higher education, there is a clear need for universities and colleges to implement changes to the physical and social environment to make academia more inclusive. Lay Abstract Academia appears to provide an ideal career option for autistic people: the opportunity to lock ourselves away in an ivory tower and utilise our extensive knowledge of a very specific topic. We know autistic people are underrepresented in postsecondary education, and there is a growing body of research on how to make universities more inclusive. What is missing from the literature is the voices of autistic people who have survived the university experience and gone on to become university teachers and researchers. Increasing the visibility of autistics in academia, and exploring the barriers and facilitators they experience in an academic career, is important to raise the aspirations of future university students and graduates. This study included 37 autistic academics from various disciplines and countries, exploring their perceptions of the positive and negative aspects of being an autistic in academia.

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Bibliography inclusion overview

These indicators describe the cited bibliography imported for this publication. Cited-reference metrics use the cited-reference total as denominator. Cited-author metrics state whether they use all cited-author occurrences or only occurrences linked to authors already integrated in the AutiHub database. They use cached links between cited authors and authors integrated in the AutiHub database. Last computed: 16 Aug 2026 11:31.

Cited references
31
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
4 / 31 (12.9%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
13 / 109 (11.9%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 13 / 55 (23.6%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 11 / 100 (11.0%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
55 / 109 (50.5%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 47 / 100 (47.0%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
42 / 55 (76.4%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 42 / 109 (38.5%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 36 / 47 (76.6%).
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