“I’m not mad, bad, and dangerous … simply wired differently”: Exploring factors contributing to good quality of life with autistic women

Paricos, A., Sturrock, A., Twomey, K. E., & Leadbitter, K. (2024). “I’m not mad, bad, and dangerous … simply wired differently”: Exploring factors contributing to good quality of life with autistic women. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 112, 102338. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102338

Publication date: 11 Feb 2024 Added to AutiHub: 6 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English

This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:

Authors

Publication authors
4
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 4 (25.0%)

Abstract

There is increasing recognition of under-representation of autistic women in the academic literature and the impact of this on understanding, diagnosis, and support. Previous research has suggested that autistic women have poorer quality of life (QoL) than the general population. However, these findings have been established through use of QoL measures based on non-autistic norms and priorities. This qualitative study used bottom-up, reflexive thematic analysis methods to explore how ten autistic women defined good QoL, and the factors identified as key to achieving this, using individual semi-structured interviews. Findings indicate four main themes that represent routes to good QoL: positive sense of self; feeling supported; autonomy; inclusion. Participants noted that being autistic itself was not a determinant of reduced QoL. Instead, participants’ QoL was underpinned by the extent to which participants understood themselves, others understood and accommodated their needs, and the person-environment fit. The findings of this study align with a positive approach to neurological difference and have implications for diagnosis, post-diagnostic support and applications of current QoL measures for autistic women.

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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
59
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
8 / 59 (13.6%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
15 / 223 (6.7%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 15 / 97 (15.5%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 13 / 192 (6.8%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
97 / 223 (43.5%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 71 / 192 (37.0%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
82 / 97 (84.5%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 82 / 223 (36.8%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 58 / 71 (81.7%).
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