Autistic adults’ personal experiences of navigating a social world prior to and during Covid-19 lockdown in Spain

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Lois Mosquera, M., Mandy, W., Pavlopoulou, G., & Dimitriou, D. (2021). Autistic adults’ personal experiences of navigating a social world prior to and during Covid-19 lockdown in Spain. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 117, 104057. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2021.104057

Publication date: 6 Aug 2021 Added to AutiHub: 7 Aug 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
4
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 4 (25.0%)
  1. Miguel Lois Mosquera *
  2. Will Mandy
  3. Georgia Pavlopoulou
  4. Dagmara Dimitriou

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic brought significant movement restrictions and national lockdowns. These drastic changes impacted routines, social life and support networks for the autistic community. AIMS: This study investigated the lived experiences of autistic adults with social expectations before and during the first Covid-19 lockdown in Spain. METHODS: A qualitative Reflexive Thematic Analysis was applied to 10 Photo Elicitation Interviews using images provided by five autistic adults. Interviews were conducted at two time points, before the pandemic and during the first lockdown. FINDINGS: Three themes before the pandemic were identified: (1) everyday interactions, (2) finding sense of belonging, and (3) fractured wellbeing, which revealed the participants' eagerness to fit in socially whilst experiencing rejection, weakening their mental health. During the first Covid-19 lockdown, two master themes were identified: (1) daily, positive experiences, and (2) surfacing failures, which emphasised an increased lived stigma as well as an ineffective autism support network, contributing to a heightened anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: The current study provides further support to the recent findings highlighting lack of appropriate mental health support for the autistic communities during the pandemic, across the world. Future research should aim to provide more data on the experiences and needs of autistic communities when sudden societal changes are imposed.

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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
50
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
5 / 50 (10.0%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
10 / 138 (7.2%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 10 / 59 (16.9%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 8 / 119 (6.7%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
59 / 138 (42.8%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 43 / 119 (36.1%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
49 / 59 (83.1%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 49 / 138 (35.5%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 35 / 43 (81.4%).
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