“A Delightful Embodiment of Dichotomies”: A Qualitative Exploration of Self-Concept and Identity Among Autistic and Non-Autistic People

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Pearson, A., Knight, H., Winter, R., Rose, K., & Rees, J. (2026). “A Delightful Embodiment of Dichotomies”: A Qualitative Exploration of Self-Concept and Identity Among Autistic and Non-Autistic People. Autism in Adulthood. https://doi.org/10.1177/25739581261478008

Publication date: 1 Sep 2026 Added to AutiHub: 3 Sep 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
5
Publication authors identified as autistic
2 / 5 (40.0%)
  1. Amy Pearson *
  2. Helen Knight
  3. Ray Winter
  4. Kieran Rose *
  5. Jon Rees

Abstract

Background: There is a growing focus on a positive autistic identity; however, we know very little about self-defined autistic self-concept beyond what it means to be “autistic.” Methods: We conducted semistructured interviews (written or spoken) with 103 people; 51 were autistic, 10 were neurodivergent but not autistic, and 42 were neurotypical. We asked them questions about their identity and self-concept. We also invited them to submit an artifact (e.g., a photograph or a drawing) that they felt represented who they were. We analyzed the data using inductive reflexive thematic analysis, based on semantic and latent content. Results: We developed three themes. In theme 1, “The idea of the self might be one of those neurotypical things,” autistic participants suggested that the self was hard to define and might be a neurotypical construct. However, the non-autistic participants also found the self difficult to define. Overall, participants across groups believed the self was multifaceted and context dependent. Theme 2, It made me who I am, highlighted factors at different levels of a person’s social ecology (e.g., their development, their wider family and friends, and society) that impact the development of self-concept. Autistic and neurodivergent people experienced increased social stigma that impacted their ability to know and express themselves. Theme 3, Unapologetically me, showed that autistic people developing comfort was prevented by perceived social power dynamics and consequences of not following social norms. Autistic people highlighted the importance of embodied experience in their own authentic expression; being able to stim freely was a core part of who they were. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that rather than seeing the autistic self as impaired compared with non-autistic peers, we might recognize that it can be difficult to describe due to the influence of external neuronormative expectations and external power structures that prevent self-knowledge.

Bibliography cited by this reference

Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.

Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 12 Sep 2026 18:17.

Cited references
53
With a DOI
42
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
11
9 / 53 (17.0%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
0 / 53 (0.0%)
References with detected author names
53 / 53 (100.0%)
Without detected author names
0
Without a structured title
0
Without a stable identifier
11
References with raw author names still to review
0
References with external metadata lookup issues
0
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
162
From DOI or external metadata
162
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
0
90 / 162 (55.6%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 72 / 162 (44.4%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
19 / 162 (11.7%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 19 / 90 (21.1%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 11 / 130 (8.5%).
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