Autism Through an Autistic Lens: A Photovoice Exploration of Autistic Adults’ Experiences in Navigating Perceived and Internalized Stigma

This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. two authors of this publication are identified as autistic in the project.

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Dantas, S., Grainger, C., Botha, M., Rafetseder, E., & Jasper, C. (2026). Autism Through an Autistic Lens: A Photovoice Exploration of Autistic Adults’ Experiences in Navigating Perceived and Internalized Stigma. Autism in Adulthood. https://doi.org/10.1177/25739581261456241

Publication date: 16 Jun 2026 Added to AutiHub: 10 Sep 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
Publisher source (DOI) Full text OpenAlex source

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Authors

Publication authors
5
Publication authors identified as autistic
2 / 5 (40.0%)
  1. Sarah Dantas *
  2. Catherine Grainger
  3. Monique Botha *
  4. Eva Rafetseder
  5. Carol Jasper

Abstract

Background: Internalized stigma happens when people incorporate negative stereotypes into their self-concept. In research, some autistic people have shown internalized stigma, which has been associated with heightened psychological distress. Aligned with autistic people’s research priorities, this study investigated the impact of stigma and internalized stigma on autistic people’s lives and identities. Methods: We used the photovoice method, where people communicate their lived experience by taking photographs, and techniques of Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis, which focuses on in-depth individual narratives. Findings: Our findings emphasize the relational nature of stigma, highlighting autistic people’s resourcefulness in responding to and managing stigma in complex and context-sensitive ways. Autistic participants also drew on their focused interests and creative expression to actively resist and counter experiences of stigma. Conclusion: Future research should focus on targeting stigma among non-autistic people, and in exploring autistic people’s focused interests and creativity as a potential avenue for improving their well-being and fostering a positive identity.

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 18:19.

Cited references
56
With a DOI
50
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
6
11 / 56 (19.6%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
4 / 56 (7.1%)
References with detected author names
52 / 56 (92.9%)
Without detected author names
4
Without a structured title
4
Without a stable identifier
6
References with raw author names still to review
4
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
185
From DOI or external metadata
185
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
4
78 / 185 (42.2%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 107 / 185 (57.8%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
20 / 185 (10.8%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 20 / 78 (25.6%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 16 / 174 (9.2%).
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