Development of stigma-related support for autistic adults: Insights from the autism community

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Han, E., Scior, K., Heath, E., Umagami, K., & Crane, L. (2023). Development of stigma-related support for autistic adults: Insights from the autism community. Autism, 27(6), 1676-1689. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613221143590

Publication date: 4 Jan 2023 Added to AutiHub: 14 Sep 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
5
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 5 (20.0%)
  1. Emeline Han
  2. Katrina Scior
  3. Eric Heath
  4. Kana Umagami *
  5. Laura Crane

Abstract

Many autistic adults experience public stigma and some internalise this stigma with negative effects on their mental health. While efforts to reduce public stigma are paramount, change can be slow, and interventions to prevent internalised stigma may also be needed. Using a mixed methods online survey, we gathered the views of 144 autistic adults and parents/caregivers of autistic people in the United Kingdom on whether a stigma-related support programme for autistic adults is needed and, if so, what it should ‘look’ like. Quantitative data (summarised descriptively) showed that most participants felt it was important for autistic adults to have support in managing stigma and revealed diverse preferences in terms of programme delivery, underscoring the need for flexibility. Using reflexive thematic analysis, four main themes were identified from the qualitative data: (1) ‘We need to change society not autistic people’, (2) ‘Stigma is difficult to manage alone’, (3) ‘Focus on positive, practical support’, and (4) ‘There is no one size fits all approach’. We discuss the important implications our findings have for how future interventions in this area are framed and delivered. Lay Abstract Many autistic adults experience public stigma, which refers to negative attitudes and treatment from others. Because of that, some autistic adults may also apply unhelpful beliefs to themselves, which is known as internalised stigma. There is some evidence that both public stigma and internalised stigma are linked to poorer mental health in autistic adults. Clearly, it is crucial to change how society thinks and acts towards autistic people. There are several programmes that are trying to do this. But as change can be slow, support may also be needed to help autistic people cope with and challenge stigma. Using an online survey, we gathered the views of 144 autistic adults and parents/caregivers of autistic people in the United Kingdom on whether a stigma support programme for autistic adults is needed and, if so, what it should ‘look’ like. Most participants felt it was important for autistic adults to have support in managing stigma because of the harmful effects that stigma has on mental health and the challenges that autistic adults face in disclosing their diagnosis. However, participants were also concerned that such a programme could convey the message that autistic people, rather than society, need to change. Participants suggested that the programme should be positive and practical, helping autistic adults to understand and accept themselves, as well as learn context-specific strategies for responding to stigma and/or disclosing their diagnosis. They also stressed that the programme should be flexible and inclusive, recognising that autistic adults have very different needs and preferences.

Bibliography cited by this reference

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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: 20 Sep 2026 01:01.

Cited references
59
With a DOI
56
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
3
15 / 59 (25.4%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
2 / 59 (3.4%)
References with detected author names
57 / 59 (96.6%)
Without detected author names
2
Without a structured title
2
Without a stable identifier
2
References with raw author names still to review
2
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
231
From DOI or external metadata
231
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
2
115 / 231 (49.8%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 116 / 231 (50.2%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
22 / 231 (9.5%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 22 / 115 (19.1%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 19 / 174 (10.9%).
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