Representations of autism in Australian print media

This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. one author of this publication is identified as autistic in the project.

About the autistic author marker

Jones, S. C. & Harwood, V. (2009). Representations of autism in Australian print media. Disability & Society, 24(1), 5-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687590802535345

Publication date: 1 Jan 2009 Added to AutiHub: 14 Sep 2026 Type: Article Article language: English

This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:

Authors

Publication authors
2
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 2 (50.0%)

Abstract

The mass media provides a frame for discourse around important health issues, and it has been widely demonstrated that the development and reinforcement of stereotypes of minority groups are strongly influenced by the news and entertainment media. An extensive search of academic databases failed to locate any studies which examined the representation of autism in the news media, although there were a number of articles on the media role in the autism and MMR debate. This paper reports on an examination of the extent, and nature, of coverage of ‘autism spectrum disorders’ in the Australian print media between 1996 and 2005. Key findings include a relatively limited amount of factual information and a dual stereotype of people labeled as having autism as either dangerous and uncontrollable or unloved and poorly treated. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of the nature and tone of this coverage of autism and its potential impact on individuals described as ‘autistic’, their families and carers and the community in general.

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: 20 Sep 2026 01:01.

Cited references
6
With a DOI
3
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
0
0 / 6 (0.0%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
0 / 6 (0.0%)
References with detected author names
6 / 6 (100.0%)
Without detected author names
0
Without a structured title
0
Without a stable identifier
0
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
14
From DOI or external metadata
14
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
0
1 / 14 (7.1%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 13 / 14 (92.9%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
0 / 14 (0.0%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 0 / 1 (0.0%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 0 / 14 (0.0%).
  1. K Horvath , G Stefanatos , K N Sokolski , R Wachtel , L Nabors , J T Tildon (1998). Improved social and language skills after secretin administration in patients with autistic spectrum disorders. J Assoc Acad Minor Phys, 9(1), 9.
    Type: Article OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W48282315
    OpenAlex
  2. Deb Verhoeven (2003). Review of Ann Pointon & Chris Davies (eds) Framed: interrogating disability in the media . Media Information Australia, 106.
    Type: Article OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W108549319
    OpenAlex
  3. Bruce Curtis , Eric Paras , Pierre Bourdieu (2007). Foucault 2.0: Beyond Power and Knowledge . The Canadian Journal of Sociology / Cahiers canadiens de sociologie, 32(3), 399. JSTOR.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.2307/20460649 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W391936531
    OpenAlex
  4. Valerie Harwood (2005). Diagnosing 'Disorderly' Children: A critique of behaviour disorder discourses . Research Online (University of Wollongong).
    Type: Article OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W1526585002
    OpenAlex
  5. Michael G. Aman , Kristen S. Langworthy (2000). Pharmacotherapy for Hyperactivity in Children with Autism and Other Pervasive Developmental Disorders . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 30(5), 451-459. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    OpenAlex
  6. Paul Marcus (2008). Valerie Harwood, Diagnosing ‘Disorderly’ Children: A Critique of Behaviour Disorders Discourses (London: Routledge, 2006) . Foucault Studies, 128-130. Project MUSE.
    OpenAlex