Exploring the Phenomenology of Autistic Attention

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Poole, D., Molloy, H., Butnicu, B., Milne, E., & Buckle, K. L. (2026). Exploring the Phenomenology of Autistic Attention. Autism in Adulthood. https://doi.org/10.1177/25739581261489267

Publication date: 17 Sep 2026 Added to AutiHub: 18 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. Daniel Poole
  2. Helen Molloy
  3. Beatrix Butnicu
  4. Elizabeth Milne
  5. Karen Leneh Buckle *

Abstract

Background: Existing research has identified areas of strength and challenge in relation to autistic attention. However, this work has tended to rely on comparisons with neurotypical benchmarks, meaning that how attention is lived and embodied by autistic people has been underexplored. This study addresses this critical gap via the first phenomenological account of how autistic adults experience their attention within everyday contexts. Methods: A total of 13 autistic adults took part in semi-structured interviews. To help participants express their complex and potentially hard to verbalize experiences, we integrated photo-elicitation using researcher-selected photographs as prompts for participants to discuss their attention experiences. Data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis, which was inductively driven but informed by a Merleau-Pontian framework. Results: Three Group Experiential Themes (GETs) were developed. GET1, Interruption Is Devastating: Participants described their attention as a sequential, deeply engrossed process. Interruptions, especially from other people, were profoundly challenging, often leading to a collapse of their focus and an exhausting state of vigilance. GET2, Interest Engagement as a Sanctuary: Time spent deeply focused on interests was described as a sanctuary, providing both joy and replenishment of cognitive resources depleted through navigating inaccessible environments. GET3, Attentional Normativity: This exposed the friction between participants’ attentional style and entrenched normative expectations about how attention “should” function, which particularly impacted their experiences in the workplace. Conclusion: This work provides novel insights into the phenomenology of autistic attention. We highlight elements across themes that support the monotropism theory of attention within a lived and embodied subjectivity. We discuss the importance of challenging normative expectations of attention for creating neuroinclusive environments, particularly in the workplace.

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Associated preprints

Preprint associated with this publication
Exploring the phenomenology of autistic attention
Candidate Reliability level: High Title heuristic

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: 19 Sep 2026 07:57.

Cited references
59
With a DOI
51
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
7
16 / 59 (27.1%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
3 / 59 (5.1%)
References with detected author names
56 / 59 (94.9%)
Without detected author names
3
Without a structured title
3
Without a stable identifier
7
References with raw author names still to review
3
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
3
90 / 185 (48.6%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 95 / 185 (51.4%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
32 / 185 (17.3%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 32 / 90 (35.6%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 24 / 157 (15.3%).
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