Identity as a mediator between stigma and stereotype threat on postsecondary outcomes for adults on the autism spectrum

Authors

Abstract

Postsecondary outcomes for individuals on the autism spectrum are a great concern to society. Although previous research has identified factors that predict positive outcomes, wide variation exists for those for whom the best outcomes are predicted. Therefore, other factors that contribute to postsecondary outcomes should be explored. This dissertation combines the psychological framework of stereotype threat with the sociological theory of stigmatized identity to explore how variation in identity mediates postsecondary outcomes for adults on the autism spectrum. The dissertation is written in the format of three publishable papers. The three papers draw from an online sample of 1139 participants who were diagnosed, or identified with, an autism spectrum disorder. The participants responded to a national online survey that included demographic questions and measures for stigma, self-esteem, and quality of life (QoL) and items for the development of the Autism Spectrum Identity Scale (ASIS). In paper 1, an identity scale was developed from stigma theory and the first-hand literature. The final 22-item, four-factor ASIS demonstrated strong cross-validation. The internal consistency for the factors, Changeability, Positive Difference, Context Dependent, and Spectrum Abilities, ranged from strong to adequate. In paper 2, differences in ASIS factor scores were examined in relation to gender, identification with diagnostic categories, and postsecondary outcomes of employment and education. Males, students, the employed, and those who identify with Asperger’s Syndrome reported higher ASIS factor scores. In paper 3, I examined the interrelationships of factors, such as stigma, self-esteem, and QoL, and their relationship to gender, diagnostic category identification, and postsecondary outcomes. Males, students, the employed and those who identify with Asperger’s Syndrome reported higher well-being across each of the factors. Finally, I examined whether ASIS factors predicted QoL over and above stigma and self-esteem. The ASIS factors demonstrated complex relationships with stigma and self-esteem on outcomes of QoL. There was evidence of intersectionality where women who identify with autism demonstrated the poorest outcomes in employment and well-being. Future research should examine causal mechanisms between identity and outcomes for this population.

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