Transition vers le flow autistique et hors de celui-ci : une étude qualitative présentant une approche non pathologisante du bien-être autistique et conceptualisant les manières d'être autistiques dans les contextes cliniques et thérapeutiques

Titre original en anglais : Transitioning in and out of Autistic Flow: A Qualitative Study Presenting a Non‐Pathologising Approach to Autistic Well‐Being and Conceptualising Autistic Ways of Being in Clinical and Therapeutic Settings

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Wain, D., Williams, G., Charura, D., Hamilton, L., Milton, D., Wortman, D., & Heasman, B. (2026). Transitioning in and out of Autistic Flow: A Qualitative Study Presenting a Non‐Pathologising Approach to Autistic Well‐Being and Conceptualising Autistic Ways of Being in Clinical and Therapeutic Settings. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 26(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.70073

Date de publication: 27/01/2026 Ajout dans AutiHub: 06/07/2026 Type: Article Langue de l’article: Anglais
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Auteurs

Auteur·ices des publications
7
Auteur·ices de la publication identifié·es comme autistes
2 / 7 (28,6 %)
  1. Daniella Wain
  2. Gemma Williams *
  3. Divine Charura
  4. Lorna Hamilton
  1. Damian Milton *
  2. Deborah Wortman
  3. Brett Heasman

Résumé

RÉSUMÉ Introduction Le flow autistique est un terme qui a été utilisé pour décrire l'expérience autistique d'être profondément immergé dans une activité. La théorie du flow autistique propose que les personnes autistes puissent être particulièrement bien placées pour accéder aux états de flow et les gérer. Cependant, davantage de recherches sont nécessaires pour comprendre les conditions facilitatrices qui soutiennent la transition des personnes autistes vers les états de flow et hors de ceux-ci, notamment compte tenu de l'interaction complexe entre les besoins sensoriels, la focalisation monotropique et les facteurs environnementaux. Objectifs et méthodes Des entretiens semi-structurés ont été utilisés parallèlement à l'analyse phénoménologique interprétative (IPA) afin d'explorer les expériences qualitatives de dix personnes autistes lors de la transition vers le flow et hors de celui-ci. Résultats L'analyse a mis en évidence trois thèmes : (1) le flow est agréable et essentiel au bien-être autistique, jouant un rôle régulateur dans les expériences quotidiennes sur les plans sensoriel, émotionnel et cognitif ; (2) les manières d'être autistiques (c.-à-d. l'attention monotropique, la sensibilité sensorielle et les comportements répétitifs) peuvent amplifier les expériences dans le flow et hors de celui-ci ; et (3) la prévisibilité est importante pour se sentir en sécurité afin d'entrer dans le flow. Discussion Nous discutons de la richesse de l'expertise que possèdent les personnes autistes concernant leurs propres expériences de flow et de la manière dont elle peut être mobilisée pour construire des environnements favorables au bien-être. Les résultats contribuent à une reconceptualisation non pathologisante des manières d'être autistiques à travers l'approche de la théorie du flow autistique.

ABSTRACT Introduction Autistic flow is a term that has been used to describe the autistic experience of being deeply immersed in an activity. Autistic flow theory proposes that autistic people may be uniquely positioned to access and manage flow states. However, more research is needed to understand the facilitative conditions that support autistic people transitioning into and out of flow states, particularly given the complex interplay of sensory needs, monotropic focus and environmental factors. Aims and Methods Semi‐structured interviews were used alongside Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore the qualitative experiences of ten autistic people transitioning in and out of flow. Results The analysis highlighted three themes: (1) Flow is enjoyable and essential for autistic well‐being, playing a regulatory role in everyday experiences across sensory, emotional and cognitive facets; (2) autistic ways of being (i.e., monotropic attention, sensory sensitivity and repetitive behaviours) can amplify experiences in and out of flow; and (3) predictability is important for feeling safe to enter flow. Discussion We discuss the wealth of expertise autistic people possess about their own flow experiences and how this can be harnessed to build enabling environments for well‐being. The findings contribute to a non‐pathologising reconceptualisation of autistic ways of being through the approach of autistic flow theory.

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Références citées
61
Nombre total de références citées intégrées pour cette publication.
Références citées avec un·e auteur·ice identifié·e comme autiste
16 / 61 (26,2 %)
Occurrences d’auteur·ices cité·es identifié·es comme autistes
28 / 182 (15,4 %)
Parmi les occurrences rattachées à des auteurices intégré·es à la base de données AutiHub : 28 / 85 (32,9 %). Auteurices cité·es distinct·es identifié·es comme autistes : 15 / 152 (9,9 %).
Occurrences citées rattachées à la base AutiHub
85 / 182 (46,7 %)
Auteurices cité·es distinct·es rattaché·es : 58 / 152 (38,2 %)
Occurrences rattachées, non identifiées comme autistes
57 / 85 (67,1 %)
Parmi les seules occurrences rattachées. Sur l’ensemble des occurrences d’auteurices cité·es : 57 / 182 (31,3 %). Auteurices cité·es distinct·es rattaché·es, non identifié·es comme autistes : 43 / 58 (74,1 %).
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