Cronan, Madeline (2023) ‘Not Disordered, Differently Ordered’: A Qualitative Exploration of Lived Experiences of Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is widely accepted as a childhood disorder; the majority of individuals receive a diagnosis as children or adolescents. However, the developmental disorder is not exclusively diagnosed in childhood, which is exemplified by the growing number of individuals reporting a diagnosis of ASD after they reach adulthood, yet little is known about their experiences. The current study explores the lived experiences of adults diagnosed with autism later in life, specifically examining the effects that the diagnosis has on the individual’s quality of life and social support. Seven adults who received a diagnosis of autism as an adult participated in semi-structured interviews that were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. The analysis yielded four themes relevant to the aims of the study: relief, affirmation of identity, self-acceptance and interpersonal relationships. The findings highlight the effects that obtaining a diagnosis of autism as an adult has on the quality of life of individuals on the spectrum in addition to emphasising the importance of social supports in increasing participants’ levels of inclusion, self-efficacy and satisfaction with life.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Current – Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Wellbeing (1 Jan 2022 -) |
| Supervisors: | Yosheen Pillay |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 18 May 2025 23:46 |
| Last Modified: | 18 May 2025 23:46 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Autism, quality of life, social support. |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52241 |
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