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ERIC Number: EJ1002686
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Mar
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0952-3383
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
"Why Should I Be like Bloody Rain Man?!" Navigating the Autistic Identity
MacLeod, Andrea; Lewis, Ann; Robertson, Christopher
British Journal of Special Education, v40 n1 p41-49 Mar 2013
This article explores the views of six higher education students with autism/Asperger syndrome. The research draws upon social identity theory to explore how participants made meaning of their label. There was consensus that information given at the point of diagnosis generally did not reflect their individual experiences. First-hand accounts tended to be perceived as more personally relevant. The "Asperger" identity was generally framed as fragile and inconsistent, leading some individuals to distance themselves from it. This may be problematic for a group that is already disadvantaged and isolated. However, participants conveyed strong self-images regardless of how and whether they identified with their diagnosis, which was attributed to their relative privilege in achieving higher education and therefore experiencing success and achievement related to their personal strengths. In this article, Andrea MacLeod, Ann Lewis and Christopher Robertson, from the University of Birmingham, call for researchers and relevant services to involve autistic individuals directly in fostering a constructive "autism identity".
Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://www.wiley.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/WileyCDA
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A