Attitudinal Perspectives on Autism Spectrum Disorders
Summary
Attitudinal perspectives on autism spectrum disorders encompass the range of beliefs, emotions and behavioural tendencies held by individuals and societies towards autistic people. Research in this area has moved beyond simplistic deficit models to acknowledge the plurality of viewpoints shaped by cultural norms, lived experience and conceptual frameworks such as the medical model and the neurodiversity paradigm. Key influences on attitudes include the level and accuracy of knowledge about autism, personal contact with autistic individuals, media representation and prevailing social narratives. These factors interact to shape stigma, disclosure decisions and inclusion practices across educational, occupational and healthcare settings. Recent work has emphasised the role of first impressions and implicit biases in everyday encounters, underscoring how rapid judgements may hinder social participation. Cross-cultural studies reveal significant variation in attitudes, highlighting the importance of context in determining both explicit willingness to interact and deeper unconscious associations. Collectively, this body of work offers practical insights for policymakers, educators and advocates seeking to foster more informed, respectful and inclusive environments for autistic people worldwide.
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Attitudinal Perspectives on Autism Spectrum Disorders publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in attitudinal perspectives on autism spectrum disorders across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Stigma: A set of negative beliefs and behaviours directed towards individuals based on perceived differences.
Neurodiversity: The view that neurological variations, including autism, are natural and valuable forms of human diversity.
Medical model: An approach that frames autism primarily as a pathology to be cured or managed.
Implicit bias: Unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that influence understanding and behaviour towards a group.
Disclosure: The act of revealing one’s autism diagnosis or identity to others.
References
- ‘Most people have no idea what autism is’: Unpacking autism disclosure using social media analysis. Autism (2023).
- Negative first impression judgements of autistic children by non-autistic adults. Frontiers in Psychiatry (2023).
- University Students’ Notion of Autism Spectrum Conditions: A Cross-Cultural Study. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (2020).
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