Abstract

The prevalence of loneliness is reported higher for autistic children, adolescents, and adults when compared to non-autistic peers. However, how autistic adults understand loneliness is still unclear. The present study aimed to explore how autistic adults understand the concept of loneliness combining focus groups and individual interviews to engage autistic adults in a shared exploration of the concept of loneliness. Information from 7 females and 18 males (age 18–71 years) was included. Data were analysed using a phenomenological-based thematic analysis. Through the analysis four themes were identified in the reflections of the autistic adults: Experience of Loneliness, Being Autistic, Discrepancies in Social Relationships, and Ease of Interaction. The immediate understanding of loneliness in autistic adults was found to be quite similar to that of persons without autism. However, being autistic was a central frame of reference for the autistic adults in describing the wishes and needs as well as the actual experience of social relationships. Being autistic in a primarily neurotypical society may be seen as a risk factor due to the discrepancies often experienced by autistic individuals in social relationships. Raising autism acceptance in general and supporting the understanding of self and others in autistic individuals is important to prevent the social discrepancies associated with the experience of loneliness.

摘要

据报道，与非自闭症儿童相比，孤独症儿童，青少年和成人的孤独感患病率更高。然而，自闭症成年人如何理解孤独仍不清楚。本研究旨在探讨自闭症成年人如何结合焦点小组和个人访谈来理解孤独感，以使自闭症成年人参与对孤独感概念的共享探索。包括来自7位女性和18位男性（年龄18-71岁）的信息。使用基于现象学的主题分析对数据进行分析。通过分析，在自闭症成年人的反思中确定了四个主题：孤独感，自闭症，社会关系差异和互动容易度。对自闭症成年人的孤独感的立即发现与没有自闭症的人的理解非常相似。但是，自闭症是自闭症成年人描述社会关系的愿望和需求以及实际经历的主要参考框架。由于在社会关系中自闭症个体经常会出现差异，因此在主要是神经型社会中自闭症可能被视为一种风险因素。一般而言，提高自闭症的接受度并支持自闭症患者对自我和他人的理解对于防止与孤独感相关的社会差异很重要。自闭症是自闭症成年人描述愿望和需求以及社会关系实际经历的主要参考框架。由于在社会关系中自闭症个体经常会出现差异，因此在主要是神经型社会中自闭症可能被视为一种风险因素。一般而言，提高自闭症的接受度并支持自闭症患者对自我和他人的理解对于防止与孤独感相关的社会差异很重要。自闭症是自闭症成年人描述愿望和需求以及社会关系实际经历的主要参考框架。由于在社会关系中自闭症个体经常会出现差异，因此在主要是神经型社会中自闭症可能被视为一种风险因素。一般而言，提高自闭症的接受度并支持自闭症患者对自我和他人的理解对于防止与孤独感相关的社会差异很重要。