Abstract

Participants read a very brief educational message describing Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as a developmental disability or neurodiverse identity. Participants who read the neurodiverse identity message were significantly more likely to endorse an entity/fixed mindset about autistic individuals, perceiving them as less likely to change over time. Educational message did not significantly affect social distance towards individuals with ASD, perceived importance of workplace accommodations for individuals with ASD, or perceived ability of individuals with ASD to possess or learn employability skills. These results suggest that the neurodiversity framework could be at risk for misinterpretation by the general population. Future research should carefully consider how to design public education campaigns that promote respect and appreciation for autistic differences, without potentially triggering an entity/fixed mindset about autistic capabilities.

• Points of interest

• In this study, participants read a very brief message describing Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as a developmental disability or a neurodiversity.

• Participants who read the neurodiversity message were more likely to perceive autistic individuals as being fixed or unlikely to change over time.

• The type of message didn’t affect participants’ willingness to interact with individuals with ASD, the degree to which they viewed workplace accommodations to be important for individuals with ASD, or their perceptions that individuals with ASD had or could learn new employability skills.

• Public education campaigns should aim to promote respect and appreciation for autistic individuals, while also encouraging a mindset of growth and development for all individuals.

摘要

参与者阅读了一个非常简短的教育信息，将自闭症谱系障碍 (ASD) 描述为发育障碍或神经多样性身份。阅读神经多样性身份信息的参与者明显更有可能支持关于自闭症个体的实体/固定心态，认为他们不太可能随着时间的推移而改变。教育信息没有显着影响与 ASD 个体的社交距离、对 ASD 个体工作场所便利的感知重要性，或 ASD 个体拥有或学习就业技能的感知能力。这些结果表明，神经多样性框架可能面临被普通人群误解的风险。

• 兴趣点

• 在这项研究中，参与者阅读了一条非常简短的信息，将自闭症谱系障碍 (ASD) 描述为发育障碍或神经多样性。

• 阅读神经多样性信息的参与者更有可能认为自闭症个体是固定的或不太可能随着时间而改变。

• 信息的类型不会影响参与者与 ASD 患者互动的意愿、他们认为工作场所住宿对 ASD 患者的重要程度，或者他们对 ASD 患者已经或可以学习新的就业技能的看法。

• 公共教育活动应旨在促进对自闭症患者的尊重和欣赏，同时鼓励所有个体的成长和发展心态。