Understanding Stigma in Autism

Our understanding of autism has come a long way in the last 20 years or so. A little more than 10 years ago, in fact, a new term was coined called autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which wrapped multiple neurodevelopmental disorders that shared similar signs and symptoms under one umbrella.

Along with this increased knowledge about what causes autism and the best ways to treat it has also come an increased acceptance and inclusivity of people on the autism spectrum.

Despite this progress, though, a lot of stigma surrounding autism still exists today. Some people and some societies still look at autism as being a failure, a disappointment, shame or an annoyance.

Research has shown that the social stigma that accompanies autism could do more than just ostracize people who are diagnosed with it; it could actually cause families to not seek out a proper diagnosis in the first place.

This is just one of the reasons why the stigma surrounding autism needs to stop.

Below, we’ll analyze stigma in autism to provide more understanding about it.

Table Of Contents

What Does Stigma in Autism Look Like?

Stigma in autism can generally be described as people feeling inferior, isolated and/or shamed because they have autism. The neurodevelopmental disorder they suffer from causes them to be different from other people, which makes them stand out and feel that they are different.

Stigma in autism can actually look many different ways. A study conducted by Simons Simplex Collection in 2016 found that more than 65% of children with autism felt left out of certain activities or avoided altogether by other kids at least some of the time.

In addition, roughly 13% of the children who participated in the study said they experienced physical bullying at some point.

A major aspect of the social stigma surrounding autism is how children with ASD are viewed by their peers. The study found that 82% of children experienced challenges with making friends. In addition, 76% of of the classmates of these children with autism felt they were “weird or odd” at least some of the time.

It’s not just children on the autism spectrum who feel the stigma of autism, either.

Nearly half of all parents surveyed in the study said they felt they were isolated from family members and friends because of the behaviors that their child exhibit. What’s more, 32% responded that they were excluded from activities and social events because of this.

Why is There Such a Stigma in Autism?

People who are different are often looked at as being “odd or weird,” as the SSC study pointed out. This goes for children who have autism or for people who are different in other ways, too.

One of the main reasons why there’s such a stigma in autism, though, it can be hard for neurotypical individuals to understand autism. Children who have autism, after all, look completely “normal.”

They aren’t physically deformed or different than their other peers for the most part. Their disability is only noticeable in their behaviors.

Because of this, it can be hard for people to draw sympathetic connections between a child who looks normal and acts abnormal. What ends up happening as a result is people react adversely to a child who has autism when they exhibit behaviors that aren’t considered typical for children their age.

If they throw a tantrum, for instance, or don’t pick up on nonverbal communication cues such as body language, they might come off as “odd” or different to other people. These other people might not understand that they have autism, and face struggles with communication as a result, and therefore ostracize them for it.

What Can Be Done About the Stigma in Autism?

Acceptance can sometimes take a long time to develop on a grand scale, and that is seemingly what is happening with stigma in autism. Fortunately, understanding and acceptance of autism has progressed significantly in recent years.

That being said, there is still a long way to go before it can be stated that the stigma in autism is gone.

Advocacy and support groups play a large role in expanding people’s understanding of autism and how it affects children, and they will continue to do so in the coming years. Parents of children with autism, and individuals with autism themselves, can also play a role in helping others sympathize with their challenges.

Over time, hopefully this increased knowledge and acceptance will lead to a much more inclusive environment for everyone.

Blue Gems ABA Helps Support Children with Autism

Children with autism have unique needs and face unique challenges. At the same time, they are all wonderful individuals who have truly remarkable abilities.

At Blue Gems ABA, we wholeheartedly believe that with the proper support, children with autism can live happy, healthy and fulfilling lives. Our team of experienced BCBAs help to support children with ASD every day by administering applied behavioral analysis, or ABA therapy.

This science- and evidence-based approach to learning and behavior helps children with autism build the social, communication and daily life skills with which they tend to struggle.

To learn more, please contact us today.