Noah Sasson

Abstract for the paper: “I’m Kind of Stuck in the Middle. I Don’t Know Where to Go”: Race, Autism, and Intersectional Stigma Among Black and White Autistic Adults. It reads: Autistic adults frequently experience social stigma, which may be compounded by additional marginalized identities such as race, gender, and sexual orientation. Black autistic adults, may face unique challenges at the intersection of racial bias and autism stigma. This study qualitative methods to explore how intersecting identities shape autistic adults' experiences of stigma and marginalization, with an emphasis on Black autistic adults. 32 autistic adults (16 Black and 16 White) completed a semi-structured interview regarding their social experiences. Participants shared recent stories of peer exclusion, acceptance, discrimination, and support that they had experienced, as well as their feelings surrounding these events. Themes explored the unique impact of stigma on those with intersecting identities. Specifically, these themes included: 1) identity-based discrimination shaped by race, gender, and LGBTQ+ status; 2) challenges in obtaining and processing an autism diagnosis; and 3) difficulties navigating personal identity, particularly among Black autistic participants. Black participants often described layered forms of exclusion related to both their race and autistic traits. Across racial groups, women and LGBTQ+ participants also reported distinct forms of marginalization and erasure. These findings highlight how autism stigma intersects with other marginalized identities to shape social experiences. Black autistic adults, along with autistic women and LGBTQ+ autistic people, may encounter compounded barriers to acccptance, identity development, and belonging. These results underscore the need for more inclusive research and supports that attend to the diversity of autistic experiences.

“I’m Kind of Stuck in the Middle. I Don’t Know Where to Go”: Race, Autism, & Intersectional Stigma Among Black & White Autistic Adults by Jones & team explored how intersecting identities shapes autistic adults' experience of stigma & marginalization.

NEW FREE

journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....

YouTube video by Scott Anderson Slip So Easily - Tres Chicas

Most of you won't have known her, but my friend Lynn Blakey (Glory Fountain, Tres Chicas, Salt Collective) died earlier today after a long bout with cancer. Such a sweet voice, and a sweeter person

Hug your loved ones

youtu.be/yzUlLB3fNaw?...

Beloved Indie Rock Musician, Inspiration for the Replacements’ Alt-Rock Anthem ‘Left of the Dial,’ Dies Lynn Blakey, who played in the bands Let's Active, Oh-OK and Tres Chicas, has died.

Much love to all who knew and loved Lynn Blakey, which is many. My thoughts are with her husband, Ecki (who is also dealing with cancer), her family and friends. She is one of the dearest, sweetest, and kindest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.
- Jonathan

parade.com/news/beloved...

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Our new paper led by @sarah-foster.bsky.social

Non-autistic observers attribute more negativity to autistic emotional expressions & more positivity to non-autistic ones, despite the autistic & non-autistic groups reporting feeling the same emotion & intensity

journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

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Our new paper led by @sarah-foster.bsky.social

Non-autistic observers attribute more negativity to autistic emotional expressions & more positivity to non-autistic ones, despite the autistic & non-autistic groups reporting feeling the same emotion & intensity

journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

So excited to share my ✨️new paper✨️ with @noahsasson.bsky.social on how race and gender shape first impressions of autistic adults. You can read it here: journals.sagepub.com...

If you don’t have access, feel free to message me for a copy or request it on Researchgate!
1/6

YouTube video by Alive with Steve Burns Dr. Desiree Jones on Neurodivergence: Who Decides What’s “Normal”?

So cool: Autism researcher @desirjones.bsky.social talks with the original Steve from Blue's Clues about autism and neurodivergence! Available on YouTube or as a podcast.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLKV...

#autism #neurodiversity #BluesClues

I had an amazing opportunity to talk about autism and neurodiversity with Steve Burns, one of my childhood heroes! You can listen to the full podcast now, or watch on YouTube starting at 4pm today (11/12). I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

lemonada.lnk.to/AlivewithSte...

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Replicating previous findings, "autistic adults were more prosocial than non-autistic adults towards more socially distant others" journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/... "While autistic people often face challenges navigating their social worlds, autism can also be associated with more generosity"

Nice poster! My so has the same one on his bedroom wall

I was there!

The song is obviously about hiking so much in Redwood National Park that her thighs hurt.

20 years?!? Jeez….

For anyone without journal access, the full preprint is available here:
osf.io/preprints/psy...

#BlackAutisticAdults #Intersectionality #AutismResearch #Neurodiversity #DisabilityJustice #AutismAcceptance
2/2

I'm so proud of @desirjones.bsky.social for this important paper and all the hard work she put into it. I'm also very grateful for @drmbothapsych.bsky.social for their many contributions in shaping this project.

While autistic people had longer talking turns, this didn't explain the rapport gap. Our findings challenge a purely deficit-based view of autistic communication.

The context mattered most. Autistic participants reported the highest rapport when they knew their partner was also autistic, supporting the idea of a distinct autistic social style that thrives between autistic people. #DoubleEmpathyProblem

Diagnostic status influences rapport and communicative behaviours in dyadic interactions between autistic and non-autistic people A growing body of research suggests that the behaviours and experiences of autistic and non-autistic people are influenced by whether they are interacting with someone of the same or different diagnos...

Does neurotype affect social connection? Our new @PLOSONE paper finds autistic people report lower rapport in conversations, but it's not that simple. We found that awareness of who you're talking to is key!

Paper link (OA):
doi.org/10.1371/jour...

Abstract for the paper: Verbal Collaboration in Same- and Mixed-Neurotype Groups of Autistic and Non-Autistic Adults by Sarah Foster et al. As summarized, it reads: Background: Research suggests that some autistic adults communicate more effectively and build stronger rapport with other autistic individuals than with non-autistic people. This suggests that outcomes for autistic people in group settings may depend on the diagnostic composition of the group. Here, we examined verbal collaboration among autistic and non-autistic adults in same- and mixed-neurotype groups during a shared task. Methods: We assigned 136 adults (73 autistic, 63 non-autistic) to 34 four-person groups: all autistic, all non-autistic, majority autistic, or majority non-autistic. Researchers video recorded groups during a 5-minute Jenga tower-building task, and participants reported their rapport with the group. Researchers transcribed and coded the videos for collaborative speech using a validated coding scheme. Results: Preregistered analyses revealed that autistic participants expressed more positive opinions about the group and their own contributions than did non-autistic participants. Non-autistic participants expressed more negative group evaluations and elicited more building ideas. Participants in mixed-neurotype groups directed more negativity toward others than participants in same-neurotype groups. Autistic—but not non-autistic—participants verbalized more negativity in mixed groups. Exploratory correlations revealed links between aspects of collaborative speech and rapport. Discussion: Autistic adults expressed greater overall positivity but expressed more negativity in mixed group settings. These findings support evidence that autistic people often experience better rapport in all-autistic groups and may be more sensitive to mixed group environments than non-autistic people.

DON'T MISS! Verbal Collaboration in Same- & Mixed-Neurotype Groups of Autistic & Non-Autistic Adults by
@sarah-foster.bsky.social et al examined verbal collaboration during a group tower-building task among autistic and non-autistic adults

NEW FREE to Aug 28
www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/...

It's so good.

This is a neat paper continuing to build on important work on relationships & rapport for autistic adults in group settings, & continues to add to our understanding of autistic people's relationships & the double empathy problem.

#AutismResearch #ActuallyAutistic

Abstract for the paper: Verbal Collaboration in Same- and Mixed-Neurotype Groups of Autistic and Non-Autistic Adults by Sarah Foster et al. As summarized, it reads: Background: Research suggests that some autistic adults communicate more effectively and build stronger rapport with other autistic individuals than with non-autistic people. This suggests that outcomes for autistic people in group settings may depend on the diagnostic composition of the group. Here, we examined verbal collaboration among autistic and non-autistic adults in same- and mixed-neurotype groups during a shared task. Methods: We assigned 136 adults (73 autistic, 63 non-autistic) to 34 four-person groups: all autistic, all non-autistic, majority autistic, or majority non-autistic. Researchers video recorded groups during a 5-minute Jenga tower-building task, and participants reported their rapport with the group. Researchers transcribed and coded the videos for collaborative speech using a validated coding scheme. Results: Preregistered analyses revealed that autistic participants expressed more positive opinions about the group and their own contributions than did non-autistic participants. Non-autistic participants expressed more negative group evaluations and elicited more building ideas. Participants in mixed-neurotype groups directed more negativity toward others than participants in same-neurotype groups. Autistic—but not non-autistic—participants verbalized more negativity in mixed groups. Exploratory correlations revealed links between aspects of collaborative speech and rapport. Discussion: Autistic adults expressed greater overall positivity but expressed more negativity in mixed group settings. These findings support evidence that autistic people often experience better rapport in all-autistic groups and may be more sensitive to mixed group environments than non-autistic people.

Verbal Collaboration in Same- and Mixed-Neurotype Groups of Autistic and Non-Autistic Adults by @sarah-foster.bsky.social
et al. examined verbal collaboration during a group tower-building task among autistic and non-autistic adults (1/)

NEW FREE to Aug 28

www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/...

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the latest special issue in @journalautism.bsky.social is out!

The Social Model in Autism Research

guest edited by @jopavlopoulou.bsky.social @dramypearson.bsky.social Hanna Bertilsdotter-Rosqvist plus @kbottemabeutel.bsky.social from the permanent editor team

journals.sagepub.com/toc/auta/29/...

Visuospatial information transfer and task self-assessment within and between autistic and non-autistic adults Previous research has demonstrated that autistic people transmit verbal information as effectively as non-autistic people; however, when autistic and non-autistic people interact less information is t...

"autistic and non-autistic people did not differ in their ability to share information with others of the same neurotype" but "this study did not find the expected breakdown in information transmission in mixed-neurotype interactions" journals.plos.org/plosone/arti... three-site UK & US study, free

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NEW PAPER (ish - I'm also just delayed) journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Using Q Methodology, a Group of Neurodivergent Neurodiversity Researchers Ask: What is the Neurodiversity Movement and what should it do?

The Critical Need for Research Examining Mental Health Risk and Protective Factors in Black Autistic Youth

New commentary in JAACAP! Here, we highlight gaps in the literature on Black autistic youths' mental health, and call for research that examines risk and protective factors across individual, family, community, and societal levels.
Free access thru 8/31.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Connie Britton

Centre for Neurodiversity and Development Public Lecture Why autism isn't what you think it is (and why that matters) - end of fellowship Public Lecture by Dr Monique Botha

PUBLIC LECTURE:

My end of @leverhulme.ac.uk fellowship lecture is on the 24th of September! It will be in person at @durhampsych.bsky.social and also streamed online. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/centre-for...

Findings support evidence that autistic people often experience better rapport in all-autistic groups and may be more sensitive to mixed-group environments. These insights can help foster more inclusive environments by informing strategies for more effective collaboration.

New article out today: www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/...

We examined verbal collaboration among autistic and non-autistic adults in same- and mixed-neurotype groups during a shared task.