Experiences of autistic joy
Elliot Wassell
Abstract
Challenging mainstream narratives of autism as disaster, this participatory study of Autistic Joy found that a majority of its 86 participants often experienced joy. The study was conducted using an online questionnaire in the autistic researcher’s own autism charity which included both exploratory quantitative and qualitative open questions. Using Reflexive Thematic Analysis themes were identified including that the autistic sensorium is itself a source of joy, the importance of special interests and the need for circumstances being just right. By understanding Autistic Joy as ‘assemblage’ we can explore autistic potentials and give due weight to both autistic dispositional differences – such as monotropic flow states – and the environment in creating experiences of flourishing. Autistic voices suggest that the key barrier to joyful experience is not autism itself but other people’s lack of acceptance of authentic autistic behaviours such as stimming and pursuit of special interests.