Integrating Positive Psychology and Autism.
I'm published in a journal article. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2024.38246.pw
This is my first academic publication
(hope many more to come)
Fractured Certainty
My mind’s like the uncertainty principle,
Thoughts race, no path is clear.
Anxiety spikes, I lose control,
In a world where nothing’s ever near.
Anxiety spikes, I lose control,
In a world where nothing’s ever near.
The Cost of Ableism - A Higher Bar to Meet and Negative Attribution Bias.
Ableism isn't just about overt discrimination; it also involves the pervasive expectations and pressures that can lead to negative attribution biases and the need to meet a higher bar for inclusion.
The High Bar for Inclusion
Ableism manifests as an expectation for individuals with disabilities, to meet a higher bar for inclusion. This form of ableism places undue pressure on autistic individuals to conform to standards and norms typically designed without considering their unique needs and strengths.
Ableism manifests as an expectation for individuals with disabilities, to meet a higher bar for inclusion. This form of ableism places undue pressure on autistic individuals to conform to standards and norms typically designed without considering their unique needs and strengths.
Unreasonable Expectations. Autistics are often expected to conform to neurotypical social behaviors and communication styles to be accepted in social, educational, or professional settings. This higher bar for inclusion is exhausting and unrealistic, disregarding the natural ways in which autistic individuals interact and express themselves.
Proving Competence. There is often an implicit or explicit requirement for autistics to constantly prove their abilities and competence beyond what is expected of their NT peers. So its not about having to prove yourself one time, its proving competence in every repeated interaction and with every new person and with every new situation.This can stem from prejudiced assumptions about their capabilities, leading to significant stress and anxiety.
Extra Effort for Accommodation: The burden of seeking and arranging accommodations frequently falls on autistic individuals. They may need to expend significant effort to advocate for themselves, explain their needs repeatedly, and navigate systems not designed to accommodate them easily. Accommodations for autism can vary depending on the autistic and there is no standard list of checkbox to tick off and say job done.
Perceived Advantage of Accommodations. Accommodations are often seen as giving autistic individuals an "advantage," which perversely leads to higher performance expectations. This perception overlooks the purpose of accommodations, which is to level the playing field, not to provide an edge. As a result, autistics may feel compelled that they have to over-perform to justify the accommodations they receive (which leads to burnout) or conversely may not be able to meet that higher bar.
Gratefulness for Accommodations. Accommodations are often treated as favors being granted, leading to the expectation that autistic individuals should feel grateful for this largesse. This can create an imbalance in power dynamics, where the need for accommodations is seen as a privilege rather than a right, adding another layer of pressure on autistic individuals.
Higher Performance Standards In professional or academic settings, autistic individuals might be held to higher performance standards to counteract biases and demonstrate their worthiness for inclusion or advancement. This can lead to burnout and mental health issues, as they strive to meet expectations not equally applied to their neurotypical counterparts.
Social Acceptance Conditions. Inclusion in social groups might come with conditions that require autistic individuals to mask their natural behaviors or suppress their autistic traits, which is mentally and emotionally taxing. This masking forces individuals to hide their authentic selves to gain acceptance, rather than being embraced for who they truly are.
Normalization Pressure. The pressure to appear "normal" or "less autistic" and "not stim" is a significant barrier to genuine inclusion. This expectation forces individuals to suppress their identity to fit into a predefined mold, leading to stress and reduced self-esteem.
Negative Attribution Bias
Living in an ableist-centered world significantly influences the development of negative attribution biases among autistics.
Frequent Experiences of Discrimination. Continuous exposure to ableism, where autistics face discrimination, exclusion, and negative stereotypes, leads to a general expectation of negative treatment from others. This constant barrage of negative experiences can result in heightened sensitivity to potential negative actions and intentions, fostering a negative attribution bias.
Social Marginalization. Being marginalized and misunderstood in social contexts can erode trust in others. When autistics repeatedly encounter negative, dismissive or hostile attitudes, they might start to interpret ambiguous social cues more negatively as a self-protective mechanism. This social marginalization reinforces the cycle of negative attribution.
Internalized Ableism. Constant exposure to societal ableism can lead to internalized ableism, where autistics begin to believe negative stereotypes about themselves. This internalized negativity colors their perceptions of others' behaviors, leading to a pervasive negative attribution bias.
Lack of Positive Social Interactions. Positive social interactions can counteract negative attribution biases by providing evidence of goodwill and understanding. However, if autistics have limited positive social experiences (or a history that is predominately negative) due to societal ableism, they are more prone to expecting and perceiving negative intentions in others, reinforcing their negative biases.
Stress and Anxiety. Living in an ableist society is inherently stressful and anxiety-inducing for individuals with autism. High levels of stress and anxiety impair social cognition, making it more challenging to interpret social cues accurately and leading to more negative attributions.
To combat these forms of ableism, a shift in societal attitudes and practices toward a more inclusive and equitable approach is necessary. This involves recognizing and valuing disability, creating environments that are inherently accommodating, and reducing the emphasis on conformity to neurotypical standards. Promoting awareness and understanding of ableism in all its forms is crucial in fostering true inclusion for individuals with autism and other disabilities.
Genuine inclusion means ensuring that everyone has the support they need to thrive.
Genuine inclusion means ensuring that everyone has the support they need to thrive.
Related Posts [Hostile Attribution Bias] [Neuroception]
Endless Strain
Grad school trials and endless strain,
Disability threads through each day,
I wait and wait to see what they want of me
Negative Attribution Bias
Autism Lexicon: Negative Attribution Bias
Negative attribution bias in autism is the tendency to interpret ambiguous social cues as having negative intentions or untrustworthy, often stemming from past trauma or lifelong experiences of discrimination and ableism.
PlainSpeak: Negative attribution bias in autism means seeing others' actions as negative due to a lack of trust, often caused by past bad experiences or ongoing unfair treatment
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Read more on Negative Attribution Bias: [Version for Scientific/Academic Audience], [PlainSpeak for the Lay Reader], [A Simple Definition]
Related Posts: [Hostile Attribution Bias], [Neuroception]
Shrouded Weight
A veil of sorrow surrounds me.
What is the expectation of me?
Disability is a weight indeed.
What is the expectation of me?
Disability is a weight indeed.
Uncertain Fate
Will I be allowed to strive and thrive
Or always be left just barely alive?
Staying afloat, with hope so thin,
Struggling each day, just to survive within.
Staying afloat, with hope so thin,
Struggling each day, just to survive within.
Overwhelmed
I feel overwhelmed today
Waves of doubt come crashing in.
Waiting on undefined academic expectations, I'm supposed to meet
Disability adds weight to my limbs,
And anxiety skyrockets within.
Waves of doubt come crashing in.
Waiting on undefined academic expectations, I'm supposed to meet
Disability adds weight to my limbs,
And anxiety skyrockets within.
Resilience Mindset
If you fail, don't give up! Remember..
FAIL means First Attempt In Learning. Each failure is a step towards mastery. Keep trying.
END means Effort Never Dies. Persistence is key to success, so keep working hard.
If someone says NO, think of it as the Next Opportunity. Explore new avenues and ideas.
This way of thinking is called the Resilience Mindset.
We can transform obstacles into opportunities for growth and discovery, highlighting the importance of persistence and determination in forging ahead.
A resilience mindset helps you stay positive and keep going, even when things are tough. Change your mindset and see failure as a chance to learn and grow.
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