Autistic Adults' Experiences of Diagnosis Disclosure.
Autistic adults often hide their diagnosis from employers and educators due to fear of stigma—clinicians should discuss disclosure strategies proactively.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Huang et al. (2022) asked autistic adults where they share their diagnosis.
They used an online survey. Participants told who they do and do not tell.
What they found
Most autistic adults tell friends. Fewer tell teachers or bosses.
Some get support. Others meet doubt or silence. Fear of stigma keeps many quiet.
How this fits with other research
Oredipe et al. (2023) adds a twist. Autistic students who learned their label early now feel happier. Early truth helps, yet adults still hide at work.
White et al. (2020) tested telling in school. Disclosure cut blame a little, but peers still kept social distance. Together the three studies show: telling is safe only when the setting feels safe.
Cribb et al. (2019) show young adults grow when they gain control. Choosing when and how to tell is part of that control.
Why it matters
Your adult clients may stay silent at college or on the job. Ask them who already knows and who they fear. Build a short script for safe disclosure. Role-play when to use it and when to walk away. This small plan can save hours of stress and keep jobs and friendships intact.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
As autism is an invisible and often stigmatised condition, disclosing the diagnosis may lead to both support and/or discrimination. This mixed-methods questionnaire study examined autistic adults' experiences of disclosure in various contexts. The sample consisted of 393 participants aged 17-83 years from two longitudinal surveys. Almost all participants disclosed their diagnosis to someone, most commonly to friends. A significant minority of participants studying and/or working at the time had not disclosed to their education provider/employer. Content analysis of open-ended responses showed participants desired to gain understanding and support from disclosure but feared prejudice. While some received support, others encountered dismissiveness and misunderstanding. Findings highlight the need to improve autism understanding and reduce stigma within and beyond educational and employment contexts.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2022 · doi:10.1111/jcpp.13337