University of Bath

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) includes deficits in social communication and repetitive behavior. Secondhand accounts from parents suggest that ASD affects many aspects of life. However, little is known about this disorder from first-person perspective. This meta-synthesis examines children, adolescents, and adults with ASD to understand their experiences across multiple areas of life and how these experiences vary according to their developmental stage. A thematic synthesis integrating qualitative evidence was undertaken where 10 electronic databases were searched. Thirty-three articles met the inclusion criteria (n = 318 individuals) and were examined by two reviewers using a constant comparative approach. Four themes emerged: perception of self, interactions with others, experiences at school, and factors related to employment. Our findings can inform client-centered policies and practices involving individuals with ASD. Our findings can also help to identify gaps in research with first-person narratives from children and adolescents with ASD under-represented in the current literature.