Beyond self-regulation: Autistic experiences and perceptions of stimming

Abstract

Repetitive, self-stimulatory behaviors (“stimming”) are a hallmark characteristic of autism. Stimming is thought to aid in self-regulation, but autistic perspectives of stimming are underrepresented in the literature. Autistic adults (Study 1 N = 131; Study 2 N = 117) completed a survey about their autistic identity and their experiences and perceptions of stimming, as well as the functions stimming served. Participants reported stimming to be sometimes positive and sometimes negative, with stimming only being a negative experience when it was self-injurious or stigmatized. Despite frequently being a positive experience, participants purposefully suppressed stimming (“masking”), which was done almost exclusively for extrinsic reasons (e.g. to avoid judgment from others). The majority of participants felt stimming (1) was an important part of their friendship with other autistic people, (2) helped them connect with other autistic people, and (3) that when they saw other autistic people stimming, they could tell what they were feeling. Study 2 found that the degree of connection to the autistic community was the most important predictor of whether stimming served these social-communication functions.