Abstract
What is autism? With this study, we have chosen to open up the space of interpretation by using the spoken words of our respondents. We used a phenomenological approach by asking questions regarding (the interpretation of) personal experiences. In drawing up the questions as in the analysis of the theoretical explanatory models of autism, we have given the story of the respondent—diagnosed with autism as an adult—a central role. Especially the variety of—and not the similarity between—experiences of people with an autism diagnosis has been given a platform in this book. Our study shows that the issue may perhaps not really be what the essence of autism actually is, but rather how it works as a concept. If we can grasp how something works, it eventually also teaches us something about what it actually is.
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Hens, K., Langenberg, R. (2018). Afterthoughts. In: Experiences of Adults Following an Autism Diagnosis. Palgrave Pivot, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97973-1_9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97973-1_9
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