A Critical Discourse Analysis of the Academic Literature on "Autism's Well-Being"

• In Event: Millennium Hotel Roundtable Session 5
  In Roundtable Session: Supporting Marginalized Students in Unsupportive School Systems

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to analyze how well-being among individuals with autism is constructed in the academic literature. I adopted the techniques of critical discourse analysis in examining peer-reviewed journal articles to reveal the underlying assumptions of the constructions of ‘well-being’ and ‘autism’. Results showed the dominant academic literature has constructed a version of autism’s well-being based on the ideals of normalization and neoliberalism against which individuals with autism are judged. An emerging body of literature has strived for adopting the perspectives of individuals with autism to open up different possibilities of well-being. Implications for meaningful involvement of the autism community and educators in research methodologies and intervention development were discussed.

Authors

• Gary Lam, University of South Florida - Tampa

• Vonzell Agosto, University of South Florida

• Jennifer R. Wolgemuth, University of South Florida