Limby-Wauchope, Rhiain; (2024) Improvement in anxiety, depression, and/ or related emotional difficulties in autistic adults. Doctoral thesis (D.Clin.Psy), UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

Overview Part one is a systematic review examining the literature on individuals who are initially diagnosed with autism but no longer meet the criteria at a later stage when reassessed. It considers the findings in relation to a set of hypotheses as to the nature of this: (1) deficit-recovery model, (2) false positive hypothesis, (3) false negative compensation hypothesis, (4) continuum hypothesis. Links to psychological well-being are discussed. Part two is a qualitative empirical study exploring 15 autistic adults’ lived experiences of improvements in depression, anxiety and/ or related emotional difficulties. This is in recognition that autistic people experience a range of related emotional concepts such as masking, burnout, meltdowns, and social camouflaging, which may not be captured by existing mental health measures. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and four overarching themes identified: personal factors, interpersonal factors, environmental factors, and strategies/ support. Implications and suggestions for future research are considered. Part three is a critical appraisal of the research process. This includes further reflections on ethical considerations including the role of a non-autistic researcher, accessibility, collaboration with experts by experience, language sensitivity, methodological decisions, and the value of the research across different domains, including personal and professional impact.

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