Access Points: Understanding Special Interests Through Autistic Narratives.

Background: Although autistic people have shared how important their interests can be, sometimes using the phrase "special interests," autistic interests are commonly pathologized. Research has begun to recognize the benefits of special interests for autistic people. These benefits are often investigated primarily in childhood and in relation to neuronormative aims. In addition, existing research leaves the definition of "special interests" unquestioned. This study adds to the literature by examining not only what autistic adults mean by "special interests," but how they explain why these interests matter. Methods: The researcher interviewed 15 adult autistic advocates in the United States about their "special interests" to understand what this term meant to them based on their own life experiences. Through critical qualitative analysis of interview transcripts, including iterative inductive-deductive coding, hierarchical code organization, and positional mapping, the researcher looked for similarities and differences in how participants conceptualized special interests. Results: Participants used three different narrative strategies to describe special interests and their importance: explaining the amount of time spent on the interest, discussing how they experience the interest, and comparing special interests with other types of interests. Autistic people said that their interests mattered to them personally, as well as helped them communicate and connect with others. Participants also shared that it was important for non-autistic people to know about why special interests matter to autistic people and create a more accepting society. Conclusions: The concept of "special interests" meant different things to the autistic people in this study. Even so, participants saw special interests as generally important and an aspect of their lives that should be societally supported. The narratives of special interests collected in this project challenge stereotypes of autistic people as disconnected and asocial. Instead, this study demonstrated how special interests take on increased individual and societal importance for autistic people.