"It’s like the only way I have ever lived, I can’t think of anything else”: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of the lived experiences of adolescent autistic girls from minoritised ethnic backgrounds

Da Mata Da Silva Costa, Edguelza (2023) "It’s like the only way I have ever lived, I can’t think of anything else”: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of the lived experiences of adolescent autistic girls from minoritised ethnic backgrounds. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

Preview

PDF Download (4MB) | Preview

Abstract

There is a lack of research in the UK which elicits the voices of minoritised autistic girls and explores their lived experiences, including their educational experiences. The present study explored the lived experiences of minoritised autistic girls with a particular focus on their educational experience. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five minoritised autistic girls (aged 14 to 16), which were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Child-friendly resources were used within the interview process to support autistic girls to share their experiences. Although each participant had unique experiences, five superordinate themes emerged from the analysis: ‘journey to diagnosis’, ‘making sense of autistic identity’, ‘making sense of cultural identity’, ‘life at school/college’ and ‘relationships. The findings suggest that, in some respects, the experiences of minoritised autistic girls are similar to those of White-British autistic girls. However, minoritised autistic girls also have experiences that are unique to them as result of their cultural and ethnic identity. These findings are relevant to educational professionals (including EPs), so that the needs of these girls are better understood. Key implications and areas for future research are identified.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Education and Lifelong Learning
Depositing User:	Chris White
Date Deposited:	27 Sep 2023 12:35
Last Modified:	27 Sep 2023 12:35
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/93114
DOI:

Downloads

Actions (login required)

View Item