{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,15]],"date-time":"2026-07-15T00:07:07Z","timestamp":1784074027146,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":73,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,29]],"date-time":"2025-01-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1738108800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Autism in Adulthood"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Research suggests that autistic adults experience poorer quality of life (QoL) than their non-autistic peers. However, most research to date has examined QoL in autistic adults through a neurotypical lens. Qualitatively examining QoL factors from the perspectives of autistic individuals themselves is necessary to provide more accurate insights into the nature and measurement of QoL for autistic adults.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>We explored factors influencing QoL from the perspective of 15 autistic adults using a participatory photovoice methodology. Participants provided 289 photos capturing the factors influencing their QoL, discussing the meaning of these photos in focus groups and interviews. A steering group of four autistic adults worked in partnership with the research team through the project, co-producing the results.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A thematic analysis of photographs, focus groups, and interviews captured five themes: Activities, Environment, Emotions and Experiences, Individual Identity, and Needs. These themes intersected with one another, influencing other components of QoL. Within these themes and subthemes, autistic adults discussed factors such as passions, identity, and sensory experiences that impact their QoL.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Using photovoice, autistic individuals captured factors influencing their QoL, illuminating the factors that could be included in QoL measurement tools to help measure autistic adults\u2019 QoL.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Community Brief<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:sec>\n                      <jats:title>Why is this an important issue?<\/jats:title>\n                      <jats:p>The autistic community has highlighted quality of life (QoL) as an under-researched priority area. Existing research assumes that the factors contributing to QoL are the same for everyone, but few studies have sought to understand QoL from the perspective of autistic adults. Understanding what factors support autistic adults\u2019 QoL is important for ensuring accurate assessment and providing more effective support to enhance autistic adults\u2019 QoL.<\/jats:p>\n                    <\/jats:sec>\n                    <jats:sec>\n                      <jats:title>What was the purpose of this study?<\/jats:title>\n                      <jats:p>We aimed to understand what factors influence autistic adults\u2019 QoL.<\/jats:p>\n                    <\/jats:sec>\n                    <jats:sec>\n                      <jats:title>What did the researchers do?<\/jats:title>\n                      <jats:p>Working with a steering group that included four autistic adults, we recruited 15 autistic adults who provided and discussed photos depicting their QoL. Participants discussed the meaning behind their photos. Participants then identified themes portrayed in their photos in a focus group or interview.<\/jats:p>\n                    <\/jats:sec>\n                    <jats:sec>\n                      <jats:title>What were the results of the study?<\/jats:title>\n                      <jats:p>Alongside steering group members, we analyzed the photos and interviews. We grouped them into the following themes: autistic adults\u2019 activities, the impacts of the environment, emotions and experiences, individual identity, and needs. Factors that may play a role in the QoL of autistic adults include passions, autistic identity, and sensory sensitivities.<\/jats:p>\n                    <\/jats:sec>\n                    <jats:sec>\n                      <jats:title>What do these findings add to what was already known?<\/jats:title>\n                      <jats:p>These findings add to the understanding of factors influencing the QoL of autistic individuals. Many of the factors identified by autistic people are similar to those identified in recent QoL research in autism. However, some factors, such as the importance of needs like financial stability and health and disability support, were also identified. This research also helps to confirm that identity influences autistic adults\u2019 QoL.<\/jats:p>\n                    <\/jats:sec>\n                    <jats:sec>\n                      <jats:title>What are the potential weaknesses of this study?<\/jats:title>\n                      <jats:p>The potential weakness of this study is that participants may have had difficulty capturing the factors influencing their QoL in photos. However, this method was selected to allow participants to express or demonstrate these factors beyond spoken communication. Most participants were also interviewed in a previous study before collecting photos for this study, potentially influencing the factors they highlighted or limiting the array of perspectives represented. Participants were highly educated, used spoken language as their primary communication method, and did not report an intellectual disability. Therefore, these participants are not representative of the overall autistic adult population.<\/jats:p>\n                    <\/jats:sec>\n                    <jats:sec>\n                      <jats:title>How will these findings help autistic adults now or in the future?<\/jats:title>\n                      <jats:p>These findings help us to understand the factors influencing autistic adults\u2019 QoL. Understanding these factors helps us to determine what factors should be represented and rated in measurement tools of QoL in autistic adults, enhancing the accuracy of these measurements.<\/jats:p>\n                    <\/jats:sec>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1089\/aut.2023.0178","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,29]],"date-time":"2025-01-29T15:20:06Z","timestamp":1738164006000},"page":"735-754","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Using Photovoice to Capture the Quality of Life of the Australian Autistic Community"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"8","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9755-3407","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rebecca","family":"Kuzminski","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia."},{"name":"Curtin Autism Research Group, Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia."},{"name":"Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism, Long Pocket Brisbane, St Lucia, Australia."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0293-4053","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Melissa H.","family":"Black","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia."},{"name":"Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women\u2019s and Children\u2019s Health, Karolinska Institutet &amp; Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sven","family":"B\u00f6lte","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Curtin Autism Research Group, Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia."},{"name":"Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women\u2019s and Children\u2019s Health, Karolinska Institutet &amp; Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden."},{"name":"Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Wenn","family":"Lawson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia."},{"name":"Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism, Long Pocket Brisbane, St Lucia, Australia."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marita","family":"Falkmer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CHILD, Swedish Institute of Disability Research, School of Education and Communication, J\u04e7nk\u04e7ping University, J\u04e7nk\u04e7ping, Sweden."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Simon","family":"Philips","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Curtin Autism Research Group, Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sonya","family":"Girdler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia."},{"name":"Curtin Autism Research Group, Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia."},{"name":"Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism, Long Pocket Brisbane, St Lucia, Australia."},{"name":"Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women\u2019s and Children\u2019s Health, Karolinska Institutet &amp; Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3213-7987","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ben","family":"Milbourn","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia."},{"name":"Curtin Autism Research Group, Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia."},{"name":"Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism, Long Pocket Brisbane, St Lucia, Australia."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_4_2_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/jcpp.13534"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_3_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10728-011-0169-9"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_4_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10803-019-04155-1"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_5_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/0277-9536(95)00112-K"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_6_2","volume-title":"World Health Organisation Quality of Life (WHOQOL): User Manual.","author":"World Health Organisation","year":"2012","unstructured":"World Health Organisation. 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