Samoocena autyzmu – jak osoby ze spektrum zaburzeń autyzmu odbierają autyzm. Badania netnograficzne

From the times of Leon Kanner, autism was presented as a clinical image of behaviours. The descriptions were as comprehensive as possible, the diagnostic systems and therapies were optimised, and the analyses of various approaches to the etiology of autism were carried out. The contemporary knowledge is founded mainly on the analyses of behaviours, observations, and experiments. Cognition or self-awareness, which is a priority concept in this matter, can also be seen in the objects human beings create: in this case, people diagnosed with autism. The research was conducted at the turn of 2018 and 2019. The aim of the study was acquiring knowledge of autism perception by the individuals who are affected by ASD and able to communicate, according to the age and sex of the respondents. The research was conducted on 168 individuals diagnosed with autism (90 women and 78 men). The innovative aspect of this project lies in using the netnography method for collecting and analysing data. The findings of the research have helped to expand the knowledge of problems that ASD individuals experience and have allowed the subjects of the research to share their own perspectives, including the effect of social labeling on their position in the society.