Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MSc)

Department

Psychology

Program Name/Specialization

Cognitive Neuroscience

Faculty/School

Faculty of Science

First Advisor

Nichole Scheerer

Advisor Role

Thesis Supervisor

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Autism is widely stigmatized and misunderstood. Existing research using methods such as questionnaires finds that autistic individuals are often evaluated more negatively than their non-autistic counterparts. Unfortunately, this approach provides limited insight into the underlying representations of autism that individuals hold. The present study seeks to examine how children and adults define, describe, and represent autism, and how these representations relate to stigma. METHODS: In Part I, children participated in a semi-structured interview in which they defined autism and created autistic and non-autistic characters using a guided character-building task. Children then rated their characters on a series of social traits and behavioural intentions to assess stigma. In Part II, undergraduate students completed an online survey in which they defined and described autism and rated a subset of the child-created characters. FINDINGS: Quantitative and qualitative analyses comparing creations and evaluations of autistic and non-autistic characters, revealing common stereotypes of autism which may underlie child and adult representations of and stigma towards autism. Results highlight differences and similarities in children and adults’ perceptions of and stigma towards autistic character. Meanwhile, qualitative analyses examined common stereotypes of autism through definitions and descriptions given by adults and children, highlighting variability and stigma in understandings across ten themes. CONCLUSIONS: Understandings and knowledge of autism are very low and variable among children, and while most adults know of autism, stigma and variability in understandings remain similar. Interventions targeting autism stigma should work to address both common myths and stigmas regarding autism, as well as investigating and addressing specific representations held.

Convocation Year

2026

Convocation Season

Fall

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