Purpose
Representation of people with autism in television and film media is increasing. However, inaccurate or stereotypical representations can be potentially harmful to the world’s view of people with autism. This has been widely explored in previous literature. However, less attention has been given to analysing how people with autism perceive these representations and the effect that these representations have on people with autism themselves. The current study therefore explored the perceptions of people with autism on representations of autism in television and film media and the effects that these representations have on them.Methods
Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 10 participants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on this topic. Thematic analysis was then carried out.
Results
Thematic analysis identified three key themes: ‘neurotypical actors in autistic roles leads to feelings of discomfort’; ‘autism representation is well-meaning, but lazy’; and ‘harmful effect of the autistic savant’.
Conclusion
Overall, rather than empowering and including people with autism, the representations of autism in television and film media that they encountered were often found to be distressing. These findings have clear implications for how autism representation in television and film media could be improved.
From the article:
The current study aimed to directly elicit and analyse the views of people with autism on representations of autism in television and film media and to explore the effect that these representations have on them. Through interviews with people with ASD and subsequent thematic analysis three key themes were identified: neurotypical actors in autistic roles leads to feelings of discomfort; autism representation is well meaning, but lazy; and the harmful effect of the autistic savant.
The currents study’s findings that viewing neurotypical actors playing autistic characters was perceived negatively by the viewers with autism and as a missed opportunity for greater autistic representation furthers the idea that more consideration should be given to casting actors with autism in roles that portray autism. This is consistent with the suggestions of many critics of autism media (e.g. Bastow, 2021; O’Keeffe, 2017; Thomson, 2021) and supports the endorsement of casting actors with autism by autistic survey respondents in previous research by Orm et al. (2023). The current study’s findings further expand on these ideas, by suggesting that a clear underlying reason for viewers with autism’s rejection of neurotypical actors playing autistic characters may be that viewing this can cause significant discomfort in viewers with autism. Some may even view these representations as offensive. Mimicking autism related behaviours, such as stimming by these non-autistic actors was seen to be particularly discomforting to the viewers with autism, which supports suggestions that seeing this on screen can be perceived as harmful and a mockery of those with autism (e.g. Draaisma, 2009; Brady & Cardin, 2021).
The current study’s finding that viewers with autism felt that the depictions of autistic characters in television shows and films tended to be somewhat lazy, relying on stereotypical representations supports the claims of critics that media portrayals of autism are often stereotypical (e.g. Nordahl-Hansen, 2017; Lee & Deng, 2020; Ressa, 2021). Stereotypical representations may feed into the potential association between how autism is represented in the media and stigma (e.g. Broderick, 2010; Holton, 2013). The current study also highlights that in addition to the lasting societal impact that inaccurate information and poor portrayals of autism can have (Brede et al., 2017; Black et al., 2020) these stereotypical or negative representations can potentially create unease or even anger in viewers with autism. Therefore, the rejection of stereotypical representations of autism by viewers with autism may be motivated not only by a desire to see accurate representations, but also by the discomfort that inaccurate representations provoke within them. Viewing these inaccurate portrayals could have potential effects on the individual’s sense of self, as what they are seeing on screen is supposedly a representation of the group that they belong to. Where the focus is on negative depictions of autism this may even affect the individual's mental health (Cage et al., 2018).
Additionally, the current study’s findings that viewers with autism feel that the frequent featuring of the ‘autistic savant’ stereotype is not representative of people with autism supports previous research which highlights its overuse (e.g. Anjay et al., 2011). This also further validates criticism of one of the earliest representations of autism in film Rain Man (Levinson, 1988) for its stereotypical focus on the ‘autistic savant’ trope (Hannam, 2014). In addition, the current study expands upon the overuse of the ‘autistic savant’ stereotype by highlighting the potential effect that the overuse of this trope can have. Specifically, it can lead to the unrealistic expectation in others that all people that they encounter with autism will essentially be geniuses. This can lead to confusion in individuals with autism when they encounter people who have formed this view, as they may not understand why this expectation is being placed upon them. When they are subsequently unable to live up to this unrealistic expectation they may be left feeling negatively about themselves or may even not understand why they are not able to do the things that they see autistic characters do in television and film media.
