“One must think autism in everything one does”: Clinicians’ Experiences of Supporting Autistic Patients

Abstract Purpose Studies have consistently shown that autistic individuals often find their interactions with healthcare professionals unhelpful, indicating unmet needs. This issue is exacerbated by healthcare professionals’ inadequate knowledge about autism and communication difficulties between healthcare professionals and autistic patients. This qualitative study sought to gain a deeper understanding of clinical encounters between healthcare professionals and autistic patients, from the perspectives of clinicians. Methods We conducted five in-depth focus groups with 20 experienced clinicians in Child and Adult Mental Health services in Norway. We used reflexive thematic analysis to analyze the data, using an inductive approach. Results We found that, overall, clinicians want to be respectful and flexible in their clinical encounters with their autistic patients. We also identified four themes, including that clinicians: 1) are attentive to the varied responses to diagnoses; 2) understand the importance of adapting their communication styles toward the needs of their autistic patients; 3) recognize the need for greater focus on quality of life and autonomy; and 4) acknowledge the significant role that parents play in autistic young people’s lives. Conclusion Although neurodiversity-affirming attitudes amongst clinicians are encouraging, whether they are demonstrated in practice needs further investigation. The findings indicate that support for autistic patients should be more comprehensive and persist for a longer time.