Exploring the experiences of autistic pupils through creative research methods: Reflections on a participatory approach

Abstract

The use of creative qualitative research methods in psychology and other disciplines has increased over recent decades to address power imbalances within research and to centre the voices of participants. These considerations are particularly salient when conducting research with historically marginalized groups, including neurodivergent people. However, research foregrounding the first‐person perspectives of neurodivergent children is still limited. In this paper, we discuss the application of creative qualitative research methods when conducting research with neurodivergent children with a range of communication and wider skill profiles. The benefits and challenges of each method are considered, drawing on examples from the first phase of an ongoing longitudinal study. Additional considerations for working ethically and respectfully with neurodivergent children are discussed. Readers are encouraged to consider how best to adapt their research protocols when working with neurodivergent children, in order to minimize research hierarchies, build positive relationships, and produce rich and meaningful data.

Professionals’ perspectives on neurodiversity-affirmative autism diagnostic assessment

“…Our findings also suggest that professionals believe that seeking children and young people's perspectives, and the collaborative relationship, may be less appropriate with, for example, younger children. This is notable given that the voices of younger children or those with communication support needs tend to be excluded (den Houting, 2019; Lewis et al, 2023). Within diagnostic assessment, accommodations could be made to support younger autistic people to take part in conversations (Doherty et al, 2023), or use creative or playbased methods (Lewis et al, 2023).…”

“…This is notable given that the voices of younger children or those with communication support needs tend to be excluded (den Houting, 2019; Lewis et al, 2023). Within diagnostic assessment, accommodations could be made to support younger autistic people to take part in conversations (Doherty et al, 2023), or use creative or playbased methods (Lewis et al, 2023). This is important in obtaining authentic understandings based on children and young people's experiences.…”

Emotionally Based School Avoidance in the Aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Neurodiversity, Agency and Belonging in School

“…Qualitative work that foregrounds the voices of neurodivergent children and young people is still relatively rare [63]. A longitudinal study foregrounding autistic pupils' firstperson perspectives on their experiences in mainstream school in the north of England from age 11 to 14 included a final data collection point during intermittent lockdowns in 2020-2021 [47,64].…”

“…Neurodivergent pupils are therefore especially likely to encounter threats to their agency in school environments. An alternative, and more inclusive, approach is to reposition these children as "credible knowers" of their own experience and work collaboratively with them to understand the challenges to remaining at school [45,63,76]).…”

Eight principles of neuro-inclusion; an autistic perspective on innovating inclusive research methods

“…Activities associated with learning from and adapting traditional methods could include, reviewing guides on inclusive research practice, and drawing from articles that use or evaluate inclusive and participatory approaches. Adapting methods involves considering alternative ways of applying traditional techniques, such as a walk and talk interview style to aide participant engagement ( North, 2021 ), or using creative methods to support participants to express their views in alternative ways ( Lewis et al, 2023 ). Through learning from, evaluating, and applying traditional methods in new ways, the collective understanding of inclusive research will improve, and over time new inclusive methods will become proven ways of working in their own right.…”