What is autism spectrum disorder ?
Autism spectrum disorder or ASD is one of the neurodevelopmental disorders described by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR). This disorder develops in early childhood, at preschool age and affects the person’s daily functioning. It especially influences people’s communication, learning, social interactions and behaviors. ASD is characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction such as altered social reciprocity, maintenance and understanding of relationships. Another important symptom is restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities. However, not everyone having ASD shows the same symptoms, it is a single disorder with manifestations across a continuum. And, this is why we use the term “spectrum” referring to a wide range of symptoms and levels of alteration. The diagnosis is based on different assessments (of intellectual functioning, language, social cognition, etc) and symptoms and signs observed during clinical consultations with psychologists, doctors, psychiatrists, etc.
The interest for autism spectrum disorder in adolescents and adults is quite recent. In fact, researchers were more focused on how to identify children with autism and how to implement effective treatments and services to help them in daily life. Research has shown that adults with ASD often meet difficulties with educational achievement, independent living, health care, etc. Unfortunately, there exists a lack of support and services for adults with ASD. Nevertheless, it is important to also take their skills and strengths into account in our representations of ASD. That means that adults with autism can totally have a job and bring valuable contributions in their communities.
How is this disorder represented through television series ?
Autism spectrum disorder has been staged through fictions, including series. Indeed, we find first of all the Good Doctor series, where Freddie Highmore plays the role of a young surgeon with Asperger’s syndrome. In this series, his medical skills are seen as unusual. However, it highlights the complicated social relationships of this character, he is notably presented as a person “without filter” as much with his colleagues as with his patients. Autism is represented in a rather caricatural way through particular characteristics such as a certain medical encyclopaedic knowledge, a kind of unusual visual coding, intolerance to change, ritualization, difficulty in contact with others, hypersensitivity to external stimuli like noise or light, etc. However, giving an autistic character a lead role did help to debunk some of the misconceptions about the disorder.
Autism has also been integrated into the Atypical series, an American fiction which depicts the daily life of an autistic teenager facing the difficulties of transitioning to adulthood. This series better acknowledges the diversity and experience of people with autism. First, it describes the chronic clinical trajectory of ASD through recurrent anxiety attacks. In addition, unlike characters with autism who are usually portrayed as having an interest in science-related fields, the character has an absolute interest in creative activities. Finally, the series emphasizes that people with autism can aspire to social relationships and also achieve a high level of independence, without overprotection from caregivers. Overall, Atypicals was able to provide a more real representation of people with autism, such as by including voices from their community.
Despite a good intention to make up for some misrepresentations of this disorder, these series have raised some debates. Indeed, Asperger’s syndrome is often represented and the characters are seen as geniuses. However, autism spectrum disorder can take many other forms ! In fact, those with extraordinary abilities are a very small portion of people with autism. In addition, many people with ASD may have mental and/or motor impairments, which are very rarely represented in fiction. Finally, these series maintain a vagueness in that they only give an example of rare cases found among ASD, and this in a rather caricatured way. But we can still highlight the growing inclusiveness of the characters in international series, allowing us to open our eyes to little known minorities and mental or physical disorders.
Bibliography :
American Psychiatric Association. (2015). DSM-V, manuel diagnostique et statistique des troubles mentaux (5e éd.). Elsevier-Masson.
Autism Spectrum Disorder Fact Sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). (s.d.). https://www.ninds.nih.gov/autism-spectrum-disorder-fact-sheet
Gordon, J. (2019, April 24). Autism in Adults. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/news/media/2019/autism-in-adults
Howlin, P., & Magiati, I. (2017). Autism spectrum disorder: outcomes in adulthood. Current opinion in psychiatry, 30(2), 69–76. https://doi.org/10.1097/YCO.0000000000000308
Words we have learned :
- Misconceptions (Idée fausse)
- Depict (Dépeindre)
- To acknowledge / consider better (Mieux reconnaître, rendre compte de…)
- To make up for (Compenser, se rattraper de quelque chose)
- Vagueness (Flou, manque de précision)