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| Formato: | Recurso digital |
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Zenodo
2025
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| Acceso en línea: | https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15257326 |
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- <p>Autistic females often face underdiagnosis and misdiagnosis due to male-centred diagnostic frameworks and sociocultural biases. This study explores their unique challenges in psychological and psychiatric care using thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with seven participants, including both self-diagnosed and clinically diagnosed individuals. Key findings reveal pervasive dismissal of autistic traits by clinicians, limited understanding of female autism presentations, and reliance on outdated diagnostic tools. Participants highlighted issues such as camouflaging behaviour, financial and bureaucratic barriers to diagnosis, and ineffective therapeutic practices. Despite these challenges, many expressed strong confidence in their self-diagnoses, viewing them as validating and empowering in the absence of formal recognition. The findings underscore the systemic inadequacies within mental health services, which often fail to address the nuanced needs of autistic females. Participants emphasised the importance of clinicians adopting an informed, patient-centred approach that prioritises dialogue, cultural sensitivity, and updated knowledge of autism in females. The study contributes to the growing recognition of self-diagnosis as a valuable, if controversial, avenue for individuals navigating complex healthcare systems. While the sample size limits generalisability, this research highlights urgent gaps in clinical understanding and the need for reform in diagnostic practices. Future studies should explore larger, more diverse samples to deepen understanding of autistic females’ lived experiences and examine how self-diagnosis interacts with broader social and clinical dynamics. This work advocates for systemic change to improve outcomes for an underserved and often overlooked population.</p>