Happiness in autistic adults: some thoughts on a study

In this blog, I discuss the research of Dutch educational psychologist and autism coach Birsen Başar on happiness among adults with autism. Her research offers insightful findings on the meaning of happiness for adults with autism. The study, based on the experiences of 369 adults with autism, delves into their perception of happiness, factors contributing to it, and the role of their environment. The research highlights the need for tailored approaches to support the well-being and happiness of adults with autism, while emphasizing the importance of social support and societal inclusion. Following this, I also write a personal reflection.

‘How do I make other people happy if I am an autistic adult?’ … autism and happiness

There’s a lot of debate in the autistic community whether we should make other people happy or not, and whether they should first make us happy or not. However, some people are really desperate to make others happy, they mail to me and ask for advice. So I think it’s only fair that I answer that question, of course with the knowledge that every autistic is different and unique.