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Student Life on the Autism Spectrum: Exploring the Role of Student Housing in Experiences of Three Students
Author(s) -
Tackx Elise,
Nguyen Phuong,
Heylighen Ann
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
journal of interior design
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.229
H-Index - 13
eISSN - 1939-1668
pISSN - 1071-7641
DOI - 10.1111/joid.12227
Subject(s) - photovoice , autism , feeling , psychology , independence (probability theory) , space (punctuation) , social psychology , developmental psychology , computer science , visual arts , art , statistics , mathematics , operating system
People on the autism spectrum may experience difficulties with social interactions. When living in student housing—be it purpose‐built student accommodations or a house with multiple occupants—students with autism share most spaces with their housemates. This could lead to social situations in which they feel uncomfortable. In the study reported here, we explored the role of student housing in experiences of three students on the autism spectrum (and their housemates/proxies). Using participative methods including photovoice, walk‐along interviews, and co‐analysis (taking initial findings back to participants), we identified four concepts that offer in‐depth insight into the participants' experiences: independence, (not) feeling at home, finding rest and avoiding stress, and shared versus individual space. Zooming in on the latter, we identified spatial aspects that may contribute to making student life on the autism spectrum and beyond more comfortable, which can inform future work on designing student housing.