The Exploring Diagnosis team was based at Egenis, part of the University of Exeter in the UK. Our research explored the role that diagnosis plays in society and in medicine, using diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder as a case study. On the way, we aimed to celebrate and value the abilities and attributes of the neurodiverse community.
Diagnosis can be viewed as:
- A way to categorise people
- A social process which involves many people and takes time
- An intervention in itself, with consequences for health, both positive and sometimes negative
With more and more people being diagnosed with autism, it is important to study the impact of diagnosis, and how autism is identified. We carried out our research through listening to the views and experiences of adults who have a diagnosis of autism. We also worked with clinicians, hearing about how they make decisions when diagnosing autism via our partner organisations.
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