Life on the autism spectrum : translating myths and misconceptions into positive futures / Matthew Bennett, Amanda A. Webster, Emma Goodall, Susannah Rowland.

Includes bibliographical references.

1. Translating autism myths into positive futures. - 2. Exploring the identity of autistic individuals: reconstructing the autism epidemic myth. - 3. Challenging the public's perception of life on the autism spectrum: the impact of the vaccination myth. 4. Establishing contexts for support: undoing the legacy of the "refrigerator mother" myth. - 5. Creating inclusive societies for autistic individuals: negating the impact of the "autism can be cured" myth. - 6. Understanding the 'true' potential of autistic people: debunking the savant syndrome myth. - 7. Creating contexts fir interaction in a neurotypical world: confronting myths of social communication and empathy. - 8. Constructing contexts for success in a social society: undoing the impact of the behaviour/mental disorder myth. - 9. Establishing social inclusion the autism way: denying the "they don't want friends" myth. - 10. Intimacy and romance across the autism spectrum: unpacking the "not interested in sex" myth. - 11. Supporting self-efficacy and self-determination on the autism spectrum: refuting the "autism can be outgrown" myth.

This book presents a unique account of social myths about autism and how these have shaped the lives of people on the autism spectrum. It offers the first in-depth exploration of the history of attitudes and beliefs about autism that incorporates the perspectives of individuals on the spectrum themselves, working as co-constructors of autism research and future practice. From 'savant syndrome' to the conception that people with autism lack empathy, each chapter examines a different social myth - tracing its origins, highlighting the implications it has had for individuals on the spectrum and their families, debunking misconceptions and reconstructing the myth with recommendations for current and future practice on the basis of cutting-edge research. This book offers researchers, practitioners, individuals and families living with autism spectrum disorder a deeper, more accurate, more comprehensive understanding of the beliefs about the traits and abilities of individuals on the autism spectrum; with practical ways to re-shape these into more proactive and supportive practices, it offers an alternative view in which individuals on the spectrum are presumed to be competent and capable of constructing their own futures.