Exploring the phenomenology of autistic attention

Background: Existing research has identified areas of strength and challenge in relation to autistic attention. However, there remains a limited phenomenological account of how autistic adults experience their attention in their everyday lives. This is important for developing an understanding of autistic attention which is not based only on comparisons to neurotypical benchmarks. Methods: Thirteen autistic adults took part in semi-structured interviews, making use of photo elicitation to explore their experiences around attention. Participant responses were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological AnalysisResults: Three Group Experiential Themes (GETs) were developed: Interruption is Devastating, Interest Engagement as a Sanctuary, and Attentional Normativity. Participants described their attention as a sequential, deeply engrossed process. They reported that interruptions, especially from other people, were profoundly challenging, often leading to a collapse of their focus and an exhausting state of vigilance (GET1). Time spent deeply focused on interests was described as a sanctuary, providing both joy and replenishment of cognitive resources depleting through navigating inaccessible environments (GET2). Participants described navigating entrenched normative expectations about how attention should function which particularly impacted their experiences in employment (GET3). Conclusion: This work provides rich, contextualised insights into the phenomenology of autistic attention. We highlight elements across themes which resonate with the monotropism theory of attention. We consider how creating inclusive environments, particularly in the workplace, requires challenging normative expectations around attention.