Menstruation among autistic adults: an occupational perspective

Bowden, Samantha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-6736-2098 and Miller, Paul K. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5611-1354 (2025) Menstruation among autistic adults: an occupational perspective. British Journal of Occupational Therapy . Item availability may be restricted.

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Abstract

Introduction: Menstruation is known to have potentially adverse impacts at multiple levels of occupational performance. Little research has to date, however, directly investigated the everyday menstruation experiences of autistic individuals, for whom menses and menarche are widely thought to be particularly occupationally disruptive.

Method: A qualitative research design was employed to address the lived experiences of menstruation among N=6 autistic adults living in the UK. With institutional ethical approval, in-depth online interviews were conducted, yielding 34,734 words of transcript. Thematic analysis of these revealed interconnected global themes.

Findings: The global themes identified were: 1. ‘Sense of self’, addressing participants’ sensory overload and amplified experiences of anxiety, ‘brain fog’ and concern with cleanliness. 2. ‘Attributional work’, addressing events and contexts which were taken to trigger and/or exacerbate key problems (such as the need to use public restrooms). 3. ‘Reclaiming orderliness’, addressing participants’ pragmatic strategies for overcoming the increased unpredictability inherent in their lives during periods.

Conclusion: Menstruation poses specific, significant challenges for autistic individuals which require autism-specific solutions. These challenges impact individuals’ ability to particularly perform occupations of self-care, productivity, and leisure. As such, Occupational Therapists have a key role to play in the provision of support to address the impact of menstruation on occupational engagement and participation.

Item Type:	Article
Journal / Publication Title:	British Journal of Occupational Therapy
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
ISSN:	1477-6006
Departments:	Institute of Health > Rehabilitation and Sport Science
Additional Information:	Samantha L.J. Bowden, NHS Paediatric Occupational Therapist & Research Assistant at the University of Cumbria, UK. Paul K. Miller, Associate Professor in Social Psychology, University of Cumbria, UK.
Depositing User:	Paul Miller
Date Deposited:	29 Apr 2025 09:39
Last Modified:	29 Apr 2025 09:45
URI:	https://insight.cumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/8795