Reacting, Retreating, Regulating, and Reconnecting: How Autistic Adults in the United Kingdom Use Time Alone for...

Firsthand accounts by autistic people describe a need for regular time alone. However, there is little in the literature that explores (1) why time alone is desired, (2) how that time is spent, or (3) where that time is spent. This article describes a neurodiversity-informed, qualitative study that demonstrates the importance and purpose of "alone-time" for autistic adults.

We interviewed 16 autistic adults living in the United Kingdom about how and where they spent their "alone-time" and the benefits experienced from this time. We conducted the interviews online, some using a video link, and some using a synchronously accessed text-based document, according to the participants' preferences.

We used Reflexive Thematic Analysis with the interview data to generate four qualitative themes as follows: (1) reacting to social and sensory overwhelm; (2) retreating from social and sensory overwhelm; (3) regulating, recovering, and recharging; and (4) ready to reconnect with others.

These themes highlight a need for balancing social activities and spaces with time and space alone and the benefits of creating or protecting spaces, which encourage recovery from overwhelm.

Why is this an important issue?: Autistic people often talk and write about how they need regular time alone for their well-being, but there is very little in the academic literature on the importance of "alone-time" or what "alone-time" might look like.What was the purpose of this study?: We wanted to explore why autistic people might want time alone, how autistic people like to spend time alone, and where autistic people like to spend time alone.What did the researchers do?: We interviewed 16 autistic adults living in the United Kingdom about how and where they spent their alone-time and what they felt the benefits of alone-time were. Then we analyzed what was said in the interviews using Reflexive Thematic Analysis.What were the results of the study?: Four themes help describe what the autistic adults talked about: (1) reacting to social and sensory overwhelm; (2) retreating from social and sensory overwhelm; (3) regulating, recovering, and recharging; and (4) ready to reconnect with others. These themes highlight how social and sensory environments can be overwhelming, how finding quiet spaces and/or engaging with intense interests can be helpful, and how socializing can be made less overwhelming.What do these findings add to what was already known?: This study is the first to explore why autistic people might choose to spend time away from social spaces, how they choose to spend this time, and where they choose to spend this time. The findings support previous research on sensory and social overwhelm and on well-being strategies that autistic people use to support their own well-being.What are potential weaknesses in the study?: All the participants lived in the United Kingdom, had access to the internet, and were able to give informed consent, and most of the participants were White and female. We do not know if the findings are true for autistic people who are not represented by this sample (e.g., people who are further marginalized by not living independently).How will these findings help autistic adults now or in the future?: This study shows the importance for autistic adults in balancing social activities and spending time in social spaces, with alone-time. It also shows the benefits of finding/creating and protecting spaces that are not overwhelming for autistic adults. These findings may help autistic adults explain their need for alone-time, which is useful information for people who support, live with, and work alongside autistic adults.