A grounded theory exploration of how young autistic adults assigned female at Birth (AFAB) make meaning of friendships

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dc.contributor.advisorMalcolm-Smith, Susan
dc.contributor.advisorSpedding, Maxine
dc.contributor.authorOvadia, Alexa
dc.date.accessioned2026-01-16T13:44:37Z
dc.date.available2026-01-16T13:44:37Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.date.updated2026-01-15T10:55:08Z
dc.description.abstractFriendships are fundamental to human development and overall well-being. For autistic adults assigned female at birth (AFAB), navigating neurotypical norms and gendered expectations of friendship presents unique challenges, influencing how they understand, value, and experience friendships. Furthermore, autistic AFAB individuals belong to a stigmatised social group, additionally impacting their navigation of friendship. While there is increasing recognition of autistic AFAB adults' experiences, they remain underrepresented in autism due to historical diagnostic discrepancies. This study aims to address this gap by exploring how autistic AFAB individuals make meaning of their friendships, an area that is relatively unexplored. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, nine semi-structured interviews were conducted with autistic AFAB individuals aged 19 to 28, all of whom had received a clinical autism diagnosis. Social Identity Theory (SIT) informed the analysis, emphasising how group membership as a stigmatised social identity shapes participants' sense of self. The study examined the nuanced ways autistic AFAB young adults assign meaning to friendships by exploring perceptions of friendship, their roles within these relationships, social expectations, and how their autistic identity influences these dynamics. The resulting theory reveals that autistic AFAB individuals construct meaning in their friendships through a dynamic and reciprocal interplay between their experiences of being autistic, social constructs of friendship, and their autistic identity. These elements, although distinct, are interconnected and continuously influence one another. As friendships evolve and individuals undergo personal growth, these processes intersect, shaping and reshaping the meaning and value ascribed to friendships over time. This research contributes to a more inclusive understanding of friendship by centring autistic AFAB individuals' perspectives. It offers critical insights to better support autistic AFAB young adults in fostering meaningful connections and it further challenges prevailing stereotypes about their relational capacities.
dc.identifier.apacitationOvadia, A. (2025). <i>A grounded theory exploration of how young autistic adults assigned female at Birth (AFAB) make meaning of friendships</i>. (). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42599en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationOvadia, Alexa. <i>"A grounded theory exploration of how young autistic adults assigned female at Birth (AFAB) make meaning of friendships."</i> ., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology, 2025. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42599en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationOvadia, A. 2025. A grounded theory exploration of how young autistic adults assigned female at Birth (AFAB) make meaning of friendships. . University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42599en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Ovadia, Alexa AB - Friendships are fundamental to human development and overall well-being. For autistic adults assigned female at birth (AFAB), navigating neurotypical norms and gendered expectations of friendship presents unique challenges, influencing how they understand, value, and experience friendships. Furthermore, autistic AFAB individuals belong to a stigmatised social group, additionally impacting their navigation of friendship. While there is increasing recognition of autistic AFAB adults' experiences, they remain underrepresented in autism due to historical diagnostic discrepancies. This study aims to address this gap by exploring how autistic AFAB individuals make meaning of their friendships, an area that is relatively unexplored. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, nine semi-structured interviews were conducted with autistic AFAB individuals aged 19 to 28, all of whom had received a clinical autism diagnosis. Social Identity Theory (SIT) informed the analysis, emphasising how group membership as a stigmatised social identity shapes participants' sense of self. The study examined the nuanced ways autistic AFAB young adults assign meaning to friendships by exploring perceptions of friendship, their roles within these relationships, social expectations, and how their autistic identity influences these dynamics. The resulting theory reveals that autistic AFAB individuals construct meaning in their friendships through a dynamic and reciprocal interplay between their experiences of being autistic, social constructs of friendship, and their autistic identity. These elements, although distinct, are interconnected and continuously influence one another. As friendships evolve and individuals undergo personal growth, these processes intersect, shaping and reshaping the meaning and value ascribed to friendships over time. This research contributes to a more inclusive understanding of friendship by centring autistic AFAB individuals' perspectives. It offers critical insights to better support autistic AFAB young adults in fostering meaningful connections and it further challenges prevailing stereotypes about their relational capacities. DA - 2025 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - autistic AFAB young adults KW - friendship KW - meaning making KW - autistic identity KW - social constructs of friendship KW - social identity LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2025 T1 - A grounded theory exploration of how young autistic adults assigned female at Birth (AFAB) make meaning of friendships TI - A grounded theory exploration of how young autistic adults assigned female at Birth (AFAB) make meaning of friendships UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42599 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/42599
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationOvadia A. A grounded theory exploration of how young autistic adults assigned female at Birth (AFAB) make meaning of friendships. []. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology, 2025 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42599en_ZA
dc.language.isoen
dc.language.rfc3066eng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Psychology
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanities
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subjectautistic AFAB young adults
dc.subjectfriendship
dc.subjectmeaning making
dc.subjectautistic identity
dc.subjectsocial constructs of friendship
dc.subjectsocial identity
dc.titleA grounded theory exploration of how young autistic adults assigned female at Birth (AFAB) make meaning of friendships
dc.typeThesis / Dissertation
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
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