How do we support autonomy for autistic individuals?

Autonomy refers to the ability to make decisions independently and act on them without undue external influence. Autistic individuals are keenly aware of their own needs, strengths and preferences. They tend to make choices that reflect their individual values and interests, prioritizing being true to themselves over conformity to societal expectations and norms.

Autonomy is one of three basic psychological needs to be intrinsically motivated, self‐determined and experience well‐being; the two others are competence and relatedness. Competence is about feeling that one can effectively perform tasks as required. Relatedness refers to the sense of belonging and connection with others.

Even though there are challenges with communication, social skills, and executive functioning, autonomy should still be an important part of growth and development. Fostering and encouraging autonomy can significantly contribute to personal development, self-confidence, self-determination, and overall quality of life.

Why is autonomy important for autistic individuals?

1. It supports self-esteem and confidence. When autistic people successfully perform tasks on their own or make their own choices, it boosts their self-esteem and confidence and in turn supports well-being. Everyone wants to be able to decide what is right for them.
2. It fosters skill development. Working towards autonomy allow autistic people to develop a number of skills such as cognitive, social, fine and gross motor skills.
3. It helps prepare for adulthood. Autonomy helps to build the necessary skills to navigate social situations, employment, self care, and independent living more effectively.
4. It builds critical mass. Critical mass is the point where an individual has gained enough information to be successful in situations, activities, or skills for which instruction has not been provided. When there has been enough instruction and multiple experiences, a tipping point can occur and the person can apply the skill in many new ways. To obtain critical mass, skills have to be practiced hundreds of times. Having autonomy can provide those opportunities.
5. It encourages problem-solving. When an individual can be autonomous, they learn to encounter and solve problems on their own. This builds resilience which is a self-replicating skill because once a person has successfully managed a challenging situation, they’ll feel more confident about their ability to overcome difficult situations.

What are the challenges autistic individuals have in developing autonomy?

• Communication – Autistic people experience difficulties with both verbal and non-verbal communication, making it harder for them to express preferences or make decisions in social contexts. Communication is also about setting boundaries and being heard. Every person needs to have the ability to say no and communicate rejection or disagreement which empowers them to advocate for themselves, navigate social interactions, and feel confident in their voice.
• Sensory Sensitivities – Heightened sensory sensitivities can cause a person to become overwhelmed in their environment. When experiencing sensory overload it can affect a person’s ability to engage, limiting their autonomy in navigating different settings or making decisions about where they want to be or what they want to do.
• Routines and the Need for Predictability – Structured, predictable environments reduce anxiety. When things are unpredictable, it affects decision making. Make the environment predictable with visual supports and establish routines to support autonomy.
• Difficulties with Emotional Regulation – When dysregulated, it’s often hard to participate in activities. When dysregulated people are met with support and empathy, they will be able to better regulate themselves over time. We also need to validate protests, not dismiss them, to help an individual process emotions and develop coping skills.
• Social Interaction Opportunities – Autistic individuals often have less opportunities to be in social situations. Social interactions develop autonomy because they help individuals learn from others, navigate different perspectives, and practice decision-making.
• Not Honoring Instincts – Autistic people are often taught to ignore their instincts and preferences. This can come from a lack of understanding of the experience of autistic individuals, and an often unexamined and deep drive for compliance between adult and child. Compliance should never be a goal because it teaches a person to disregard their feelings and bodily needs. A compliance-based model is repeatedly teaching ‘your body signals are not important–ignore them–hide them–what I think you should do is more important–and if you please me maybe I will give you a reward’.

How can we enable an autistic person’s autonomy?

1. Offer choices whenever possible. Think about using structured choice, which means presenting an abundance of specific choice opportunities throughout the day. Offer choices for as many things as possible – objects, activities, locations, foods, drinks, toys, actions, and people. Choices can be offered multiple times throughout the day.
2. Use practical strategies for supporting “no”. Learn to identify the signs of communicating “no” (pushing objects away, echolalic phrases, specific gestures). My son used to say, “Do you want to play some more?” which really meant he wanted to stop or not do the activity. Use everyday opportunities to model how to say “no” in a variety of ways like shaking your head. Acknowledge “no” communication and respond appropriately.
3. Praise and acknowledge assertion of need. Praise how a child has expressed themselves, be clear that you have understood and also acknowledge that yes, it can be upsetting when you can’t get what you want.
4. Build interoceptive awareness. Interoception, the eighth sense,  helps a person understand what is going on inside of their body like hunger, thirst, feeling hot or cold, fatigue, or a full bladder. It also affects the ability to interpret emotions. Foster body awareness so that emotions may be felt and interpreted and the right response for that person can be expressed.
5. Break tasks down into manageable steps. Breaking down a skill into smaller, much more manageable tasks/steps is called task analysis. This allows for practice of a smaller step, and then over time chaining together multiple steps together until the person can complete the task successfully. Providing opportunities to practice learned skills across a wide variety of contexts will eventually lead to mastery and generalization of that skill, providing greater autonomy.
6. Create a structured environment. A structured environment is a system for organizing environments, developing appropriate activities, and helping people understand what is expected of them. It is comprised of the physical set up of a room/space, schedules, work systems, routines and visual strategies, and the visual structure of materials. All of this can help a person sort out what information is relevant vs. nonrelevant, provide predictability, give visual cues as to what comes next or what to do, support transitions, and reduce stress and anxiety.
7. Offer time and space to support interests.  Interests are a strength! Supporting an autistic person’s interests and passions are important because they are motivating, engaging, conversation starters, friendship builders, build skills, employable, meaningful, calming, enhancing, and expandable which all support greater autonomy.

Autonomy is about empowering an autistic person to live their lives in a way that feels right and meaningful to them. It’s about creating an environment that is respectful and supportive of a person’s preferences, choices, and needs. Supporting autonomy means recognizing each person’s strengths and challenges while providing the tools, guidance, and understanding they need to be successful on their own terms. Enabling autonomy will lead to more connective and positive experiences – a great way to promote happiness and well-being.

References

Alexander, M. (February 8, 2024). “Shut your face!”; Prioritising, Valuing and Enabling Autistic Children’s Autonomy. Play Radical

Aluma Care. (April 25, 2025). Understanding Autonomy in Autism: Key Insights and Strategies.

Casey, N. Honoring “No” to Support Autonomy in Autistic Children and Early GLPs. The Child-Led SLP

Hidden Talents ABA. The Value of Fostering Autonomy in Children with Autism. 

Ryan J, Brown HM, Borden A, Devlin C, Kedmy A, Lee A, Nicholas DB, Thompson-Hodgetts S. ‘It’s Really Who They Are and What They Want’: Staff Perspectives on Supporting Autonomy for Autistic Adults With Intellectual Disabilities. J Appl Res Intellect Disabil. 2025 Jul;38(4):e70106. doi: 10.1111/jar.70106. PMID: 40731376; PMCID: PMC12307767.