A Special Interest in Spontaneity?:
Newsroom Experiences of Journalists with Autism Spectrum Disorder and How Employers Can Accommodate

 

Betsy Schlehuber

Journalism, Elon University

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements in an undergraduate senior capstone course in communications

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a disability first diagnosed in the 1940’s, affects social communication and how one behaves, physically and mentally. Despite the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ensuring accommodations by law and requiring that employers not discriminate based on disability, autistic individuals have a high rate of unemployment. This extends to the journalism industry, where spontaneity and speed seem to work against those with autism. Through in-depth interviews with four autistic journalists, this study fills a research gap by examining which accommodations employers should provide for autistic journalists. Results show autistic journalists most struggle with social interaction and the various sensory environments of the job. Journalists found it difficult in the past to connect with their colleagues and perform well in job interviews. However, participants said they felt accommodated by their editors after disclosing their diagnosis at the start of their jobs. Based on the findings, journalism employers can accommodate autistic journalists by providing flexible work hours, the ability to work from home, low lighting, noise-cancelling headphones, frequent breaks during work, and a private office space. Every autistic journalist is different though, so ultimately, employers also need to ask what the journalist needs.

Keywords: autism spectrum disorder, disability, accommodations, journalism
Email: rschlehuber@elon.edu

I. Introduction

The first diagnosis of autism was given to Donald Triplett, a 10-year-old boy at the time from central Mississippi. Triplett did not socialize with other children or his family, and would repeat phrases to himself like, “I could put a little comma or semicolon” (Traub, 2023). His existence pioneered a wave of research into the disability, led by Dr. Leo Kanner, who diagnosed Triplett in 1943. Triplett’s story puts into perspective just how young the world’s knowledge of autism is, although autism has probably existed for as long as humans have.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is diagnosed if an individual exhibits deficits in social interactions and repetitive behaviors like having a fixated special interest, intense meltdowns in response to certain sensory input, or physically moving a part of the body over and over again — an action known as stimming (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). A 2024 study found evidence in brain scans that autistic brains contained fewer synapses—places where nerve cells send signals to and from each other or other types of cells—than neurotypical brains. Plus, fewer synapses translated to more autistic traits exhibited. With fewer places for information to be processed in the brain, autistic people can easily feel overwhelmed. This requires accommodation in everyday life. Despite the DSM criteria, each autistic person’s disability manifests in unique ways, whether it is through the level of support required or which traits emerge and when. What unites all autistic people is the need for accommodation and understanding because, after all, ASD is a disability that makes life just as challenging as it is glorious.

Autistic people have gone from being institutionalized, to being tolerated, to being more accepted. Despite this, the world still has a long way to go to make sure autistic individuals are supported in their lives. One way to do that is to widen access to jobs. Research shows that autistic people who attain successful employment “have the potential to increase their sense of agency and overall well-being” (Lindsay, et al., 2021). To help reach that goal, the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) says that employers are required to provide “reasonable accommodations.” These are defined as accommodations that allow the disabled employee to perform required job tasks in an altered way without placing “undue hardship” on the employer, such as spending more money or time than the company has on providing these accommodations. Reasonable accommodations help the employee thrive and grow in the company like everyone else. Employers are also not allowed to discriminate in job applications, training, or hiring processes.

Even though these laws are in place, people with autism spectrum disorder remain some of the most disadvantaged disability groups regarding employment and retention of employment (Waisman-Nitzan et al., 2021). Research on what autistic people want in employment is steadily growing, but any research focusing on a specific field is scarce. As the field of journalism is unique in its speed, demand, evolution, and challenges, it is intriguing to speculate how an autistic person fits into that world. While there is research on accommodations in journalism classes, that research is outdated by almost two decades (Dailey, 2006), and research on accommodations for autistic journalists in the real world does not exist.

Donald Triplett had the same job for 65 years as a banker. How can other autistic people live a life like his? This research explores how autistic journalists navigate their workplace, and which accommodations they need to have in the field. The results will provide advice to journalism employers on how best to incorporate autistic individuals into the profession. The findings of this study will add to the world’s understanding of how to help autistic individuals in a specific context.

II. Literature Review

Although there is no research looking specifically at autistic journalists, previous research has looked into autistic employees’ general experiences with employment. The experiences studied were usually entry-level jobs across different fields. Additionally, research into journalism workplace culture is starting to grow as a result of the struggling journalism industry. Plus, there is some research on how autism spectrum disorder can connect to the journalism industry, whether that is through the representation of autism in media or to what extent people with disabilities are accepted into the journalism profession. This literature review aims to connect these fields of research to show that autistic individuals are not far removed from journalism within a framework of communications accommodations theory.

Employee Experience on the Autism Spectrum

Throughout the research into autism spectrum disorder as it manifests in the workplace, two main themes tend to show up: disclosure of autism and workplace accommodations. In a systematic review of literature about disclosing autism conducted in 2021, researchers found that one advantage of employees disclosing their autism is they can receive workplace accommodations. (Lindsay et al., 2021). In other words, the two themes must work together. Disclosure can technically be done without accommodations, but accommodations cannot be provided without disclosure. Across research, disclosure rates vary from 25% to 69% (Lindsay et al., 2021). Even though disclosure comes with the risk of workplace exclusion, the advantages of disclosing autism include increased awareness of autism among employees, the ability to form genuine friendships, and greater acceptance in the workplace (Lindsay et al., 2021). The advantages of disclosure can lead to job retention, which can ensure an increase of life satisfaction in autistic employees (Scott et al., 2015).

Many accommodation ideas for autistic employees have been floated in the literature. For example, in a study from 2021, some autistic employees said they wanted flexible working hours, clear instructions, and feedback from a single supervisor (Waisman-Nitzan et al., 2021). These accommodations would help lower sensory input and ease brain processing. In another study from 2015, some autistic employees said they wanted their work tasks to be broken down into simple steps, and preferred job trials to formal job interviews so they could show their work rather than talk about it (Scott et al., 2015) — a way to minimize social interaction and figuring out the hidden social cues in job interviews. Something to keep in mind is that autism spectrum disorder affects every individual uniquely. Accommodations must be tailored to the individual (Waisman-Nitzan et al., 2021). Some employers have also admitted that they feel more comfortable hiring an autistic person if they are receiving support from an outside disability employment service (Scott et al., 2015).

Journalism Workplace Culture

In the 21st century, the journalism industry is a 24-hour industry where reporters must work against the clock — and other publications — to get news out to the public in a timely and accurate manner. The problem with the 24-hour news cycle is that journalists’ work never seems to end, which can lead to burnout (Cheng, 2023). Many journalists today are leaving the profession because of these stresses. Research by Šimunjak and Menke (2023) argues that journalism has always been a “high emotional labor job,” which is not helped by the newsroom culture of having “thick skin” and refraining from conversations about emotions due to the need to be “objective” in the profession. Emotional pressures related to journalism work have been correlated with negative effects on job satisfaction and the quality of work (Šimunjak & Menke, 2023).

How journalists deal with their emotions are also exhibited in Šimunjak and Menke’s 2023 research. Some journalists negatively compare their emotional challenges to other journalists who cover trauma or conflict, which invalidates themselves. Others rely on individual coping strategies such as exercise and a healthy diet. Some share their emotions with their colleagues, but if that doesn’t work, they are then labeled a bad journalist (Šimunjak & Menke, 2023). Organizational support, on the other hand, tends to be more complicated. Even if human resources departments offer support such as access to well-being applications, journalists said the resources aren’t very useful to them, and that they would like to see other options like emotional literacy training for incoming employees (Šimunjak & Menke, 2023). Despite these issues, there are initiatives at certain publications to adopt “slow journalism,” where journalists deliberately slow down news production in order to publish more accurate stories that directly connect with the audience’s community (Cheng, 2023). Slow journalism tends to show up in long-form journalism, such as The Atlantic and lifestyle magazine Kinfolk.

Autism in Journalism

There is little research that connects autism spectrum disorder with journalism. A survey conducted in 1992 by Keefer and Smith was one of the very first (and only) research studies that looked into which disabilities were represented in print newsrooms. They found that the greatest number of disabled reporters required walking aids, like a cane. This was followed by those in a wheelchair and those with restricted arm use (Keefer & Smith, 1992). The only connection to autism in this survey was in a category labeled “mental retardation,” which is an outdated term that many autistic people deem offensive today due to the use of “retard” as a slur against them. In that category, the only jobs they had were in “support personnel.” None were in “reporter.”

Some research suggests that the journalism field may even be hostile towards autistic individuals. In a thematic analysis of journalism job advertisements by Powers (2021), it was found that, to employers, “sounding right” was part of the interpersonal skills requirement in many of the job advertisements, particularly for broadcast journalism jobs. Speech fluency was stressed with words like “smooth,” “well-controlled,” and “flawless.” Powers (2021) argued that these findings may limit diversity in newsrooms, especially because there were few examples of recognition for those with speech issues and accommodations in the job listings. Since people on the autism spectrum tend to struggle with social skills and communication, these terms used in the advertisements would be a barrier to entry into the journalism field. In terms of autism representation in news media, research indicates that journalists tend to send contradictory messages about autistic individuals in their coverage (Holton et al., 2014). While there is some positive coverage of autism, such as positive outcomes of behavioral therapies in autistic children, most of the coverage Holton et al. (2014) noticed was negative, usually focusing on treatments or cures rather than inclusion.

Communications Accommodations Theory

Developed by University of California communications professor Howard Giles, the Communications Accommodations Theory aims to explain how humans in a space adjust to each other’s communication styles (Gallois, 2005). This theory typically gets tied to intercultural communications, as individuals from different countries come from different cultures, which can affect if communication is direct, for example. The theory distinguishes between “convergence” and “divergence.” Convergence is when individuals adapt their communication style to omit as much social difference as possible, while divergence is when individuals do the opposite and communicate in a way that highlights and almost calls out social differences (Gallois, 2005). People on the autism spectrum tend to practice convergence through “masking,” where an effort is made to conceal and control traits that may alert another individual to their diagnosis. This happens often in the workplace, where autistic employees must learn the dynamics of the office and adjust in order to keep their jobs.

Previous research discusses how individuals with autism struggle in a work environment and which accommodations would benefit them. Furthermore, there is a growing plethora of research examining the journalism industry’s flaws and how journalists themselves are reacting. But, there is a massive gap in the research regarding building a bridge between autism and journalism that does not rely on media representation or hostility. To fill in this gap, this study will examine which accommodations autistic journalists require, providing more specific literature for an everchanging field. Through the communications accommodation theory, this study will show that the journalism industry is not exempt from the autistic experience of converging with the rest of the workplace. The aim of this study is to educate employers in the journalism industry on how to approach accommodations in a unique job.

Research Questions

The research will answer the following questions:

RQ1: To what extent does autistic journalists’ disability affect securing a journalism job?

RQ2: To what extent does autistic journalists’ disability affect their work in newsrooms?

RQ3: Which specific incidents, both positive and negative, have occurred to autistic journalists in the workplace that have influenced them or their work?

RQ4: Which accommodations do autistic journalists find most helpful for application in the workplace?

This research is important not just because it will provide autistic journalists with a greater number of improved journalism opportunities, but because it may increase diversity in the thousands of newsrooms and the thousands of news stories published every day. When there are not enough autistic journalists, there are not enough autistic stories. The more that autistic journalists are supported by their editors and executives, the more the rest of the country and world can learn about the disability, and, the more autistic readers — and even neurotypical readers — will feel empowered.

In 2022, the Pew Research Center, one of the most prominent databases for statistics, conducted a survey about the state of the journalism industry with 12,000 working US-based journalists. Regarding diversity in the newsroom, 67% of journalists said there was enough diversity in gender, 58% said there was enough diversity in age, 43% said there was enough diversity in sexual orientation, 34% said there was enough diversity in political ideology, 34% said there was enough diversity in socioeconomic status, and 52% said there was not enough diversity in race and ethnicity (Gottfried, et al., 2022). The omission of a category for disability suggests the Pew Research Center was either negligent in finding important statistics for that demographic, or they deliberately decided not to include disability in the survey for unspecified reasons. So, in addition to increasing diversity in the newsroom, this research will bring to light the existence of disabled individuals in the newsroom.

III. Methods

To answer the research questions, one-on-one in-depth interviews with four autistic journalists were conducted. The in-depth interview is “intended to combine structure with flexibility” in its method of extracting information from participants (Legard et al., 2003). The researcher asks structured questions that deliberately prevent a “yes or no” answer, the participant answers for an extended amount of time, and then the researcher can ask follow up questions that probe more information, even if the interviewer didn’t plan for the question to be asked beforehand (Legard et al., 2003).

The researcher’s interview questions were inspired by a 2021 research study that focused on workplace accessibility for autistic employees. The earlier study focused on asking open-ended questions about “job-seeking and recruiting processes, descriptive daily experiences and routines, challenges to performing the job, potential limiting and enabling factors, and accommodations” (Waisman-Nitzan et al., 2021). The specific questions from the earlier study were not repeated in this research, which tailored questions more specifically to the journalism industry.

Convenience sampling and snowball sampling was employed to find participants. The researcher consulted Facebook groups, TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn, as well as searched Google with the keyword “autistic journalist.” The researcher was only able to gather four interviews due to the time constraint, only having one semester to conduct the research. Each journalist completed a consent form and was granted anonymity under the study, which was approved by the Elon University Institutional Review Board (IRB). Each interview was conducted via Zoom with a length of 30-45 minutes, and transcripts were sorted and analyzed based on common themes, following a qualitative approach.

IV. Results

Four interviews were conducted with autistic journalists regarding newsroom experiences, accommodations, and how autism intersects with the journalism industry. Two of the four participants were female, and the other two were male. Two of the four participants were American, one was Australian, and one was Canadian. One participant was a freelance journalist, while the other three held full-time journalism jobs. Two participants were White, one participant was Black, and one participant was Hispanic. All four participants were in their 30’s.

What is unique about these findings is that they seem to answer all four research questions simultaneously, as newsroom experiences are dictated by how autism intersects with journalism, and the accommodations these journalists prefer are directly prompted by certain newsroom experiences.

Difficulties with Securing a Journalism Job

To answer RQ1, most participants said they struggled to get a journalism job. One common detail emphasized by two participants was that having a portfolio of stories to refer to during a job interview, or previous experience to refer to on a resumé, mattered more than education level in terms of getting a job. One participant attended a university that emphasized getting work experience and building a portfolio early on, which helped greatly with landing a job. That participant also said the university happened to have a journalism school “known across the country” full of professors who had connections to major news outlets, such as The Washington Post and Bloomberg. The respondent said both of these factors did “the majority of the work” for them. Another participant, on the other hand, is a freelance journalist who has been trying to secure a full-time journalism job for the last two years but cannot make it to the interview stage. The person attributes the problem to the lack of an internship requirement or emphasis on work experience during college. The college also did not go into detail about all the different types of journalism jobs the participant could look for.

I’m a bottom-up thinker. I need all the options to be sort of spread out in front of me so I can choose. And in my school, I was not given all of the options…They don’t tell you all of the micro steps that you can take, or you have to take, to get into that role. Like, they mentioned internships. They actually didn’t mention having side projects and sort of beefing up your resume and things like that. So, I didn’t know anything about that to make you hireable in the long run.

Another participant, meanwhile, took a few extra years post-graduation from college to secure a first journalism job because entry-level jobs for that country specifically required a journalism degree at the time. So, even though this participant had prior experience at their university’s newspaper, the lack of a journalism degree posed a difficulty.

Special Interests in Journalism

To answer RQ2, most participants said they have a special interest, either in journalism or in the beat they cover. There are two types of special interests, but the one the participants in this current study are referring to is known as a circumscribed focus. This is an interest that is “atypically intense” and highly restricted to a specific topic (Nowell et al., 2021). A circumscribed focus differs from a neurotypical person’s interests because of its intensity and the possibility of it becoming self-destructive, where that is all the person can think about. This hyperfocus on the subject can help a journalist publish high-quality stories. One participant said outright that media and journalism was the special interest, while another participant was “obsessed” with federal election data. That participant said the trait helps them as a political journalist against the backdrop of their neurotypical colleagues.

Although another participant did not mention a special interest in journalism or a beat, the person appreciated how journalism can focus on information rather than opinion. The journalist expressed a love for writing an informative story, but not one that employs creative writing strategies.

I write two drafts, one that’s just, like, strictly information. It feels very easy. And then I spend days, days and days agonizing over how to make it sound interesting to people. And I feel like, as an autistic journalist, I should be able to just write that first draft, like, I shouldn’t have to make it interesting.

Social Deficits in the Journalism Field

To answer RQ3, all four participants struggle socially while either reporting in the field or being in the newsroom. These difficulties influence participants’ work because it can make it harder for a story to be completed, with worries about how to approach interview subjects and colleagues. The social experiences range from awkward moments to feeling like an outcast. One participant once accidentally followed a government official into the restroom, not knowing it was a “faux pas.” Some autistic journalists struggle to approach potential interview subjects in public, one such journalist noting the likelihood of being startled if the roles were reversed. The participant attributes this to always being “deep in thought” when alone in public. The participant added, “I’m just emotionally invested in interrupting someone when I don’t need to be.” Another participant, at a previous journalism job, mentioned not being able to “click with” the editor in the same way as colleagues. The journalist struggled to find a way to “break through” before accepting that was just going to be the case forever.

I watch everyone else have, you know, jokes and laughs and, you know, these little conversations they can have. And I haven’t been able to do that. And it’s always made me feel like a bit of an outsider in the newsroom. Like, you know, I work really hard to try and build that rapport, but it doesn’t always come off.

Journalists’ Current Jobs and Level of Accommodation

To further answer RQ3, all four participants said that they currently feel sufficiently accommodated and supported in the newsroom by their editor or manager. One participant had consistent deadlines around two weeks out and is free to ask as many clarifying questions about the story to the editor as needed. If the participant cannot get in touch with sources, the editor often reaches out to the sources, which usually results in the sources getting in touch and the story being completed. Three participants had upfront conversations with their respective bosses about their autism diagnosis at the start of their jobs. The difference between these conversations was that two of the participants had to initiate, while one participant’s boss initiated the interaction. That participant expressed gratitude for this and said that that experience is a “privilege” to have. These are positive experiences that make the participants feel more comfortable at work.

Multiple participants recognized how hard it can be to find accommodations in the journalism field. One participant had to sometimes “buck up” when reporting in the field, constantly changing locations and shifting reporting goals, but taking breaks after these moments were helpful. Another participant recognizes that certain elements of journalism like deadlines, “soundproofing booths,” and equipment noises cannot be changed so easily. The same participant said being mentally prepared for the spontaneity of journalism is important. One participant holds on to “mini-routines,” such as the manner of transcription or the highlighting of key parts, so that even if the story itself changes or the interview time changes, the participant has little constants to fall back on.

Sensory Environment & Extended Time Accommodations

To answer RQ4, all four participants said workplace accommodations are mostly related to curating a comfortable sensory environment and having time flexibility. Two participants said they use noise-cancelling headphones during work. Lighting was also important to two participants, with one ranking it as the most important accommodation. That participant said, in the past, a colleague or editor would walk in and turn the lights back on, as if the sight of the participant working in the dark was sad. In addition to turning the lights off, the participant wears sunglasses while reporting out in the field. One participant requires detailed, written instructions when being assigned a story, which would include the deadline and the word count. The participant does not efficiently process verbal conversations, so the editor sends an email the day after the conversation summarizing what was agreed upon. Having a separate office space to go to was also important to participants, whether it is working from home or having a private office space in the newsroom. In terms of time flexibility, multiple participants had the option of either starting work early or working later, depending on how they feel on a particular day. In addition, having extended deadlines and extra breaks throughout the day was required by participants.

One participant focuses less on sensory accommodations and more on having the freedom to pitch stories and create a custom schedule, which is possible because of the participant’s high rank within the organization. In addition, the participant struggles with stories that are heavily people-oriented, so asserting to the boss early on which stories are preferred was very important to the participant.

V. Discussion

The experiences of autistic journalists getting a job and thriving in that job are consistent with the existing literature surrounding employees with autism. In a 2015 study by Scott et al., autistic employees said they preferred job trials over a typical job interview since it is a way to cut down on high-pressure social interaction. One autistic journalist in the current study expressed a similar sentiment by preferring to highlight their past stories in journalism job interviews. Even though a job trial and showing previous work are not the same, both activities involve emphasizing the work the person can do rather than answering personality-related interview questions. With social interaction, the autistic journalists’ struggles with fitting in and communicating with others in the newsroom is consistent with the 2021 study by Waisman-Nitzan et al. where autistic employees talked at length about struggling to interact with people in the workplace, whether it was a stressful situation or casual banter. Finally, in terms of accommodations, both the autistic journalists in this current study and autistic employees interviewed in previous research seek clear instructions, flexible working hours, extra breaks, and an allocated quiet space like a private office. It seems like, despite the nature of journalism being very different from a typical office job, any of these accommodations can be applied in most contexts.

The autistic journalists in this study expressed having a special interest in either journalism itself or the beat they cover. This is consistent with the literature on autistic employees where they desired a job related to their special interest (Waisman-Nitzan et al., 2021). For the autistic journalists with a related special interest, this makes their job exciting and something they would not mind spending hours on. This is different from a hobby or interest coming from a neurotypical person because it has the chance of becoming self-destructive. The autistic person can spend so much of their energy learning and practicing the special interest that they forget to eat, sleep, or drink water. This can have both physical and emotional consequences on the autistic person. As previous literature has discussed, journalism is already a “high emotional labor job” anyway (Šimunjak and Menke, 2023), so like with any autistic person with a special interest, autistic journalists can learn balance and self-care tactics. It is interesting how the autistic journalists in this current study acknowledged how difficult it can be to be accommodated in the journalism field, as it is, by nature, fast-paced and constantly changing. It seems that having a special interest in the job or the beat they cover helps the journalists with setting aside their worries and just going out there and “being a journalist,” as one participant put it.

As much as journalism is a spontaneous, fast-paced industry, it is an industry that allows individuals to not have to meet in a newsroom. This makes sense because if a journalist covers international news or federal politics, for example, they may need to report far away from the office and write the story out of office too. Among journalists, 54% work fully remote and 29% work on a hybrid schedule (Fu, 2024). In addition, 34% of journalists surveyed in a 2023 Pew Research Center poll are freelancers who can make their own schedules (Tomasik and Gottfried, 2023). With the autistic journalists in this current survey taking frequent breaks at work and shifting around what times they work — and with one working hybrid and one working as a  freelancer — freelance journalism could be an effective career path for aspiring autistic journalists. They can decide which routine they want to follow while still having an editor that can hold them accountable to their work. Previous research has said that job satisfaction increases when a journalist works freelance rather than being tied to a specific company (Ryan, 2009). This can make it easier for autistic journalists to tell their stories and maintain good mental health. One participant in the current study admitted that the idea of having a full-time journalism job where they must turn in four to five stories a week sounds “extremely stressful.” Future research into the intersection of autism and journalism could explore the potential of freelancing increasing the neurodiversity of journalists.

How autistic journalists navigate their unique workplaces fall in line with the Communication Accommodations Theory, both in the convergence and divergence aspects. When autistic journalists in the current study have to be spontaneous on the job, they converge by mentally preparing in advance for that possible outcome. Afterwards, they take breaks so that they can converge again the next time. In terms of divergence, the autistic journalists in the current study do not shy away from disclosing their autism diagnosis to their editor or colleagues. One participant embraced autism when discussing having a special interest in election data that made them “different” from their colleagues. Participants said they felt accommodated and supported at work and were able to shift their accommodations when necessary. Their workplaces seem equitable to their needs.

Limitations in this research include the low number of participants and the nature of autism spectrum disorder being highly individualistic in terms of which traits autistic people have. The former limitation is affected by the fact that the intersection of autism and journalism has not been explored much in the literature. No statistics of autistic journalists exist, and journalism organizations focusing on neurodiversity are sparse, so finding participants was more of an undertaking than a simple sampling of autistic individuals in general. The researcher was also limited to one semester to conduct the study.

An additional limitation is common in any autism research. The results cannot easily be generalized because every autistic person is scientifically unique, therefore, accommodations must be tailored to the individual (Waisman-Nitzan et al., 2021). Experiences of autistic journalists are expected to vary at least a bit following this logic, as participants themselves emphasized during interviews. The accommodations mentioned in the results of this study can be used as a guide, but not an end-all-be-all. The sample – verbal journalists with autism – tended to skew towards lower support needs, as most people who are open about their autism tend to advocate for acceptance and are able to communicate verbally about it. In addition, since the journalism industry cannot exist without communication, those who work in journalism are more likely to be verbal. All participants said they feel accommodated in their newsrooms, but this does not mean every autistic journalist has this experience.

VI. Conclusion

This study looked at the unique experiences of journalists with autism spectrum disorder, ranging from the hiring process to notable memories on the job to accommodations. The purpose of this study was to aid in increasing neurodiversity in a career that has historically not hired autistic individuals as reporters and has told conflicting stories about autistic individuals. All participants disclosed their diagnosis to their respective editors and were able to receive accommodations and empathy. This should be the norm, not just in journalism but in all fields of work.

Based on the results of this study, journalism employers should take away the following pieces of advice. First, structure job interviews to focus on the candidate’s portfolio. It was easier for participants in this study to talk about something tangible and part of their direct lived experience in their job interviews rather than trying to figure out how to answer “tell me about yourself” questions. Second, take advantage of your employee’s special interest. Assign them stories related to it or give them a beat of that interest. Participants in this study thrived at their jobs when they could focus on a topic they loved, so if your employee is obsessed with music, allow them to write stories about local musicians, even if they will not be able to write those kinds of stories all of the time on the job. Third, be aware of your employee’s social struggles, especially with field reporting, and show empathy when they are overwhelmed. Autistic journalists avoiding field reporting would be an undue hardship on the employer, since in-person interviews are often required to tell the full story, especially multimedia ones. Instead, have conversations with your employee about field reporting in order to prepare them for such events, minimize their time in the field, and allow them to take breaks after being in the field. This leads to the last piece of advice: which accommodations to provide. Since every autistic person has different support needs, speak directly to your employee to figure out which reasonable accommodations to provide them with. If your employee does not have many ideas for accommodations, suggest the ones featured in this study: low lighting, flexible work hours, noise-cancelling headphones, a private office space, the option to work from home, and clear, written instructions for every story. These accommodations can be provided with little to no cost to you.

Donald Tripplet, the first individual to be diagnosed with autism, was a banker for 65 years. If he could be accommodated, then any autistic journalist can be too.

Future studies could include a significantly higher sample size of autistic journalists from all over the world. Future studies could also interview journalism employers, seeking their knowledge about autistic journalists and what needs to be improved there. As discovered in this study, freelance journalism has an opportunity to make the field more accessible to autistic individuals. A future study focusing specifically on freelance autistic journalists and what sets them apart from full-time autistic journalists — and even freelance neurotypical journalists — could be beneficial to the literature.

Acknowledgements

This research paper would not have been possible without the encouragement of my journalism professors, especially Anthony Hatcher. I also, of course, thank my Great Ideas professor and research advisor Daniel Haygood immensely for his continued support and advocacy on my behalf so that this important research could be published in the first place. Finally, I thank all neurodiverse individuals for empowering me to embrace my autism simply by living their lives, including many of my close friends.

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