Insistence on sameness for food space appropriation: An exploratory study on Brazilians with autism (self-)diagnosis in adulthood.

Researchers talked to 16 autistic adults in Brazil about their need for routine, especially when eating out or shopping. These adults always went to the same places and used things like headphones to feel comfortable. Others called these 'weird habits,' which made the autistic adults feel bad and try to hide them. This caused stress and meltdowns. When they learned they were autistic as adults, they understood these weren't weird habits but actually helpful ways to cope with overwhelming places.

This qualitative study interviewed 16 Brazilian autistic adults (10 formally diagnosed, 6 self-diagnosed) about their experiences with insistence on sameness, particularly in food-related environments. Participants consistently chose the same eating and shopping locations and used protective accessories for comfort. These behaviors were initially viewed as 'weird habits' by others and themselves, leading to anxiety and meltdowns when participants tried to suppress them due to social pressure. Learning about their autism in adulthood helped participants reframe these behaviors as authentic coping strategies rather than problematic habits, viewing them as legitimate ways to navigate an overwhelming world.

Clinicians should recognize insistence on sameness as adaptive coping rather than problematic behavior. Adult diagnosis can provide valuable self-understanding and reduce internalized shame. Environmental accommodations and routine-based supports should be prioritized. Social education about autism may reduce stigmatization of repetitive behaviors.

Small sample size (n=16) limits generalizability. Study focused on Brazilian population which may not reflect other cultural contexts. Mixed formal and self-diagnosed participants may introduce variability. Email interview method may limit depth of responses compared to face-to-face interviews.

Insistence on sameness is common in autistic individuals and continues into adulthood. Research shows it may be a way to cope with environments because of their sensory sensitivity, intolerance to uncertainty, and anxiety. Understanding the reasons for insistence on sameness from the perspective of autistic adults is important. To study the meanings of insistence on sameness for autistic adults, we interviewed 16 Brazilian autistic adults.

All 10 formally diagnosed participants were diagnosed in adulthood. Six participants identified as being on the autism spectrum without formal diagnosis. During the interviews by email, we first asked about participants' experiences with autism diagnosis, either formal diagnosis or self-diagnosis. Then, we asked about their experiences in places for eating out and grocery shopping.

We found they tended to always go to the same places and use protective accessories to eat or shop comfortably. But their such behaviors were considered weird habits, first by other people and later by themselves. While trying to control their weird habits because of social pressure, they often suffered anxiety and meltdowns. When they finally learned of their autism in adulthood, they began to better understand who they are and why they experience the environment differently from others.

This new understanding taught them that their so-called weird habits are actually part of their authentically autistic ways to cope with the weirder world. This study suggests that autistic adults' insistence on sameness is an authentically autistic way to exercise their right to comfortably co-exist and live as human beings and as themselves.