Metaphors and myths: using the board game Dixit to understand the autistic lived experience

Abstract Autism is a condition that takes on many meanings, particularly to those with lived experience. Exploring these meanings is paramount to being able to improve the way that autistic people are treated in the wider world. To further examine autistic lived experience, a new form of qualitative...

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Main Authors: Gray Atherton, Emily Dawson, Liam Cross
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-05-01
Series:Discover Psychology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-025-00340-9
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author Gray Atherton
Emily Dawson
Liam Cross
author_facet Gray Atherton
Emily Dawson
Liam Cross
author_sort Gray Atherton
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Autism is a condition that takes on many meanings, particularly to those with lived experience. Exploring these meanings is paramount to being able to improve the way that autistic people are treated in the wider world. To further examine autistic lived experience, a new form of qualitative analysis was developed in line with the growing trend of gamification, or creating a game-like condition for exploring different domains. In this paper, we present Dixit-elicitation, a form of qualitative inquiry that uses the popular board game Dixit to interview autistic people about their experiences living with the condition. Themes and subthemes relating to challenges, strengths, and societal expectations are discussed, along with the images found in the relevant Dixit cards, which lead to a more nuanced understanding of the metaphors and myths experienced by autistic people. These themes are discussed, along with the consideration of Dixit-elicitation as a new method for qualitative inquiry.
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spelling doaj-art-e44c193012be424fb21c4d82e2f8c9de2025-08-20T02:00:14ZengSpringerDiscover Psychology2731-45372025-05-015111710.1007/s44202-025-00340-9Metaphors and myths: using the board game Dixit to understand the autistic lived experienceGray Atherton0Emily Dawson1Liam Cross2Department of Psychology, University of PlymouthIndependent ResearcherDepartment of Psychology, University of PlymouthAbstract Autism is a condition that takes on many meanings, particularly to those with lived experience. Exploring these meanings is paramount to being able to improve the way that autistic people are treated in the wider world. To further examine autistic lived experience, a new form of qualitative analysis was developed in line with the growing trend of gamification, or creating a game-like condition for exploring different domains. In this paper, we present Dixit-elicitation, a form of qualitative inquiry that uses the popular board game Dixit to interview autistic people about their experiences living with the condition. Themes and subthemes relating to challenges, strengths, and societal expectations are discussed, along with the images found in the relevant Dixit cards, which lead to a more nuanced understanding of the metaphors and myths experienced by autistic people. These themes are discussed, along with the consideration of Dixit-elicitation as a new method for qualitative inquiry.https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-025-00340-9
spellingShingle Gray Atherton
Emily Dawson
Liam Cross
Metaphors and myths: using the board game Dixit to understand the autistic lived experience
Discover Psychology
title Metaphors and myths: using the board game Dixit to understand the autistic lived experience
title_full Metaphors and myths: using the board game Dixit to understand the autistic lived experience
title_fullStr Metaphors and myths: using the board game Dixit to understand the autistic lived experience
title_full_unstemmed Metaphors and myths: using the board game Dixit to understand the autistic lived experience
title_short Metaphors and myths: using the board game Dixit to understand the autistic lived experience
title_sort metaphors and myths using the board game dixit to understand the autistic lived experience
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-025-00340-9
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