Exploring the wellbeing-related lived experiences of Autistic teachers within the Irish education system: a creative and embodied approach

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dc.check.chapterOfThesisI have requested on GEM that this thesis be restricted access due to the sensitive nature of the lived experience data. The appendices should be redeacted.en
dc.check.date9999-12-31
dc.contributor.advisorCahill, Kevin
dc.contributor.advisorO'Sullivan, Dan
dc.contributor.authorO'Neill, Claire E.en
dc.contributor.funderTeaching Council
dc.contributor.funderIrish National Teachers Organisation
dc.contributor.funderChurch of Ireland
dc.date.accessioned2026-09-30T14:48:23Z
dc.date.available2026-09-30T14:48:23Z
dc.date.issued2025-11-15
dc.date.submitted2025-11-15
dc.description.abstractThis qualitative participatory study explored the wellbeing related experiences of Autistic teachers in the Irish education system. The focus of the project, originated from the recommendations of a previous study with Irish Autistic teachers where further exploration of Autistic teacher wellbeing was identified as a key priority for participants. This was considered an important topic as, despite growing interest in Autistic teachers in the literature, a nuanced understanding of their wellbeing remains elusive. The literature review suggested that epistemic injustices including lack of solidity in conceptualisations of neurodivergent wellbeing negatively impacted knowledge formation in this critical area. The study investigated this topic by asking the question, what are the wellbeing-related experiences of Autistic teachers in the Irish education system? The study also explored creative and embodied ways of answering the research question. A bricolage of creative and embodied approaches was employed, involving autoethnography, interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) and embodied inquiry. This bricolage of approaches was guided by a Deleuzian ontology of becoming that included rhizomatic data analysis. These methods were used with 10 Autistic teachers and involved several data gathering methods including embodied workshops using artefacts, body mapping, interviews and members’ reflections. There was a strong ethical focus throughout, requiring attention to reflexivity and rigour. The participants’ embodied sense-making of their experiences contributed to the formation of 4 key Deleuzian assemblages namely Metamorphosis, Anam Chara, Geographies of (dis)Comfort and Echoes of Disconnection. Some significant findings were uncovered during the study. Participants’ data strongly challenged the prevailing wisdom and perceived knowledge of autism as a phenomenon and suggested that reframing, and restorying knowledge, skills and attitudes towards autism was not only possible but necessary. Moreover, there was clear evidence of the self-awareness of participants in what worked for their self-care and states of wellbeing. Significantly, the finding that neurotypical norms continue to create barriers to neurodivergent wellbeing was consistent across the participants’ data. Participants noted, in sharing their experiences, that external supports were lacking in the wider education system. Overall, the findings strongly suggested that more understanding and increased knowledge, skills and attitudes across the system would be conducive to amplifying the wellbeing experiences of Autistic teachers. The participants’ experiences supported the finding of the reviewed research highlighted the need for more knowledge creation and sharing by Autistic teachers as a priority area for development in the field. The participants’ positive experiences of engaging with the study demonstrated the value of engaging in creative and embodied methodologies and the methods offered some new tools repurposed tools purposeful for participatory research. The interpretation benefited from looking beyond Western and neuronormative conceptualisations of wellbeing. In conclusion, this thesis establishes that Autistic teachers have many experiences of thriving in their chosen profession. The findings strongly suggest that more needs to be done to empower the epistemic agency of this cohort. A wider outcome is that the tacit knowledge and expertise of Autistic individuals, not only need to be listened to, but facilitation of opportunities for epistemic growth and creation in the Autism community. The study recommends further qualitative research with Autistic participants using neurodivergent created resources and creative and embodied methods. Additionally, the study recommends further exploration of indigenous and folk traditions in conceptualising wellbeing. The thesis not only concludes that different ways of being need different ways of doing and knowing, but also contributes methodologically to the operationalisation of this theoretical paradigm shift.en
dc.description.statusNot peer revieweden
dc.description.versionAccepted Versionen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.citationO'Neill, C. E. 2025. Exploring the wellbeing-related lived experiences of Autistic teachers within the Irish education system: a creative and embodied approach. PhD Thesis, University College Cork.
dc.identifier.endpage494
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10468/19380
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherUniversity College Corken
dc.relation.projectChurch of Ireland (Education Fund)
dc.rights© 2025, Claire O'Neill.
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subjectAutism
dc.subjectNeurodivergence
dc.subjectNeurodiversity paradigm
dc.subjectEpistemic agency
dc.subjectAutistic teachers
dc.subjectWelbeing
dc.subjectFlourishing
dc.subjectThriving
dc.subjectRhizomatic inquiry
dc.subjectDeleuze
dc.subjectBricolage
dc.subjectParticipatory
dc.subjectEmbodied
dc.subjectCreative
dc.titleExploring the wellbeing-related lived experiences of Autistic teachers within the Irish education system: a creative and embodied approach
dc.typeDoctoral thesisen
dc.type.qualificationlevelDoctoralen
dc.type.qualificationnamePhD - Doctor of Philosophyen
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