Crafting Livable Worlds: Sensory,Creative,and Nonhuman Supports in Autistic Adults’ Everyday Lives

Abstract

Background:

Many autistic adults still live in worlds that don’t understand or accommodate their sensory needs, creative interests, or ways of structuring everyday life. We explored how autistic adults use nonhuman supports such as objects, plants, animals, creative activities, and structured routines to navigate sensory and emotional demands and sustain their well-being.

Methods:

Led by an autistic researcher, we conducted qualitative interviews with 12 autistic adults in Australia to reveal how everyday nonhuman supports helped them manage overwhelm, reduce decision fatigue, and affirm personal identity.

Results:

Participants described sensory rituals including brewing tea in a familiar mug, tending to gardens, or carrying plush toys, alongside creative pursuits such as drawing, replaying games, and decorating spaces with bright character-themed items. Many also developed tailored systems, using planners, checklists, and structured shopping, to ease executive functioning challenges. However, the use of these supports was often stigmatized and incurred scrutiny from others. Participants worried that plushies or playful décor might be judged as childish or unprofessional. In the face of exclusion, social discrimination, and stigma, they envisioned more inclusive futures, imagining workplaces that normalize sensory breaks, planning tools designed for autistic adults, and community hubs blending plants, crafts, and social connection.

Conclusion:

Our findings challenge deficit-focused views of autism, highlighting instead how autistic people creatively build meaningful, sustaining environments. By centering autistic perspectives, this study calls for supports and spaces that respect and celebrate autistic ways of being, moving toward genuine acceptance and belonging.

Community Brief

Why is this an important issue?

Many autistic adults live in environments that do not recognize or support their sensory needs, creative interests, or everyday ways of organizing life. We argue that listening directly to autistic people about what supports their well-being is essential for designing respectful and effective supports.

What was the purpose of this study?

We explored how autistic adults use nonhuman supports—such as objects, plants, animals, creative projects, and daily routines—to manage sensory and emotional demands, express their identities, and imagine better futures.

What did the researchers do?

We conducted interviews with 12 autistic adults living in Australia. An autistic researcher led the interviews, and participants described how they care for themselves, which sensory and emotional supports matter most to them, and what tools, systems, or social attitudes they wish existed. We used a neurodiversity-affirming approach that treated autistic participants as experts in their own lives.

What were the results and conclusions of the study?

We identified five key themes from the interviews:

• i.

Nonhuman supports for comfort and regulation: Participants described how everyday objects and routines—such as making tea in a favorite mug, carrying plush toys, gardening, or cuddling a cat—help them feel calmer and more grounded.

ii.

Creative interests, play, and immersive media: Participants described activities such as drawing, gaming, and decorating personal spaces as important sources of joy and self-expression.

iii.

Building routines and supportive environments: Participants described using personal routines, checklists, and planning tools to manage stress and reduce overwhelm.

iv.

Experiences of stigma and lack of understanding: Participants reported facing judgment for using supports that others view as childish or unprofessional, particularly women and gender-diverse people.

v.

Imagining better, more inclusive supports: Participants described futures that include workplaces, technologies, and social spaces that respect autistic ways of being.

What is new or controversial about these findings?

While previous research has documented differences in autistic sensory and social needs, our findings show how autistic adults actively build complex and meaningful systems of support. We provide new insight into the role of creative and playful interests in well-being, the influence of gender and stigma on support use, and how autistic adults imagine futures where others fully accept their needs and preferences.

What are potential weaknesses in the study?

Because we interviewed a small group of participants, most of whom were women and Anglo-Celtic, our findings may not reflect the experiences of all autistic adults. Future research should examine how ethnicity, gender, and culture shape autistic sensory and emotional supports.

How will these findings help autistic adults now or in the future?

By centering autistic people’s own knowledge about what helps them live well, our findings can inform how workplaces, services, families, and communities support autistic adults. We also show the importance of designing supports in direct partnership with autistic people, based on their priorities rather than assumptions. In doing so, we contribute to a future where autistic ways of managing, creating, and connecting are respected and valued.