What the diagnosis doesn't say: Autism Spectrum Disorder, educational path, and identity formation

Abstract

This article examines the processes of subjectivation related to the late diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in autistic individuals within higher education, adopting a qualitative approach grounded in Historical-Cultural Psychology. Drawing upon the clinical listening experience of a participant diagnosed in adulthood, the study investigates the implications of social camouflaging, institutional mediations, and the construction of subjective meanings throughout the educational journey. The analysis interweaves symbolic, affective, and social elements, highlighting how diagnosis may function both as a tool for subjective reorganisation and as a marker of stigma—particularly within institutions that sustain inclusive discourses disconnected from effective practices. In this context, clinical practice emerges as a space of symbolic resistance, engaged listening, and the reconstruction of belonging. Accordingly, this article proposes a critical dialogue between psychology, education, and inclusion policies, emphasising listening as an ethical and political practice in response to the often-invisible suffering of autistic individuals with late diagnoses.