This summary looks at the sort of interests and activities people enjoyed in their leisure time. One characteristic of autism is having ‘special interests’ [see
Fears, Anxieties and Sensory Issues] and some of the activities people described enjoying could be interpreted as special interests.
One man liked slapstick comedy and thought he would get on with Ken Dodd like a house on fire. Some people were also interested in trains and buses, especially vintage buses. One man liked trains from an early age and used to train spot.
Some people were very creative and enjoyed drawing, writing poetry and photography. Other interests included cycling, reading and live theatre, music and films.
One woman said that she didn’t do much in her leisure time other than watch television and DVDs, and surf the internet . She did not go out “except to walk the dogs. I don’t really have a life compared to other people”. A few participants were regular churchgoers and found comfort in their faith. As one woman said;
I like the internet and email. I like doing cross stitch and knitting and I do that sort of thing to raise money for charity. And I am a committed born again Christian. I have a relationship with god and I attend a church in the next village to where I live several times a week.
