Changing Perceptions of Autism Through a Video Game
The CONNECT collective, a research team led by neurodivergent individuals, continues its mission of inclusion with an innovative initiative: a video game project designed to promote better acceptance of autism and combat stigma.
The goal is to amplify autistic voices and enable the public to better understand their realities through the narrative and interactive power of a video game.
"A video game can profoundly shape our perception of different social realities. However, the representation of autism in this medium is often stereotypical or absent," explains Dr. Caroline Jose, project initiator and researcher at the Vitalité Health Network. "By designing this game with direct participation from autistic individuals, we place their voices and experiences at the very heart of the narrative."
A committed researcher and mother of a young autistic adult, Dr. Jose has worked for several years to improve living conditions for neurodivergent individuals through her research projects and advocacy efforts.
In 2017, she launched the CONNECT project within the Maritime SPOR SUPPORT Unit (MSSU), aiming to fill gaps in knowledge about autistic adults, a community historically subjected to prejudice and discriminatory attitudes.
The CONNECT project (CONtinuité des soiNs et des sErviCes pour les adultes auTistes—Continuity of Care and Services for Autistic Adults) was the first in the Maritimes to fully integrate autistic adults as integral members of the research team. It has since been recognized regionally and nationally as an exemplary model for patient engagement.
This collaborative approach has produced tangible impacts, contributing to the development of New Brunswick’s Accessibility Act (May 2024), supporting the creation of peer-led support groups, and influencing services better tailored to autistic individuals' needs.
Now, thanks to a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the team is working on creating an educational and mobilizing video game.This inclusive process involves autistic individuals at every stage of development, alongside gaming professionals.
"Patient-oriented research still struggles to embrace unconventional knowledge mobilization formats," notes Dr. Jose. "A video game isn't an information sheet or infographic: it's a story, characters, and environments. It's a profoundly subjective medium with a high risk of stereotypes. That's precisely why autistic individuals must be at the center of the creative process."
Beyond the game itself, this initiative highlights how health research can influence societal structures and proactively address social and health inequalities. Through its approach, CONNECT challenges systemic ableism and proposes an innovative model for inclusive representation of neurodivergent individuals in media.
"Our work extends beyond research," concludes Dr. Jose. "It seeks to transform how society perceives, understands, and supports autistic individuals, while paving the way for new collaborations between the research community and the video game industry."
