Narrative Research, Reflexivity, and AuDHD Lived Experiences

Narrative research deals in the stories people tell about themselves and their experiences. More specifically, narrative analysis looks for the truths of the storytellers. This chapter explores context, subjectivity, and positionality of the person or group of interest instead of a singular objective truth, which are integral facets of narrative inquiry and qualitative research more generally. The author discusses how narrative analysis can effectively highlight the lived experiences and context of AuDHD individuals in a largely neurotypical world. The chapter further examines how, although the narrative usually does not include the researcher as an explicit character, the researcher plays an integral role in shaping the narrative and in co-constructing meaning from the stories with the narrators. Additionally, this chapter grapples with the question of what happens when there is a mismatch between researchers and narrators, particularly regarding communication, context, and experience of the world? This chapter explores the challenges, benefits, and structure of using narrative analysis and research to uplift the stories of AuDHD experiences and attends to the role of researcher reflexivity and co-construction of meaning.