Abstract
This longitudinal research project examined whether a live theatrical performance decreased autism stigma among audience members. The research followed a pretest-posttest design, including a survey of audience members right before, within 48 hours, and one month after the performance. We expected that autism stigma would decrease directly after the performance and would persist one month later. Using repeated measures ANCOVAs, we found a trend toward a significant decline in stigma, with trending interactions indicating initial declines only for males and only for those less familiar with the show. By the third wave, stigma scores returned to baseline. Consistent with the existing literature showing that live theatrical performances can decrease mental health stigma, our research indicated that such performances may also decrease autism stigma. However, our study is limited due to the small sample size.