Abstract

Studies show that the knowledge teachers have about autism, and their attitude, motivation, and attachment to their students, affect the processes of teaching and learning. The objective of this study was to explore the affective experience of teachers with autistic students. Using a qualitative methodology, 14 teachers who had experience with students with autism in a regular classroom were individually interviewed and/or took part in a focus group. The data were analyzed through thematic content analysis. Expert supervision, independent group validation, and convergence with other research were taken as validation criteria. The teachers describe the emotions that characterize their experiences with students with autism as uncertainty, frustration, anger, and joy. They realize that, stages can be distinguished in their experiences depending on the predominant emotion. They say that as they begin to share emotional experiences with students with autism, a teacher-student relationship can be established that transcends the immediate experience and the school context, and favorably changes the way they work with them. Furthermore, teachers expect their colleagues and the psychologist working at the school to support them when they experience negative emotions.