Research Impacting and Involving Autistic Adults Should Be Trauma Informed

Steeman, S., Ancona, L., Giwa Onaiwu, M., Brophy, K., Brown, L. X. M. Z., & Taylor, S. (2025). Research Impacting and Involving Autistic Adults Should Be Trauma Informed. Autism in Adulthood. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2023.0200

Publication date: 31 Mar 2025 Added to AutiHub: 5 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English

This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:

Authors

Publication authors
6
Publication authors identified as autistic
2 / 6 (33.3%)

Abstract

The autism research field to date has yet to widely adopt trauma-informed thinking and practices. Since most autistic adults have a history of experiencing trauma, the field must shift to center trauma in the design of research for this population. This article calls for widespread integration of trauma-informed strategies into existing research practices focused on autistic adults. We present a summary of trauma sources across research domains and make recommendations for how to integrate existing research related to trauma experienced by autistic adults and trauma-informed practices in the current research landscape. With trauma-informed modifications to research practices, we suggest that accessibility of participation in research for autistic adults with a history of trauma will be improved and that potential trauma-related harms of research will be reduced. Additionally, considering trauma more widely as a potential modifier of autism domains including social functioning, sensory sensitivity, self-soothing behaviors, cognitive functioning, and autonomic arousal may lead to a more comprehensive understanding of these areas. Taken together, we believe that adopting trauma-informed research approaches will lead to more meaningful, impactful research.

Bibliography cited by this reference

Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.

Bibliography inclusion overview

These indicators describe the cited bibliography imported for this publication. Cited-reference metrics use the cited-reference total as denominator. Cited-author metrics state whether they use all cited-author occurrences or only occurrences linked to authors already integrated in the AutiHub database. They use cached links between cited authors and authors integrated in the AutiHub database. Last computed: 16 Aug 2026 11:30.

Cited references
64
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
13 / 64 (20.3%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
51 / 264 (19.3%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 51 / 136 (37.5%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 45 / 249 (18.1%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
136 / 264 (51.5%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 121 / 249 (48.6%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
85 / 136 (62.5%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 85 / 264 (32.2%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 76 / 121 (62.8%).
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