Addressing social trauma with existential-integrative psychology in adults with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

In this theoretical review and analysis, I examine the existing literature regarding social trauma in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) after proposing existential-integrative adaptations of trauma-specific interventions that account for many of the novel characteristics and features that manifest in ASD. Practitioners interested in reimagining how they enter trauma work with this population will find multiple descriptions by providing an overview of core challenges and how those challenges influence susceptibility to the experience of social trauma and general trauma in ASD.