Understanding Autistic Young Adults' Perceptions and Experiences of Traumatic and Stressful Events

Abstract

Objectives

The aim of this study was to explore how young autistic adults experience and respond to stressful life events, and the relationship between autistic characteristics and symptoms of stress associated with these events.

Methods

Using an exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach, an online qualitative survey was first administered to 50 autistic young adults asking about their perceptions of trauma and the role that autistic behaviours may play in their perceptions of and responses to traumatic events. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. To examine the generalisability of these findings, a quantitative survey was developed based on the themes generated and then administered to 150 autistic and 149 non-autistic young adults.

Results

Autistic and non-autistic participants described similar perceptions of trauma. Autistic participants reported greater interpersonal trauma exposure and more symptoms of stress than non-autistic comparisons. Among participants who experienced a DSM-5-TR traumatic event, autistic traits (as measured by select items of the Social Responsiveness Scale [SRS-2]) accounted for a combined 16.2% of the variance in PTSD symptoms (as measured by the PTSD Checklist [PCL-5]). Autistic participants highlighted that a significant factor that sets their experience apart from that of non-autistic individuals is that autism is already a challenging condition to manage. Participants identified four main ways that autism and trauma interact: (1) autism increases one's vulnerability to experiencing a stressful event, (2) autism amplifies the impact of the trauma, (3) autistic behaviours can serve as healthy or unhealthy coping mechanisms, and (4) autism compounds barriers to receiving support.

Conclusions

An overarching theme that permeated the narratives of autistic young adults was, “The autistic experience of trauma is fundamentally different.” There is thus a need for clinicians to develop thorough case conceptualisations that consider the interaction between autism and trauma when working with an autistic population.