Mitigating Trauma in Autism: A Mock Research Design

Introduction

Autism was first described at the turn of the twentieth century (Price, 2022). In 1943, Leo Kanner described a disorder then called Kannar Syndrome and began studying it (National Autistic Society, 2023). “Kannar Syndrome” eventually became “Asperger’s” and is now known as autism spectrum disorder, or ASD (National Autistic Society, 2023). In the decades since researchers have been steadily learning more about this developmental disability. One in four Americans -or 26% of the population- are disabled (CDC, 2018) Of that twenty-six percent, 1 in 36 children and adults are Autistic (APA, 2021). Being disabled can be an inherently traumatizing experience. Researchers have known for years that trauma biologically and physically changes the brain. Researchers are also aware that people with disabilities are at increased risk of experiencing trauma. While there has been a plethora of research on various disabilities, much of that research has been through the lens of the medical model of disability. The medical model of disability posits that having a disability is an individual, medical problem that needs “cured” (Olken, 2022). Examining how to mitigate the experience of trauma in people with disabilities is a worthwhile pursuit, given that nearly one third of the population is disabled (CDC, 2023). The Autistic population is of particular interest, given Autism’s prevalence and the potential for harm if society does not address this issue.

Literature Review

What is now known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has captivated researchers for decades. Leo Kanner first described it in 1943 (National Autistic Society, 2023). A few years later, Kanner developed his theory known as the “refrigerator mother” theory. Kanner originally mistakenly thought that Autism was caused by emotionally distant and unavailable mothers. He also mistakenly believed it was rare (Gates, 2019). As science and technology have advanced, science has come to understand that autism also includes biological and physical differences in the brain (Price, 2022). We can now look at brain scans of Autistic people and see physical and biological differences in how their brains are wired (Grandin, 2007).

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) states that autism is a “…complex developmental condition involving persistent challenges with social communication, restricted interests, and repetitive behavior. While autism is considered a lifelong disorder, the…