Many autistic people might have some form of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), researchers believe.
They are investigating whether people with autism are more vulnerable to PTSD.
Dr Connor Kerns: she says there should be better assessment of post traumatic stress disorder in people with autism
Among them is Dr Connor Kerns, assistant professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.
Post traumatic stress disorder more common than reported
She believes that PTSD in autism is more common than reported in most studies to date.
Very stressful, frightening or distressing events can cause PTSD, which is an anxiety disorder.
Kerns says most research has either suggested PTSD rates are very low in autism at between 0 per cent and 3 per cent, or failed to make any assessment.
Disagreement over current thinking
The psychologist disagrees with the idea that PTSD stands at between only 0 per cent and 3 per cent. That would make it one of the “only mental health conditions not to seen at elevated rates” in autism.
A 2015 study of young children with autism showed up to 67 per cent had anxiety. At the same time, 53 per cent had phobias and 59 per cent had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
In an email, Kerns wrote that alongside assessing the rate of PTSD it was important to understand how trauma “could contribute to the high rate of psychiatric comorbidity” seen in autism.
Better assessment for PTSD needed
She said we must “better assess for PTSD, given that PTSD symptoms may be overshadowed” by those of autism in some cases.
The researcher said we need to consider how “trauma as well as biology” affects the mental health of those with autism.
Kerns, who has several studies ongoing on the topic, said abuse is a likely trigger of PTSD in autistic children. This was the same as with individuals who do not have autism.
But she added that “not all abuse results in PTSD, however, and not all PTSD is the result of abuse”.
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Published: 17 October 2018
