Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) for Autistic Adults
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) for Autistic Adults Experiencing Traumatic Stress
IRAS ID
329778
Contact name
Thomas Schröder
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Nottingham
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 28 days
Research summary
There is an emerging consensus within the research literature that autistic individuals are at an elevated risk of experiencing adverse life events and consequential traumatic stress. The clinical features of autism mean that autistic individuals require adaptations to evidence-based psychological treatments to increase accessibility and therapeutic benefit. Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) is a trauma-focused therapy shown to be effective in treating traumatic stress in neurotypical individuals. It is currently unknown how NET should be delivered in the context of autism. The proposed study will draw upon the insight of clinicians with a working knowledge of supporting the autism population (experts by profession) to explore how the NET protocol may be adapted for use with this population. Such insights will inform the development of an adapted NET protocol for use with the autism population (ASDNET). The accessibility and feasibility of ASDNET will be reviewed by the aforementioned experts by profession and a sample of individuals diagnosed with autism (experts by experience) before it is presented to a sample of clinicians experienced in NET (NET specialists) to ensure fidelity to the model. ASDNET will then be delivered to a sample of autistic individuals experiencing symptoms of traumatic stress to explore the potential effectiveness of the adapted protocol.
REC name
London - Bromley Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/LO/0242
Date of REC Opinion
27 Mar 2024
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion