Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35817758›Full record

ArticleJournal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines2023

Expert consensus regarding indicators of a traumatic reaction in autistic youth: a Delphi survey.

Connor M Kerns, Diana L Robins, Paul T Shattuck, Craig J Newschaffer, Steven J Berkowitz

Open access · greenAbstract readConsensus Statement
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
12citing papers in PubMed
3.3field-weighted citation impact, top 8% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

12 citing papers in PubMed, 20 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Describing the communication of autistic people during experiences of distress: A scoping review.Autism : the international journal of research and practice · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Autism Providers' ACEs Inquiries.Journal of autism and developmental disorders · 2025
    Article
  7. Understanding the Association Between Neighborhood Resources and Trauma-Informed Care Among Providers Who Serve Autistic Youth.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research · 2025
    Article
  8. Article
  9. Review
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.

Connor M KernsUniversity of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-0832-8329
Diana L RobinsAJ Drexel Autism Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Paul T ShattuckMathematica Policy Research, Princeton, NJ, USA.
Craig J NewschafferPenn State University, State College, PA, USA.
Steven J BerkowitzSchool of Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver, CO, USA.
Drexel University · USMathematica Policy Research · USPennsylvania State University · USUniversity of British Columbia · CAUniversity of Colorado Denver · US

Funding

Developing measures for community-based research on trauma and related conditions in ASDK23HD087472 · NICHD · DREXEL UNIVERSITY · PI KERNS, CONNOR M · 2016 to 2018
$400k
NICHD NIH HHS K23 HD087472
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveIt has been suggested that the sequelae of trauma are under-recognized in youth on the autism spectrum. We aimed to generate expert consensus regarding important trauma indicators, including but not limited to traumatic stress symptoms, in autistic youth.

methodsWe recruited 72 experts in autism and/or childhood trauma. Via a 2-round Delphi survey, experts commented on and rated the importance of 48 potential indicators, drawn from PTSD criteria and a broader literature on traumatic sequelae in autism. A revised list of 51 indicators, 18 clinical guidelines developed from expert comments, and summaries of expert qualifications and ratings from Round 1 were submitted to a second round (n = 66; 92% retention) of expert review and rating.

resultsTwenty-two indicators reached consensus (>75% round 2 endorsement). Many, but not all, reflected PTSD criteria, including intrusions (e.g., trauma re-enactments in perseverative play/speech), avoidance of trauma-reminders, and negative alterations in mood/cognition (e.g., diminished interest in activities) and in arousal/reactivity (e.g., exaggerated startle). Experts also identified increased reliance on others, adaptive and language regressions, self-injurious behavior, and non-suicidal self-injury as important indicators. Consensus guidelines emphasized the need for tailored measures, developmentally informed criteria, and multiple informants to increase diagnostic accuracy.

conclusionsExpert consensus emphasizes and informs a need for tailored diagnostic guidelines and measures to more sensitively assess traumatic reactions in autistic youth.

Indexed as

Autistic DisorderAdolescentConsensusDelphi TechniqueHumansassessmentAutism spectrum disordersdiagnosispost-traumatic stress disorder

Identifiers

PMID35817758
PMCPMC10368297
OpenAlexW4285036882

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.