Discussion: View Thread

Neurodivergent individuals, including those with autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, giftedness, and twice-exceptionality, often experience higher rates of trauma exposure than neurotypical populations. Research suggests elevated rates of victimization, bullying, and sexual assault among neurodivergent individuals, as well as increased vulnerability to chronic relational trauma. Despite these disparities, most trauma treatment models were developed using neurotypical samples and may not fully account for differences in sensory processing, emotional intensity, executive functioning, and interoception common in neurodivergent populations.

This presentation examines how trauma may present differently in neurodivergent clients and explores clinical considerations for assessment and treatment planning. Participants will review research on trauma prevalence in neurodivergent populations and discuss how dissociation may appear in trauma presentations. The session will introduce the Dissociative Experiences Scale-II as a screening tool for dissociative symptoms and discuss when referral for more comprehensive dissociation assessment, such as the Multidimensional Inventory of Dissociation, may be clinically appropriate. Differences between complex trauma and single-incident trauma will also be explored, including how commonly used interventions (such as safe-place imagery) may produce different responses for individuals with complex trauma histories.

Participants will leave with a neurodiversity-affirming framework for conceptualizing trauma in neurodivergent clients and practical considerations for trauma-informed treatment planning within relational and systemic contexts.