Trauma bij ASS: valkuilen in diagnostiek en behandeling

Individuals with ASD have an elevated risk of exposure to potentially traumatic events. This does not only pertain to events meeting the DSM-5 PTSD A criterion for trauma such as assault and abuse but also to seemingly less shocking adverse events such as bullying. In clinical practice, PTSD and other trauma and stressor-related patterns of complaints often remain undetected and therefore untreated. A limiting factor is that it is not common use to systematically investigate a patient’s trauma history routinely. Further, trauma-related complaints show a lot of overlap with other disorders, in particular anxiety and mood disorders, as well as overlap with characteristics of ASD. In addition, until now validated assessment tools for trauma in individuals with ASD are missing. Finally, the application of standard trauma treatment protocols is often hindered by ASD-related problems. Research into the applicability and effectiveness of trauma treatment for ASD is still in its infancy. In this paper, research findings and clinical experiences regarding assessment and treatment of trauma in individuals with ASD are shared to contribute to the prevention of long-term serious trauma-related mental health problems and to underpin the need for further research on this topic.