Episode 214: Echoes of Harm - Autism Research Still Blaming Mothers

“Today’s episode is a critical reflection by Dr. Jaime Hoerricks on a recent study regarding adverse childhood experiences and neurodevelopmental disorders. Dr. Hoerricks, an AuDHD researcher and IRB chair, expresses concern that the study, Davidsson et al. (2025), perpetuates a harmful pattern of blaming mothers for their children’s neurodivergence. They argue that the study’s methodology, particularly its reliance on the ACE questionnaire, fails to account for the distinct memory processing and emotional experiences of neurodivergent individuals. Dr. Hoerricks highlights the lack of validation of such tools for autistic and ADHD populations and the absence of consideration for alexithymia. They underscore the ethical implications of research that overlooks neurodivergent perspectives, potentially leading to misinterpretations and reinforcing outdated, eugenic-like narratives. The reflection advocates for greater neurodivergent involvement in research to ensure studies are ethical, accurate, and respectful.”

Here’s the link to the source article: https://open.substack.com/pub/autside/p/echoes-of-harm-how-autism-research

Let me know what you think.