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Anti-ableism and scientific accuracy in autism research: a false dichotomy

Bottema-Beutel, Kristen; Kapp, Steven K.; Sasson, Noah; Gernsbacher, Morton Ann; Natri, Heini; Botha, Monique

Authors

Kristen Bottema-Beutel

Steven K. Kapp

Noah Sasson

Morton Ann Gernsbacher

Heini Natri



Abstract

It was recently argued that autism researchers committed to rejecting ableist frameworks in their research may sacrifice “scientifically accurate” conceptualizations of autism. In this perspective piece, we argue that: (a) anti-ableism vs. scientific accuracy is a false dichotomy, (b) there is no ideology-free science that has claim to scientific accuracy, and (c) autism science has a history of false leads in part because of unexamined ableist ideologies that undergird researcher framings and interpretations of evidence. To illustrate our claims, we discuss several avenues of autism research that were promoted as scientific advances, but were eventually debunked or shown to have much less explanatory value than initially proposed. These research programs have involved claims about autism etiology, the nature of autism and autistic characteristics, and autism intervention. Common to these false leads have been ableist assumptions about autism that inform researcher perspectives. Negative impacts of this work have been mitigated in some areas of autism research, but these perspectives continue to exert influence on the lives of autistic people, including the availability of services, discourses about autism, and sociocultural conceptualizations of autistic people. Examining these false leads may help current researchers better understand how ableism may negatively influence their areas of inquiry. We close with a positive argument that promoting anti-ableism can be done in tandem with increasing scientific accuracy.

Citation

Bottema-Beutel, K., Kapp, S. K., Sasson, N., Gernsbacher, M. A., Natri, H., & Botha, M. (2023). Anti-ableism and scientific accuracy in autism research: a false dichotomy. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1244451

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Aug 25, 2023
Online Publication Date Sep 8, 2023
Publication Date 2023
Deposit Date Dec 13, 2024
Journal Frontiers in Psychiatry
Electronic ISSN 1664-0640
Publisher Frontiers Media
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 14
DOI https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1244451
Public URL https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/3200290
Publisher URL https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85171879706&doi=10.3389%2ffpsyt.2023.1244451&partnerID=40&md5=a0bf9b724cc68a5243ffe9ac7c079ffd