BETWEEN US AND MAZES: CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE LITERATURE ON CLINICAL INTERVENTION WITH AUTISTS IN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63330/sasciencesv6n2-130Keywords:
Abusive Relationships, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Neurodiversity-Affirming Psychology, Relational TraumaAbstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in adulthood poses severe challenges in social navigation, making this population highly vulnerable to toxic and abusive relationships. This vulnerability is intensified by social trauma survival mechanisms, such as social camouflaging (masking) and fawning, which silence the perception of danger signals (red flags). The objective of this study was to analyze, through an integrative literature review, the scientific contributions regarding clinical strategies in supporting autistic adults who are victims of interpersonal abuse. The search was conducted in the PubMed, SciELO, and CAPES Journals Portal databases, selecting articles published between 2016 and 2026. The results indicate that relational abuse leads to severe consequences, such as autistic burnout and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD). It is concluded that traditional approaches focused on behavioral compliance are insufficient and potentially harmful. A transition toward neurodiversity-affirming psychology is urgently needed, utilizing structured visual psychoeducation tools on psychological violence, interoception rehabilitation, and self-advocacy training.
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