Compliance in People with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Early Life Victimisation and Compliance in people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).
IRAS ID
146691
Contact name
Robert John Chandler
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bath
Research summary
People with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are at increased risk of bullying from an early age, compared with typically developing (TD) individuals. Negative outcomes associated with TD bully victims include reduced self esteem and increased compliance (although the direction of this relationship is difficult to infer). Moreover, low-self esteem and fear of negative evaluation have been shown to predict higher compliance in TD people. Whilst research has consistently found that people with ASD are i) victimised more than TD individuals and ii) have reduced self esteem compared with TD individuals, research so far has failed to conclude whether people with ASD are more compliant than TD individuals (which theoretically they should be, due to reduced self esteem, high fear of negative evaluation and higher rates of past victimisation in people with ASD). The project will explore differences in compliance between ASD and TD individuals, assess the relationship between early life victimisation and compliance in people with ASD, and assess the role of factors such as self esteem which may affect the relationship between victimisation and compliance.
Participants will be required to complete some questionnaires and take part in a short experimental task to test how compliant they are. They will also be asked to provide the contact details of a family member who can be contacted to complete a questionnaire. A group of people with ASD will be compared to a group of people without ASD.
If people with ASD exhibit increased compliance, this may leave them at increased risk of exploitation across many domains (relationships, finances, engaging in criminal activities etc.). If we find that people with ASD are more compliant than people without, this will give us the knowledge to support people with ASD who may be at risk of acquiescing across the domains list above.
REC name
Wales REC 2
REC reference
14/WA/0184
Date of REC Opinion
29 Jul 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion