Psychosis in Autism: The Role of Alexithymia

Many people report having unusual experiences, such as hearing voices and seeing things that other people cannot see. These are known as ‘anomalous experiences’, which can be a result of stressful or traumatic life events or intense emotions, and often occur in individuals with psychosis. Studies have shown that these experiences also occur at higher rates in autistic people.

Researchers at the University of Oxford are interested in understanding the relationship between trauma, psychosis, and autism; including why unusual experiences occur, what maintains them, and how to support people who are distressed by these experiences. The findings from this study will be used to help shape early intervention services for autistic people who are experiencing early symptoms of psychosis.

Who they are looking for:

• Participants aged 16-35 years who have experienced a traumatic event(s) and/or have a diagnosis of PTSD
• You do not require an autism diagnosis to take part, as researchers plan to compare findings between autistic and non-autistic individuals
• They welcome (and encourage) participants from diverse backgrounds to take part

Expected commitment from participants:

• Completion of an anonymous online questionnaire which is estimated to take no longer than 20-30 minutes to complete

Closing date to apply: September 2026

The questionnaire can be revisited within 2 weeks to enable completion (if needed), but researchers highly recommend completing this in one sitting to ensure that responses are saved and to prevent the questionnaire timing out.