Exploring experiences of vaccine-related and alternative treatments for individuals with autism: A qualitative study

Kim M. Jonkman*, Maria Livanou, Manna A. Alma, Lotte Benard, Sander Begeer, Elisa Back

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

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    Abstract

    Some alternative treatments wrongly suggest that routine childhood vaccines cause autism resulting in vaccine skepticism and false claims about curing autism. In the present study we explore the experiences of vaccine-related and alternative treatments of autistic individuals. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with autistic adults (n = 3), parents of autistic children (n = 5) and parents of autistic adults (n = 5). Thematic analysis showed five themes: (1) reasons for choosing alternative treatment, (2) treatment content, (3) experiences with alternative care, (4) outcomes of the vaccine-related treatment and (5) future directions for treating autism. Both positive (holistic approach, time and attention) and negative aspects (false claims about vaccines and curability of autism) were found. Improved support and guidelines could reduce ineffective and harmful alternative treatments for autism.
    Original languageEnglish
    Article number102204
    Number of pages14
    JournalResearch in Autism Spectrum Disorders
    Volume106
    Early online date7-Jul-2023
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Aug-2023

    Keywords

    • Autism spectrum disorder
    • Complementary and alternative medicine
    • Complementary health approaches
    • Qualitative study

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