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When my colleagues and I asked autistic people and parents of autistic children in Sweden how they feel about genetic research in autism, one response stood out: “I hope genetic research finds new ways to help us, not erase us.” It captures a tension that has shaped debates about autism genetic research for years.
Genetic research has transformed our understanding of autism. Over 100 genetic variants associated with autism have been identified, and researchers continue to search for biological factors that might explain why some people are autistic and why autistic people can have very different experiences and support needs.
Our recent study found that most autistic people and parents of autistic children are not opposed to this research. Most participants expressed willingness to take part in genetic studies and viewed efforts to understand the genetic causes of autism positively.
At the same time, that support came with important reservations. The primary concern was not the science itself, but how genetic information might be used in the future.
Many participants feared that genetic discoveries could contribute to efforts to eliminate...