The Autistic Self Advocacy Network welcomes opportunities to assist researchers with grant proposals and research projects that follow our policies below.
Our statement on genetic research is available here.
In order for us to share your research project or call for participants, your research must:
- Utilize Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR or PAR) methodologies.
- The CBPR approach brings together professionals and community members to serve as equal partners throughout the research process from from the research question through defining methods, etc. (not just in data collection), focusing on research that is relevant to the community.
- For example, one autistic researcher does not make research CBPR, and we likely will not share.
- Not use arbitrary eligibility standards in research questions.
- For example, the term “high-functioning autism” has no commonly agreed upon definition or criteria; and consistent distinctions have not been made between Asperger’s and other autism spectrum diagnoses, which tend to be applied interchangeably.
- We encourage researchers to adopt descriptive eligibility criteria when targeting a study to a particular population, such as autistic adults who use or need specific services, who are employed or seeking employment, etc.
- Not be funded by Autism Speaks or other entities working against the interests of the autistic people.
If we are able to share your call for participants, we will require a link to a website describing your research project that we can share on social media. This works much better for us than if you send text that you would like us to post. We do not typically share calls for participants in our newsletter or any listserv unless otherwise discussed.