Is Sexual Orientation Diversity Overlooked in Autism Research? Examining If and How Sexual Orientation Is Considered in Australian Autism Research
Abstract
Purpose: Sexual orientation is an important aspect of diversity in the Autistic population, yet how and how often it is reported in autism research remains unclear. Methods: This brief report examined the reporting of sexual orientation minority status in Australian autism research published 2023-25. A broader systematic mapping review identified 467 studies reporting data on Australian Autistic people. Of these, only seven (1.5%) reported Autistic people’s sexual orientation minority status. These studies were reviewed in relation to study scope, measurement and reporting practices, and analytic inclusion of sexual orientation. Results: All seven studies related to mental health and/or quality of life, leaving other life domains underexplored. Sexual orientation was reported inconsistently and rarely integrated meaningfully into analysis. Although all studies reported participatory approaches with Autistic people, only one explicitly reported LGBTQIA+ community involvement. Conclusion: Sexual orientation remains underreported and underanalysed in autism research. Recommendations for more transparent, inclusive, and analytically meaningful research practices are provided.
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BibTeX
@misc{michiels2026sexual,
title = {{Is Sexual Orientation Diversity Overlooked in Autism Research? Examining If and How Sexual Orientation Is Considered in Australian Autism Research}},
author = {Robin Michiels and Sophie Hindes and Megan Walsh and Timea Molnar and Halle Wiblen and Simon Bury and Dawn Adams},
howpublished = {PsyArXiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.31234/osf.io/z86fu_v1},
url = {https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/z86fu_v1/},
note = {CC0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Is Sexual Orientation Diversity Overlooked in Autism Research? Examining If and How Sexual Orientation Is Considered in Australian Autism Research
AU - Robin Michiels
AU - Sophie Hindes
AU - Megan Walsh
AU - Timea Molnar
AU - Halle Wiblen
AU - Simon Bury
AU - Dawn Adams
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/09
PB - PsyArXiv
DO - 10.31234/osf.io/z86fu_v1
UR - https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/z86fu_v1/
AB - Purpose: Sexual orientation is an important aspect of diversity in the Autistic population, yet how and how often it is reported in autism research remains unclear. Methods: This brief report examined the reporting of sexual orientation minority status in Australian autism research published 2023-25. A broader systematic mapping review identified 467 studies reporting data on Australian Autistic people. Of these, only seven (1.5%) reported Autistic people’s sexual orientation minority status. These studies were reviewed in relation to study scope, measurement and reporting practices, and analytic inclusion of sexual orientation. Results: All seven studies related to mental health and/or quality of life, leaving other life domains underexplored. Sexual orientation was reported inconsistently and rarely integrated meaningfully into analysis. Although all studies reported participatory approaches with Autistic people, only one explicitly reported LGBTQIA+ community involvement. Conclusion: Sexual orientation remains underreported and underanalysed in autism research. Recommendations for more transparent, inclusive, and analytically meaningful research practices are provided.
ER -