Citation

Woodbury-Smith MR, Loftin R, Westphal A, Volkmar FR. Front. Psychiatry 2022; 13: e873121.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Frontiers Media)

DOI

10.3389/fpsyt.2022.873121

PMID

35401260

PMCID

PMC8990964

Abstract

People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are represented among those who espouse extremist thought and have committed violent acts associated with their beliefs. Media often highlight a perpetrator's psychiatric diagnosis following acts of mass violence, which in some instances has included ASD. ASD may itself not provide useful information for understanding motivations. Instead, understanding specific traits and neuropsychological and other vulnerabilities may offer an opportunity to make sense of these very complex events.

Language: en

Keywords

mental health; autism spectrum disorder; vulnerability; terrorism; extremism; forensic; incels