Fatima Sepulveda, FCLC 2024

MAJOR: Psychology

BIO: I am a first-generation student with an expected Bachelor of Science in Psychology in May 2024. I plan to pursue a PhD in Neuropsychology and specialize in Autism Spectrum disorder (ASD). I hope to do research on ASD in children and adolescents.

PROJECT TITLE: Autistic Burnout as an Exacerbating Mechanism of Gut Dysbiosis

MENTOR: Dr. Amy K. Roy, Department of Psychology

ABSTRACT: Within the autism community, social camouflaging is defined as the modification of natural behavior with the intention of presenting as neurotypical to fit in. Recent evidence has shown that autistic females are more likely to utilize social camouflaging strategies than males. Social camouflaging is stressful and puts youth at risk for autistic burnout, which is characterized by chronic exhaustion, loss of skills, and reduced tolerance to stimulus as well as a negative impact on their health, quality of life, and suicidal behavior. Autistic burnout, as a result of social camouflaging, has clear negative effects on mental and physical health as evidenced by its impact on physiological responses to stress. This may impact the gut microbiome, which has been shown to be altered in individuals with autism. These impacts may be particularly salient for autistic females who utilize social camouflaging more often, and thus, are more susceptible to burnout. A systematic literature review was conducted to evaluate the proposed hypothesis that autistic females experience higher rates of autistic burnout putting them at a higher risk than their male counterparts of developing long-term health conditions related to the gut. Given the bidirectional communication of the gut-brain axis (GBA), further research is needed to observe how the gut may impact psychopathology.