Therapeutic Relationships and Neurotype

Participant Information Sheet 

Title of study: “Therapeutic Relationships and Neurotype: Exploring Autistic Individuals’ Experiences and Perceptions Through Qualitative Inquiry  “ 

Name of investigator: Iva Maric               Email of investigator: 

                                                                ivm0068@my.londonmet.ac.uk 

Name of supervisor: Teresa Del Bianco

                                                                Email of supervisor: 

                                                                t.delbianco@londonmet.ac.uk 

1. Invitation 

You are being invited to take part in a research study about the experiences of autistic individuals in therapy with autistic and non-autistic therapists. This study aims to explore how neurotype influences the therapeutic relationship and the overall therapeutic experience. 

Participation is completely voluntary, and you are free to decide whether or not to take part. If you decide to participate, you are also free to withdraw at any point without any consequences, even after you begin the survey. 

This research is being conducted as part of a BSc dissertation in Psychology at London Metropolitan University. Before you decide whether to participate, it is important to understand the purpose of the research and what your participation will involve. 

Please take your time to read the following information carefully, and feel free to discuss it with others if you wish. If there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information, please do not hesitate to contact us. 

Your participation in this study will help contribute to a better understanding of the therapeutic experiences of autistic individuals, which could inform future clinical practices and improve therapeutic outcomes. 

Thank you for considering participating in this important research! 

2. What is the purpose of the study? 

This study aims to explore how autistic individuals perceive therapy with autistic versus non-autistic therapists. By examining how neurotype affects communication, trust, and overall therapeutic outcomes, the research seeks to understand whether therapy with a therapist of the same neurotype improves the therapeutic relationship for autistic clients. This research is part of a BSc Psychology dissertation at London Metropolitan University and will involve collecting anonymous data, including basic demographic information and participants' descriptions of their therapy experiences. The study will run for several weeks, with data collection expected to conclude by 24th

 of March 2025. 

3. Why have I been chosen to participate? 

You have been invited to participate in this study because you are an autistic individual with experience in therapy with autistic, non-autistic, or preferably, both neurotypes of therapists. We are interested in understanding how the neurotype of therapists influences the therapeutic experiences of autistic individuals. You were selected based on your relevant experiences and participation in autism-related forums on social networks platforms, or your response to the recruitment materials posted online. We aim to involve 7 participants in total, all of whom should be autistic (either diagnosed or self-identified) and have received therapy from therapists of varying neurotypes. Participants should also be residents of UK. Your participation will provide valuable insights into this under-explored area of therapeutic practice. 

4. Do I have to take part? 

Participation in this study is entirely voluntary. It is your choice whether or not to take part, and you can withdraw at any stage without giving a reason or facing any consequences. If you decide to take part, you will be asked to provide your consent by selecting “Yes, I agree to participate in the study” at the start of the survey. 

You are free to leave the study at any time during participation by simply closing the survey Web page. If you do so, the data you have entered will not be saved. Additionally, after completing the survey, you may still request to access, modify, or delete your data. To do this, you will generate a unique 4-digit PIN at the start of the survey (e.g., the last two letters of your street name and the last two digits of your phone number). This PIN will allow the research team to identify your data for these requests. 

If you wish to withdraw your data after completing the survey, you can do so by completing the data access/modify/delete form at https://forms.office.com/e/a4sES9MaS1 . Your request will be processed within 30 days. After 30 days, your data cannot be withdrawn from analyses already performed but can still be removed from any future analyses. This ensures you maintain control over your participation and data throughout the study. 

5. What will happen to me if I take part? 

If you decide to take part, you will be asked to complete an online questionnaire delivered via Microsoft Forms. The questionnaire will include demographic questions such as age, gender, and autism diagnosis status, as well as open-ended questions exploring your experiences in therapy with autistic and/or non-autistic therapists. For example, you may be asked: "Can you describe your experience with your therapist in terms of feeling understood and heard? Did you ever feel misunderstood, and do you think the therapist's neurotype influenced these moments?" These questions aim to gather insights into how a therapist’s neurotype impacts communication, trust, and overall therapeutic outcomes. 

The survey will take approximately 30–60minutes to complete, but you may take longer if needed, as the format is flexible and can be completed at your own pace in a private, comfortable setting. Participation is anonymous, and no personally identifiable information will be collected. 

After you complete the survey, your data will be securely stored on password-protected devices and the London Metropolitan University cloud server, in compliance with GDPR guidelines. Data will be retained for the duration of the study and archived for up to five years after the study concludes, solely for academic and publication purposes. After this period, all data will be permanently deleted. 

Your data will not leave the UK or Europe, as all storage locations are within GDPR-compliant servers. There will be no automated decision-making or profiling based on your data. 

Upon completing the questionnaire, you will receive a debrief form providing more information about the study, including its goals, suggested readings, and resources for support if needed. If you have any questions or concerns during or after your participation, you are encouraged to contact the research team for assistance. 

6. What are the benefits of taking part? 

There are no direct benefits to you for participating in this study. However, by sharing your experiences, you will contribute valuable insights into how the neurotype of therapists influences the therapeutic experiences of autistic individuals. The results of this study aim to inform future therapeutic practices, potentially improving the quality of therapy for autistic clients by fostering greater understanding and better alignment between therapists and clients. Your participation will help advance research in this under-explored area and contribute to a deeper understanding of the needs of autistic individuals in therapy 

7. What are the possible disadvantages and risks of taking part? 

We have taken all necessary measures to minimize risks to you. All information you provide will remain anonymous and be treated with strict confidentiality. Participating in this study will not affect your degree studies, academic progress, or any other aspect of your life in any way. 

However, reflecting on your past therapy experiences might bring up uncomfortable or emotional memories. While we do not anticipate significant distress, you may find some questions personal or emotionally challenging, such as recalling situations where you felt misunderstood or uncomfortable in therapy. If you feel uneasy answering any specific questions, you are free to skip them or stop participating at any point by simply exiting the survey. 

If you experience any distress, support resources will be provided in the debrief form. These include contact details for the National Autistic Society, Samaritans, and other relevant organizations. You are also encouraged to contact the research team if you need clarification or assistance regarding the study. Your well-being is our priority, and we are here to support you throughout your participation. 

8. Will my participation in this study be kept confidential? 

Your privacy is extremely important, and all efforts will be made to ensure your participation remains confidential. This study is designed to be fully anonymous, meaning no personally identifying information will be collected at any stage. Any demographic or open-ended responses you provide will be anonymized, ensuring your identity cannot be linked to your data. 

The data will be securely stored on password-protected devices and London Metropolitan University’s GDPR-compliant cloud server. Data will be retained for up to five years following the completion of the study, as per academic guidelines. After this period, all data will be permanently deleted. Access to the data will be strictly limited to the primary researcher and their academic supervisor. 

Your responses will be analysed anonymously, and any resulting publications or presentations will only include aggregated data or anonymized quotes. No information that could identify you will ever be shared outside the research team. 

As part of ethical and legal obligations, please note that if any responses indicate the inadvertent discovery of illicit activities (e.g., self-harm, suicidal intent, or criminal activity), the researcher is required to act in accordance with safeguarding and legal policies. 

However, given the anonymous nature of this survey, identifying participants is highly unlikely. 

The PIN system used for accessing, modifying, or deleting your data further ensures confidentiality. Your data can only be identified through the unique PIN you create, which is not linked to your personal identity. Both the survey and the data access/modify/delete form are completely anonymous, always safeguarding your privacy. 

9. What will happen to the results of this research? 

The findings of this study will be written up as part of a BSc Psychology undergraduate dissertation at London Metropolitan University. After the dissertation is completed, the results may also be used for academic publications, conference presentations, and teaching purposes to contribute to the broader understanding of therapeutic experiences among autistic individuals. 

Your participation will remain completely anonymous, and no identifiable information will be included in the dissertation or any subsequent publications or presentations. If you wish to access a summary or full copy of the dissertation, you may contact the researcher using the details provided in the debrief form. 

In alignment with Open Science principles, anonymized data from this study may be shared with other researchers to support future academic work. If you would like to learn more about Open Science and its principles, please visit UNESCO’s Open Science resource at https://www.unesco.org/en/open-science. 

This dissemination plan ensures that the findings of this research contribute to advancing both academic knowledge and practical applications in the field of therapy for autistic individuals. 

10. What do I do if I have any further questions? 

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your participation in this study, please feel free to contact the researcher using the contact details provided in this information sheet. Your email will only be used to respond to your queries about this project and will not be shared or used for any other purpose. We will be happy to assist you and provide any additional information you may need. Thank you for considering taking part in this research! 

11. What is the lawful basis to use my personal data? 

The legal basis for processing your data in this study is Article 6(1)(e) of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), as amended by The Data Protection, Privacy and Electronic Communications (Amendments etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. This means that the data is being processed as part of a task carried out in the public interest, specifically for academic research purposes. 

If sensitive personal data is collected, the legal basis for processing such data is Article 9(2)(j) of the GDPR, which permits processing for research purposes subject to safeguards. 

For more information about how your data will be processed in accordance with these regulations at London Metropolitan University, please visit: London Met Data Protection Policies. 

12. What are my rights in relation to your use of my personal data? 

Under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), you have the following rights regarding your personal data used in this study:  

The right to access your personal data, including viewing the information we hold about you. 

The right to receive a copy of your personal data, if requested. 

The right to request corrections to any inaccurate information. 

The right to restrict the use of your data under certain conditions. 

The right to request the deletion of your personal data, unless it has been anonymized. 

The right to object to further processing of your personal data (except when the data is anonymized). 

To be able to access, modify, or delete your data after completing the study, you will be asked to generate a unique 4-digit PIN at the beginning of the survey. This PIN allows us to identify your data without linking it to your personal identity. You can use this PIN to submit a request via the GDPR Data Access, Modification, or Deletion Survey at  https://forms.office.com/e/a4sES9MaS1 . Requests will be processed within 30 days. 

Please note, however, that after 30 days, it will not be possible to withdraw your data from analyses already performed, but we will ensure your data is removed from any future analyses. 

If you decide to withdraw during the study, you can do so at any time by simply closing the survey Web page, and no data will be recorded.  

For more information about your rights, you can contact the researcher or the supervisor using the details provided in this information sheet or refer to London Metropolitan University’s data protection policies at http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/about/policies/data-protection/. 

13. Time limit to withdraw from the study 

Because the student carrying out the research will leave the university upon graduation and dismantle the study apparatus, you can exercise your right to access/modify/erase your data only until data analysis process does not start, which is approximately 1 month after the study was completed. 

14. Ethics review and approval 

This study was approved by the Research Ethics Review Panel (RERP) of the University on London Metropolitan University and conforms to the British Psychological Society’s Code of Ethics and Conduct (2021). 

15. Keep this document for your own record 

We recommend that you save or print this page for your records so you can refer to the information at any time during or after your participation in the study. This will allow you to keep track of your rights and the details of the study, ensuring you have all the information you need throughout your involvement. If you accessed this document online, please save a copy or print it for future reference. 

      If you are interested in participating in this study,  please click on the link to the screening survey:

                                                                 https://forms.gle/oKXsjNnt6PHqTwsx9 

                       After the completion of the screening survey you will  be directed to the study.