"Shutdowns Are Like You're Stuck on the Blue Screen of Death": A Metaphor Analysis of Autistic Shutdowns.

The sample was predominantly White (77.9%) and non-Hispanic, limiting transferability to other racial and ethnic groups. Data was collected entirely online, potentially excluding individuals with barriers to internet or computer access. The analysis could not capture nonverbal cues such as tone, laughter, or silence, which may have added context. Study 2 did not allow for follow-up clarifying questions, limiting the depth of understanding for those responses. As a secondary analysis, the researchers could not verify interpretations with the original participants. Participants may have conflated shutdowns with burnout or inertia due to the evolving nature of this terminology.

The first author received no compensation. The second and third authors (community partners) were compensated through discretionary funds. There was no formal external funding for this study. The authors acknowledged their own lived experiences with shutdowns and autism as influencing their perspective.

Do not interpret the 'frozen' state or lack of verbal response as defiance, lack of attention, or a behavioral problem. The study identifies these as involuntary physiological and cognitive responses to stress and trauma. Clinicians must not force engagement during a shutdown, as this can exacerbate the 'survival mode' response.