Janet McLaughlin

Janet McLaughlin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Faculty of Human and Social Sciences. She co-founded the Laurier Autism Research Consortium (LARC) and actively collaborates with Margaret Schneider. Her research focuses on autism caregiver experiences, migrant agricultural worker health, and service access barriers for marginalized populations.

• Co-founder and Co-director, LARC
• Research Associate, International Migration Research Centre
• Faculty Member, Social Justice and Community Engagement master’s program
• Co-author of influential studies on autism caregiver stress and service equity

McLaughlin’s recent publications analyze school exclusion factors for autistic children, longitudinal caregiver stress patterns, and disparities in autism services for Indigenous and newcomer families. She advocates for systemic policy changes through media engagement and community partnerships.

Her work emphasizes integrating qualitative insights with stress theories to inform healthcare, education, and social work practices for autistic individuals.