About
Dr. Jennifer Kirton is a Lecturer on the Doctor of Clinical Psychology programme at the University of Liverpool, where she works within the research team and supervises numerous trainees on autism and neurodivergence-related projects. She joined the University in February 2023 as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate in the Primary Care and Mental Health division at the Institute of Population Health.
Jennifer’s research focuses on the health and well-being of autistic individuals, with a particular emphasis on understanding and addressing barriers to healthcare to improve outcomes across the lifespan. She is also the creator of the Autistic Communication Tool, designed for use in primary care consultations. This participatory research project was developed in collaboration with a team of autistic co-researchers and is available at autisticcommunicationtool.com.
Jennifer co-founded the University of Liverpool Autism Hub, a collaborative network of autistic and non-autistic researchers, academics, clinicians, and charitable organisations. The Hub hosts free public events to promote awareness, acceptance, and understanding of autism, while driving innovative research aligned with the priorities of the autistic community.
Her academic background includes a BSc in Psychology, an MSc in Social Research & Evaluation, and a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE). She completed her PhD at the University of Sheffield, undertaking a constructivist grounded theory study titled “Surviving or Thriving: A Constructivist Grounded Theory Study Exploring the Wellbeing of Older Autistic Adults.” Her doctoral research provides key insights into the lived experiences and well-being of older autistic adults.
Before joining the University of Liverpool, Jennifer spent over 15 years as a Research Associate in the Faculty of Health, Social Care & Medicine at Edge Hill University. She has published 33 peer-reviewed journal articles and multiple regional reports, and her work has been presented at conferences across the UK and Europe.
Jenny is particularly interested in positive psychology approaches, with a research emphasis on autistic and neurodivergent thriving. She welcomes enquiries from PhD students interested in autism research—especially projects focused on well-being, thriving, or barriers to healthcare.
For further information about her work, please visit her ORCID profile.