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‘People like me don’t get support’: autistic adults’ experiences of support and treatment for mental health difficulties, self-injury and suicidality

  • Louise Camm-Crosbie
    ,
  • Louise Bradley
    ,
  • Rebecca Shaw
    ,
  • Simon Baron-Cohen
    ,
  • Sarah Cassidy
  • Coventry University
    ,
  • Institute of Applied Social Research (IASR)
    ,
  • Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust
    ,
  • University of Cambridge
    ,
  • Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
    ,
  • University of Nottingham
Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Open access

Sustainable Development Goals

  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well

Abstract

Autistic people are at high risk of mental health problems, self-injury and suicidality. However, no studies have explored autistic peoples’ experiences of treatment and support for these difficulties. In partnership with a steering group of autistic adults, an online survey was developed to explore these individuals’ experiences of treatment and support for mental health problems, self-injury and suicidality for the first time. A total of 200 autistic adults (122 females, 77 males and 1 unreported) aged 18–67 (mean = 38.9 years, standard deviation = 11.5), without co-occurring intellectual disability, completed the online survey. Thematic analysis of open-ended questions resulted in an overarching theme that individually tailored treatment and support was both beneficial and desirable, which consisted of three underlying themes: (1) difficulties in accessing treatment and support; (2) lack of understanding and knowledge of autistic people with co-occurring mental health difficulties and (3) appropriate treatment and support, or lack of, impacted autistic people’s well-being and likelihood of seeing suicide as their future. Findings demonstrate an urgent need for autism treatment pathways in mental health services.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 1431-1441 (11 pages)

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Autism (Volume 23, Issue 6)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 29/11/2018

Publication status

Published - 29/11/2018

ISSN

1362-3613

External Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/623602
  • Scopus: 85059325326
  • PubMed: 30497279

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