Risk markers for suicidality in autistic adults.

The study measured everything at one time, so it cannot show whether masking autism traits, unmet support needs, or non-suicidal self-injury caused higher suicide risk. Participants were adults with autism spectrum conditions without intellectual disability, so the findings may not apply to autistic adults with intellectual disability. Autism diagnosis was self-reported, although a majority confirmed the clinic where the diagnosis was obtained. The suicidality and self-injury tools had validity evidence in general or clinical samples, but not yet in autistic adults. The sample was recruited from research volunteer databases and online adverts, and rates of depression were higher than previous estimates, so it may not represent autistic or general populations. Most steering group and survey participants were female, so findings may fit autistic females more than autistic males. The unique risk markers added only small amounts of variance after common factors were controlled.

Funders named were Economic and Social Research Council, Autism Research Trust, Medical Research Council, and National Institute for Health Research. The supplied text does not include an author conflict-of-interest declaration.

Do not read masking autism traits, unmet support needs, or non-suicidal self-injury as causes of suicide. This study measured these factors at one time in an online survey sample, and each was associated with only a small amount of additional suicide risk after depression, anxiety, employment, and living arrangements were controlled.