Self-harm and Suicidality Experiences of Middle-Age and Older Adults With vs. Without High Autistic Traits.
Gavin R Stewart, Anne Corbett, Clive Ballard and 5 others
PMID 35616817WHAT IT FOUND
Middle-aged and older adults with high autistic traits reported significantly higher rates of suicidal ideation (73% vs 30%), deliberate self-harm (20% vs 5%), and suicidal self-harm (13% vs 3%) than those without.
These risks persisted after accounting for depression symptoms.
Key findings
01Adults with high autistic traits reported significantly higher rates of suicidal ideation (73% vs 30%) and thoughts of self-harm compared to controls.
02The high autistic traits group had significantly higher rates of deliberate self-harm (20% vs 5%) and suicidal self-harm (13% vs 3%).
03Elevated rates of self-harm and suicidality in the high autistic traits group persisted even when restricting the analysis to those below the cut-off for probable clinical depression.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study relies entirely on self-report measures, which may miss individuals who did not wish to disclose self-harm or who have died by suicide. The definition of the 'high autistic traits' group was based on a short, bespoke questionnaire rather than a standardized diagnostic assessment, meaning some participants may have scored high for reasons other than autism. The PROTECT cohort is predominantly female and well-educated, and participants must be able to use a computer, which limits generalizability to more disabled or socially isolated older adults. The questions did not always differentiate between non-suicidal self-harm and suicidal self-harm in terms of intent for every item.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, and the Economic and Social Research Council.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that high autistic traits in older adults are only a risk factor for suicide when accompanied by severe depression. The study found elevated rates of suicidal ideation and self-harm in the high-trait group even among those who scored below the clinical cut-off for depression.