Autistic children and teens in the U.S. are significantly more likely to experience suicidal thoughts and die by suicide than their non-autistic peers. Traditional mental health approaches often miss signs of distress in autistic youths, according to a Nov. 20 report from Los Angeles Times.
Here six things to know:
- A 2023 meta-analysis found that about 10% of children and teens with autism had attempted suicide — more than twice the rate of their non-autistic peers.
- About 78% of children with autism have at least one co-occurring psychiatric condition, compared to 14% of non-autistic youths, according to a 2021 study of 42,000 caregivers.
- Up to 80% of autistic youths experience alexithymia, or difficulty identifying and describing their emotions.
- Autistic children who “mask” their traits to fit in at school or in social environments may face delayed diagnoses and increased anxiety, depression and suicide risk — particularly those with higher IQs.
- Autistic youths may express suicidal thoughts in a matter-of-fact tone, rather than through agitation or visible distress, according to Danielle Roubinov, PhD, associate professor and director of the Child and Adolescent Anxiety and Mood Disorders Program at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
- Studies are being conducted to adapt suicide prevention plans and screenings to better reflect the needs and communication styles of autistic individuals.
