Suicidality

In The Politics of Autism, I write about the many challenges facing people on the spectrum.  Among many other things, they are at high risk for suicide. (In July, the United States transitioned from 10-digit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to 988 – an easy-to-remember three-digit number for 24/7 crisis care. "

Nuzum, E., Medeisyte, R., Eshetu, A. et al. Autistic traits and suicidality in midlife and old age: investigating mediating effects of mental health and social connectedness. Nat. Mental Health (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-025-00579-0 Abstract:

Suicidality is increased among middle-aged and older autistic adults, but little is known about the underlying factors linking autism with suicidality in midlife and older age. Here we report a cross-sectional observational study of 9,979 adults (76% female) aged 50+ years who completed questionnaires measuring autistic traits, current mental health, social connections and suicidality (suicidal ideation and suicidal self-harm). We use path analysis to explore the relationship between autistic traits and suicidality and the mediating effects of current mental health, social connectedness and male/female sex. Our results find that depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), loneliness and social isolation all significantly mediate the relationship between autistic traits and suicidal ideation, with small effect sizes. For suicidal self-harm, male sex, depression, PTSD and social isolation were found to be mediators. We conclude that mental health difficulties and social isolation mediate higher rates of suicidality in 50+-year-olds with high autistic traits. Targeted and individually tailored interventions for people on the autism spectrum across the lifespan are important.

Anxiety and Depression in Autistic College Students

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss the growing number of college students on the spectrum.  

Aragon-Guevara, D.A., Mattson, J.M.G. & Kim, H. Prevalence of Anxiety and Depression in Autistic and Non-autistic College Students: A Brief Report. J Autism Dev Disord (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-025-06876-y  Abstract:

Purpose

As more autistic individuals transition into young adulthood, it is crucial to explore factors relevant to success in this period of life, including success in post-secondary education. Mental health challenges have been identified as a significant concern in post-secondary education; however, the majority of research only includes non-autistic students.

Methods

The current study utilized data from the 2021 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) to compare rates of anxiety and depression, as well as gender differences, in autistic and non-autistic students. The sample included 1399 autistic and 146,220 non-autistic students from 342 universities in the US and Canada.

Results

Autistic students reported significantly higher rates of anxiety (64.5%), and depression (48.2%) compared to their non-autistic peers (9.4% and 7.6%, respectively). Female students reported elevated rates of depression and anxiety compared to male students in both the autistic and non-autistic samples.

Conclusion

These findings highlight the elevated mental health challenges faced by autistic students and underscore the need for increased research and support in post-secondary settings. Future research on risk factors for mental health challenges of autistic post-secondary students might elucidate opportunities and timing for support and screening.

Bullying, Depression, and Anxiety

 In The Politics of Autism, I discuss challenges facing autistic adults and children.  One is bullying.

Accardo, A.L., Neely, L.C., Pontes, N.M.H. et al. Bullying Victimization is Associated with Heightened Rates of Anxiety and Depression Among Autistic and ADHD Youth: National Survey of Children’s Health 2016–2020. J Autism Dev Disord (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06479-z.  The abstract:

Autistic youth and youth with ADHD have heightened rates of bullying victimization, anxiety, and depression. The purpose of this research is to use nationally representative US data to 1) estimate the prevalence of anxiety and depression among bullied neurodivergent youth and 2) investigate whether the association between bullying victimization and anxiety or depression is significantly greater among autistic youth and youth with ADHD. For this research, we used five years of data (2016–2020) from the nationally representative National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), youth ages 12–17 years (n = 71,973). Data were analyzed with R and the R survey package to estimate average marginal percentages, risk differences, and additive interactions as recommended by STROBE guidelines. The study identified heightened anxiety and depression among bullied autistic or ADHD youth. Results also showed that the increase in the rate of anxiety or depression associated with bullying victimization was significantly greater among autistic youth and youth with ADHD relative to non-autistic non-ADHD youth; interactions were significant among both male and female youth. Autistic youth, youth with ADHD, and youth with co-occurring autism and ADHD are particularly vulnerable to bullying victimization and associated depression and anxiety. Future research is needed to understand why the association between bullying victimization and depression/anxiety is significantly greater among autistic and non-autistic ADHD youth. Recommendations include exploring school-wide anti-stigma initiatives to stop the reciprocal bullying–anxiety/depression cycle, routine bullying and mental health screening of autistic and ADHD youth, and clinical management of bullied autistic and ADHD youth with anxiety or depression

Autistic College Students, Social Connections, Depression, and Anxiety

 In The Politics of Autism, I discuss the growing number of college students on the autism spectrum. 

 McKenney, E. E., Richards, J. K., Day, T. C., Brunwasser, S. M., Cucchiara, C. L., Kofner, B., McDonald, R. G., Gillespie-Lynch, K., Lamm, J., Kang, E., Lerner, M. D., & Gotham, K. O. (2024). Satisfaction with social connectedness is associated with depression and anxiety symptoms in neurodiverse first-semester college students. Autism, 0(0). 

https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613231216879

Lay abstract:

How satisfied people feel with their social connections and support is related to mental health outcomes for many different types of people. People may feel less socially connected at some times in their life—like when they start college. Feeling disconnected from others could lead to depression or anxiety. The transition to college may be especially difficult for autistic students as they are more likely to have difficulties adjusting socially. In our study, we asked 263 college students to answer questions about their emotions and social satisfaction twice per week during their first semester of college. We found that students who reported being less satisfied with their social connectedness (either at the beginning or throughout the semester) tended to express more symptoms of depression and anxiety. This relationship between social satisfaction and anxiety was even stronger for people who had a strong desire for social interaction (i.e. were more socially motivated). Students with more autistic traits tended to report more mood concerns, and they also reported being less satisfied with friendships at the beginning of the semester. This information may help to support ongoing efforts to better address mental health in autistic college students by encouraging efforts to improve social satisfaction.

Prenatal Depression and Autism-Related Traits

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss various ideas about what causes the condition.

From NIH Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program:

Children of mothers with prenatal depression had slightly more autism-related traits compared to those without that exposure, according to a study funded by the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program at the National Institutes of Health.

While this study didn't explore why this association might exist, future research could investigate whether these findings reflect overlap in genetic risk for depression and autism-related traits or another mechanism.

Prior studies linked prenatal depression and depression history to autism spectrum disorder, but this study focused broadly on autism-related traits. By studying social communication and other autism-related traits, researchers can better understand how prenatal depression influences these traits, which may show up in children without an official diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.

"Autism-related traits can significantly impact a child's physical, social, and psychological development, regardless of their clinical diagnosis. Screening and treating pregnant patients for depression and detecting autism-related traits in these children early on can lead to timely support of healthy development and outcomes for mothers and children," said study author Lyndsay Avalos, PhD, MPH, of Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research.

The analysis included 3,994 parent-child pairs with prenatal depression data and 1,730 pairs with depression severity data from 33 ECHO research sites across the United States. Autism-related traits were assessed using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) for children up to 12 years of age.

Dr. Avalos and Lisa Croen, PhD, also of Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, led this collaborative research published in Autism Research.

About ECHO: Launched in 2016, the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program is a research program in the Office of the Director at the NIH with the mission to enhance the health of children for generations to come. ECHO investigators study the effects of a broad range of early environmental influences on child health and development. For more information, visit echochildren.org.

About the NIH: NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information, visit www.nih.gov.