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ERIC Number: EJ1473596
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Jun
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1362-3613
EISSN: EISSN-1461-7005
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Type, Content, and Triggers for Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors in Autistic Youth and Their Disclosure to Caregivers
Jessica M. Schwartzman1,2,3; Alex Rubin4; Kathryn R. Fox4; Darren Hedley5; Alexandra H. Bettis1
Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, v29 n6 p1627-1635 2025
Rates of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors are elevated among autistic youth, yet research is limited to caregiver report or single-item questionnaires. Investigation of specific suicidal thoughts, triggers, and disclosure is needed to improve risk assessment and interventions. The current study characterized self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in a sample of autistic youth without intellectual disability presenting for outpatient psychological services. The Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale and qualitative follow-up questions were administered to 103 autistic youth (10-17 years of age). Most autistic youth (n = 86; 83.5%) reported lifetime suicidal thoughts. Suicide thought content most commonly included abstract thoughts of dying/suicide (n = 20; 23.3%) and death by cutting (n = 13; 15.1%). Half of youth experiencing suicidal thoughts (n = 43; 50.0%) denied disclosure to their caregiver. Nearly one in four youth attempted suicide (n = 25; 24.3%), and some youth (n = 16; 15.5%) sought help from caregivers to prevent an attempt. Sadness/depression and bullying/teasing were the most commonly reported triggers of suicidal behaviors. Among autistic youth with lifetime nonsuicidal self-injury (n = 52; 50.5%), head hitting (n = 28; 45.2%) and cutting (n = 20; 32.3%) were the most reported types. Findings underscore the importance of targeted prevention and intervention to address self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in autistic youth and continued research to understand barriers and modifiable factors to facilitate self-injurious thoughts and behaviors disclosure.
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: K23MH131852; L40MH134254; K23MH122737; R34132711; P50MH096889; CTSAUL1TR000445
Author Affiliations: 1Vanderbilt University Medical Center, USA; 2University of Southern California, USA; 3Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, USA; 4University of Denver, USA; 5La Trobe University, Australia