Talking About Death or Suicide: Prevalence and Clinical Correlates in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Psychiatric Inpatient Setting
Lisa M Horowitz, Audrey Thurm, Cristan Farmer, Carla Mazefsky, Elizabeth Lanzillo, Jeffrey A Bridge, Rachel Greenbaum, Maryland Pao, Matthew Siegel, Autism and Developmental Disorders Inpatient Research Collaborative (ADDIRC), Matthew Siegel, Craig Erickson, Robin L Gabriels, Desmond Kaplan, Carla Mazefsky, Eric M Morrow, Giulia Righi, Susan L Santangelo, Logan Wink, Jill Benevides, Carol Beresford, Carrie Best, Katie Bowen, Briar Dechant, Tom Flis, Holly Gastgeb, Angela Geer, Louis Hagopian, Benjamin Handen, Adam Klever, Martin Lubetsky, Kristen MacKenzie, Zenoa Meservy, John McGonigle, Kelly McGuire, Faith McNeil, Joshua Montrenes, Tamara Palka, Ernest Pedapati, Kahsi A Pedersen, Christine Peura, Joseph Pierri, Christie Rogers, Brad Rossman, Jennifer Ruberg, Elise Sannar, Cathleen Small, Nicole Stuckey, Brittany Troen, Barbara Tylenda, Mary Verdi, Jessica Vezzoli, Deanna Williams, Diane Williams, Lisa M Horowitz, Audrey Thurm, Cristan Farmer, Carla Mazefsky, Elizabeth Lanzillo, Jeffrey A Bridge, Rachel Greenbaum, Maryland Pao, Matthew Siegel, Autism and Developmental Disorders Inpatient Research Collaborative (ADDIRC), Matthew Siegel, Craig Erickson, Robin L Gabriels, Desmond Kaplan, Carla Mazefsky, Eric M Morrow, Giulia Righi, Susan L Santangelo, Logan Wink, Jill Benevides, Carol Beresford, Carrie Best, Katie Bowen, Briar Dechant, Tom Flis, Holly Gastgeb, Angela Geer, Louis Hagopian, Benjamin Handen, Adam Klever, Martin Lubetsky, Kristen MacKenzie, Zenoa Meservy, John McGonigle, Kelly McGuire, Faith McNeil, Joshua Montrenes, Tamara Palka, Ernest Pedapati, Kahsi A Pedersen, Christine Peura, Joseph Pierri, Christie Rogers, Brad Rossman, Jennifer Ruberg, Elise Sannar, Cathleen Small, Nicole Stuckey, Brittany Troen, Barbara Tylenda, Mary Verdi, Jessica Vezzoli, Deanna Williams, Diane Williams
Abstract
Little is known about suicidal ideation in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), making it difficult to identify those at heightened risk. This study describes the prevalence of thoughts about death and suicide in 107 verbal youth with ASD with non-verbal IQ >55, assessed during inpatient psychiatric admission. Per parent report, 22% of youth with ASD had several day periods when they talked about death or suicide "often," or "very often." Clinical correlates included the presence of a comorbid mood (OR 2.71, 95% CI 1.12-6.55) or anxiety disorder (OR 2.32, 95% CI 1.10-4.93). The results suggest a need for developmentally appropriate suicide risk screening measures in ASD. Reliable detection of suicidal thoughts in this high-risk population will inform suicide prevention strategies.
Keywords: Autism Inpatient Collection (AIC); Autism spectrum disorder; Inpatient; Psychiatric patients; Screening; Suicidal ideation; Suicide.
Conflict of interest statement
Conflict of interest Lisa M. Horowitz, Audrey Thurm, Cristan Farmer, Carla Mazefsky, Elizabeth Lanzillo, Jeffrey A. Bridge, Rachel Greenbaum, Maryland Pao and Matthew Siegel declares that they have no conflict of interests.
Source: PubMed