A study published in The Lancet Psychiatry found that adults with Asperger Syndrome were nine times more likely to have suicidal thoughts than individuals without the diagnosis. The research was led by Dr. Sarah Cassidy and Professor Simon Baron-Cohen from the Autism Research Centre at Cambridge University and the CLASS clinic in the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation and Trust (CPFT).
The study surveyed 374 adults (256 men and 118 women) who were diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. Of these, 243 individuals (66%) reported having suicidal ideation, 127 (35%) reported planning or attempting suicide, and 116 (31%) indicated that they’d been depressed. These numbers indicate a prevalence of suicidal ideation among individuals diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome that is nine times higher than that of individuals from the general U.K. population (17%), based on comparison samples from the general population through searches of Medline, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar. They also demonstrated a higher rate of suicidal thoughts than patients with psychosis (59
The study also found that individuals who were diagnosed with both Asperger Syndrome and depression were four times more likely to have suicidal thoughts, and twice as likely to plan or attempt suicide, than individuals without a history of depression. The results also showed that individuals with a higher level of autistic traits were also more likely to have suffered from depression, and to have had suicidal ideation.
The researchers also found it interesting that a higher percentage of individuals reported suicidal thoughts than those who reported depression, suggesting the possibility that there may be a different process for suicidal ideation in Asperger’s Syndrome than for other clinical groups. Another possible explanation is that the respondents under-reported depression, due to difficulty with communicating regarding emotional states. Either way, it is clear that individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome are at a higher risk for depression and suicidal ideation.
Dr. Sarah Cassidy, one of the lead researchers on the project, said,
“Our findings confirm anecdotal reports that adults with Asperger Syndrome have a significantly higher risk of suicide in comparison to other clinical groups, and that depression is a key risk factor in this.”
Professor Simon Baron-Cohen said,
“Adults with Asperger Syndrome often suffer with secondary depression due to social isolation, loneliness, social exclusion, lack of community services, under-achievement and unemployment. Their depression and risk of suicide are preventable with the appropriate support. This study should be a wake-up call for the urgent need for high quality services, to prevent the tragic waste of even a single life.”
Other experts in the United States were not surprised by the results. Dr. Melissa Nishawala of the Child Study Center at NYU Langone Medical Center, and Dr. Alexander Kolevzon, clinical director of the Seaver Autism Research Center at Mount Sinai Hospital, agreed with Professor Baron-Cohen’s call for higher-quality supports for individuals on the autism spectrum. Further research will likely confirm these findings.
A more in-depth analysis of these findings by our research analyst Paul Whiteley Ph.D. can be read later today here