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Links between self-injury and suicidality in autism
R L Moseley1, N J Gregory2, P Smith3
1Department of Psychology, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK. rmoseley@bournemouth.ac.uk.
Molecular Autism
|February 11, 2020
Summary
Autistic individuals engaging in self-injury face heightened risks of suicidal behaviors, irrespective of their personal feelings about self-harm. Specific self-injury methods like cutting and reasons such as emotional regulation are linked to increased suicidality.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Autistic individuals without intellectual disability have an elevated risk of self-injury.
- Self-injury in autistic individuals may serve similar functions as in non-autistic populations.
- Diverse autistic perspectives on self-injury necessitate investigating its link with suicidality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between self-injury, suicide ideation, and suicide attempts in autistic individuals.
- To identify specific self-injury methods and motivations associated with suicidality.
- To explore the role of personal feelings and social support in this relationship.
Main Methods:
- 103 autistic participants completed validated questionnaires on self-injury, suicidality, and social evaluation.
- Logistic regression analyzed predictors of self-harming status and specific self-injury methods.
- Non-parametric correlation examined associations between suicidality and self-injury characteristics.
Main Results:
- Suicide ideation and attempts significantly predicted self-injuring status.
- Personal feelings about self-injury were not related to suicide ideation/attempts.
- Cutting as a method, and self-injury for emotional regulation or self-punishment, were associated with suicidality.
Conclusions:
- A concerning link exists between self-injury and suicidality in autistic individuals, independent of personal views on self-harm.
- Self-injury may act as a pathway to lethal suicidal behaviors.
- Specific methods and reasons for self-injury warrant further clinical investigation.
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