Police Contact and Mental Health Among Adolescents With Autism: Findings From the UK Millennium Cohort Study

The present study examines differences in police contact and mental health outcomes between autistic and nonautistic youth in the United Kingdom.

Data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study-a nationally representative cohort study that follows youth born between September 2000 and January 2002-were analyzed in 2024 (n = 11,859). Prior police contact, engagement in self-harm behaviors, and assessments of well-being and mental health were compared at age 14 (Sweep 6, 2015) and age 17 (Sweep 7, 2018) between autistic and nonautistic youth. Multinominal logistic and linear regression models first examined associations between autism diagnosis and the following 3 forms of police contact: stopped and questioned, received a warning, and arrested. Interaction terms between autism diagnosis and police contact were then created to explore further associations with mental health outcomes.

Autistic adolescents were at greater risk than their nonautistic peers of receiving a police warning. In terms of police contact's implications for autistic adolescents' mental well-being, 2 main findings emerged. First, those who were only stopped and questioned were more likely to exhibit short-term self-harm behaviors. Second, associations between receiving a police warning and several key indicators (e.g., internalizing behaviors, depression symptoms) were stronger for autistic adolescents than nonautistic adolescents.

Findings indicate that police contact may have a more detrimental effect on the mental health and well-being of autistic youth compared to nonautistic youth. Additional research, police education, and policy reform are critically needed to ensure safer and more equitable interactions.