Journal Article

Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk in Autistic Youth: Findings from a Clinician Survey in a Pediatric Psychiatric Emergency Setting

Cervantes, Paige E, Horwitz, Sarah M, Sullivan, Katherine A, Li, Annie, Seag, Dana E. M, Baroni, Argelinda

2023

Overview

Suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB) and emergency department (ED) utilization are prevalent in autistic youth. The current study surveyed clinicians in a pediatric psychiatric ED to examine differences in attitudes on suicide-related care for autistic and non-autistic patient populations. While clinicians rated addressing STB in ASD as important and adaptations to care as necessary, less than half identified ASD as a suicide risk factor and confidence ratings were significantly lower for autistic patients. Previous ASD training predicted confidence and accounted for approximately 25% of the variance in confidence scores. Findings highlight the urgency to develop and disseminate ED clinician training, and address the lack of validated assessment tools, adapted suicide prevention practices, and evidence-based treatments for STB in autistic youth.

• Publisher: Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Adaptation / Adolescent Attitudes / Attitudes / Autism / Autism Spectrum Disorders / Child & adolescent psychiatry / Child Health / Children & youth / Childrens Attitudes / Confidence / Death / Departments / Emergency medical care / Emergency services / Evidence Based Practice / Evidence-based medicine / Health services utilization / Hospitalization / Hospitals / Likert scale / Likert Scales / Maternal & child health / Medical personnel / Mental health / Patients / Pediatrics / Polls & surveys / Prevention programs / Professional attitudes / Psychiatry / Psychological Evaluation / Risk assessment / Risk factors / Risk management / Self Efficacy / Suicidal behavior / Suicidal ideation / Suicide / Suicide prevention / Suicides & suicide attempts / Teenagers / Training / Treatment methods / Urgency / Youth