SynthesisMolecular autism2023
A systematic review and meta-analysis of suicidality in autistic and possibly autistic people without co-occurring intellectual disability.
Synthesis in Molecular autism, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 42 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
42 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 110 citations in OpenAlex.
- Adverse outcomes for autistic people: an umbrella review of mental health, physical health, social and lifestyle domains.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Pooled it
- Autism, youth suicide, and psychedelics: A review of the 21st century evidence.Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA · 2024Pooled it
- Organizational Factors Impacting Implementation of Evidence-based Practices for Autistic Youth: A Mixed Methods Evaluation of Virginia's Community Mental Health System.Administration and policy in mental health · 2026Article
- Low Battery Alarm; A Scoping Review of Autistic Burnout.Journal of autism and developmental disorders · 2026Article
- Reasonable to Whom? Rethinking Informed Consent Disclosures in Light of the Research Related Concerns of the Autistic Community.The American journal of bioethics : AJOB · 2026Article
- An Examination of First Responder Gains Following an Autism Training Based on Personal and Professional Characteristics.Journal of autism and developmental disorders · 2026Article
- Mental health disorders and suicide risk among autistic children, adolescents and adults: a population-based study using linked administrative data.Lancet regional health. Americas · 2026Article
- Occurrence and Correlates of Suicidal Thoughts Among Young Autistic Users of a Mental Health App.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research · 2026Article
- Gender Diversity, Gender Dysphoria/Incongruence, and the Intersection with Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Updated Scoping Review.Journal of autism and developmental disorders · 2026Article
- Integrating Dimensional Personality and Autistic Traits to Predict Suicidal Ideation, Suicide Attempts, and Nonsuicidal Self-Injury in Autistic Adults.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research · 2026Article
- "The best way we can stop suicides is by making lives worth living": a mixed-methods survey in the UK of perspectives on suicide prevention from the autism community.EClinicalMedicine · 2026Article
- The effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and experiences of interventions to reduce suicidality for autistic people: A scoping review.Autism : the international journal of research and practice · 2026Article
- Suicide prevention interventions and supports for the Autistic community: a scoping review protocol.BMJ open · 2026Article
- Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review of Associated Factors and Management Difficulties.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Review
- Influences on suicidality and suicide-prevention needs for the autistic community: Qualitative insights from multiple perspectives.Autism : the international journal of research and practice · 2026Article
- A systematic review of existing brief interventions for youth following suicide attempt: informing the development of an autism-adapted intervention.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Review
- Self-harm and suicidality experiences of autistic and non-autistic adults in midlife and old age.Molecular autism · 2025Article
- Advancing Research on Suicide and Mental Health in Autistic Adults Through a Research Domain Criteria (RDoC)-Inspired Framework.Autism in adulthood · 2025Article
- Examination of the Potential Moderating Role of Psychological Wellbeing in the Relationship Between Depression and Thoughts of Self-Harm in Autistic Adolescents and Adults: A Two-Year Longitudinal Study.Journal of autism and developmental disorders · 2025Article
- "A combination of everything": a mixed-methods approach to the factors which autistic people consider important in suicidality.Autism in adulthood · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSuicidality is highly prevalent in autistic people without co-occurring intellectual disabilities, and high autistic traits are found in adults who have attempted suicide. However, prevalence rates for both autistic and possibly autistic people have not been synthesised meta-analytically.
aimsTo (1) calculate pooled prevalence estimates of suicidality in autistic people and possibly autistic people without co-occurring intellectual disability; (2) evaluate the influence of participant and study level characteristics on heterogeneity; and (3) determine the quality of evidence.
methodsPreferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines were followed. PsycINFO, Embase, MEDLINE and Web of Science were systematically searched from 1992 to January 25, 2022. Empirical quantitative studies reporting prevalence of suicidal ideation, suicide plans, or suicide attempts and behaviours were considered for inclusion. Random effects models were used to estimate pooled prevalence of each suicidality outcome with 95% confidence intervals. Heterogeneity was explored using sensitivity and moderator analyses.
resultsData from 48,186 autistic and possibly autistic participants in 36 primary studies were meta-analysed. Pooled prevalence of suicidal ideation was 34.2% (95% CI 27.9-40.5), suicide plans 21.9% (13.4-30.4), and suicidal attempts and behaviours 24.3% (18.9-29.6). High levels of heterogeneity (I
conclusionsThe results confirm suicidality is highly prevalent in both autistic and possibly autistic people without co-occurring intellectual disability and highlights potential moderators. Possibly autistic individuals require more attention in clinical and research considerations going forward to further understand and prevent suicide in both groups.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.