Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41892594›Full record

ArticleBrain sciences2026

Autism, Intellectual Disability and Suicide Risk in Adolescent Psychiatric Emergencies: A Two-Year Retrospective Cohort Study.

Maria Giulia D'Acunto, Cristina Di Sarno, Francesca Lenzi, Francesca Liboni, Marika Ricci, Antonio Narzisi, Gabriele Masi, Maria Mucci

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Brain sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

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No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Maria Giulia D'AcuntoDepartment of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Calambrone, PI, Italy.
Cristina Di SarnoDepartment of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Calambrone, PI, Italy.
Francesca LenziDepartment of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Calambrone, PI, Italy.
Francesca LiboniDepartment of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Calambrone, PI, Italy.
Marika RicciDepartment of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Calambrone, PI, Italy.
Antonio NarzisiDepartment of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Calambrone, PI, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-3996-3827
Gabriele MasiDepartment of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Calambrone, PI, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-7770-926X
Maria MucciDepartment of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Calambrone, PI, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-8960-4473

Funding

Italian Ministry of Health Ricerca Corrente RC 2025
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAdolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), particularly autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and borderline intellectual functioning/intellectual disability (BIF/ID), represent a clinically complex population in psychiatric emergency settings, with unclear contributions to acute psychopathology and suicide risk.

aimsThis study examined whether ASD and BIF/ID differentially influence clinical severity, psychopathological profiles, and suicidality in adolescents admitted for psychiatric emergencies, comparing high-functioning ASD, ASD with cognitive impairment, and adolescents without NDDs.

methodsWe conducted a retrospective, single-center cohort study including 206 consecutive patients aged 11-17 years admitted to a psychiatric emergency unit between January 2022 and December 2023. Patients were stratified into four groups: ASD (ASD-HF; ASD-BIF/ID), BIF/ID and N-ASD/N-BIF/IDClinical severity, global functioning, psychiatric diagnoses, adverse childhood experiences, emotional dysregulation, and suicidality were assessed using standardized diagnostic and behavioral measures. Group comparisons were performed to identify predictors of suicidality.

resultsASD-BIF/ID patients exhibited the lowest global functioning, whereas ASD-HF adolescents showed functioning comparable to controls. Suicidal ideation and behaviors were significantly more frequent in ASD-HF. BIF/ID was associated with greater behavioral impairment and lower suicidality.

conclusionsASD and BIF/ID may differentially shape psychiatric emergency presentations. Adolescents with high-functioning ASD showed a higher prevalence of suicidality in this specific clinical context. LIMITS: This study is limited by its cross-sectional, single-center, and retrospective design, small and uneven subgroup sizes, and assessment tools not specifically validated for autistic or intellectually disabled populations. The high prevalence of bipolar spectrum disorders may reflect referral bias. Despite these limitations, adolescents with high-functioning ASD exhibited elevated suicidality, underscoring the importance of risk assessment adapted to cognitive and diagnostic profiles.

Indexed as

adolescentsautism spectrum disorder (ASD)borderline intellectual functioning (BIF)intellectual disability (ID)neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs)psychiatric emergenciessuicidality

Identifiers

PMID41892594
PMCPMC13024299

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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.