Description
The number of children and young people with mental health difficulties is rising, with one-in-six now thought to have a diagnosable mental health condition, and over 200 teenagers dying by suicide each year. These issues are even more concerning for autistic young people; they are at a significantly higher risk for mental ill health than their neurotypical peers, and are up to 28 times more likely to think about or attempt suicide. However, mental health services and prevention programmes tend to focus on neurotypical young people, with the needs of autistic individuals often not considered. While it is important to improve the availability and effectiveness of mental health support generally, it is also vital to make sure that these are accessible and appropriate for autistic young people. There is a lack of research about how to make mental healthcare services accessible for autistic young people, or ways to adapt existing early intervention programmes to better meet their needs.The proposed research will aim to improve early intervention strategies for mental health difficulties and suicide in children and young people generally, and for autistic young people specifically. Research objectives are to:
Identify risk factors for suicide ideation, explore differences in care pathways for young people experiencing mental health difficulties, and understand perceived barriers and facilitators to seeking and receiving help. This information will make early intervention efforts more effective and identify strategies that can improve the provision of support.
Examine the barriers and facilitators for autistic children and young people accessing professional mental health support across three of the most used settings (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Emergency Departments, schools). This information will help to identify ways to improve the accessibility of services for this group.
Use the information gathered to co-develop and test an adapted version of a school-based suicide prevention programme, with and for autistic young people.
Various methods will be used, including audits of existing NHS patient datasets, online mixed-methods surveys, and qualitative interviews and focus groups with young people, parents, and professionals. A young person’s advisory group will also be set-up, with young people acting as co-researchers in the development and evaluation of an autism-specific school-based suicide prevention programme. Public and patient involvement will be central to the research, with young people’s views sought at all stages.
This research is the first of its kind worldwide. It will develop an understanding about what effective mental health and suicide prevention provision could look like, and will shape early intervention strategies. This will benefit young people directly but could also ease the demand placed on healthcare services, wider society, and the economy. Furthermore, the research addresses the needs of a particularly vulnerable but often overlooked group, autistic young people, who, despite their increased risk, are typically unable to access mental health services or are excluded from prevention strategies. The research will allow the time to fully understand what is needed for young people and work with those not typically ‘heard’ in research, as well as the space to produce an accessible intervention in collaboration with autistic young people.
| Period | Sept 2024 |
|---|---|
| Work for | UKRI - United Kingdom Research and Innovation, United Kingdom |
| Degree of Recognition | International |