Recognizing the Problem of Suicidality in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Overview

Until recently, suicidality in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was rarely discussed. A cluster of recent articles, including an article by Culpin et al.¹ in this issue, has highlighted not only that suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts can occur in adolescents and young adults with ASD, but also that suicidality is likely more common in ASD than in the general population. Retrospectively, the lack of focus on suicidality in ASD seems surprising when self-injurious behavior has long been a focus of attention in ASD.² The emerging studies indicate that the increased risk of self-injurious behavior in younger and less cognitively able children with ASD^3,4 is matched by an increased risk of suicidality in those at a more advanced developmental level.