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

Emergency room doctors were surveyed about treating autistic young people with suicidal thoughts. While doctors said this care was important and needed special approaches, less than half knew autism increases suicide risk. Doctors felt much less confident treating autistic patients than other young people. Those with autism training felt more confident. This shows urgent need for better training and specialized tools to help autistic youth in crisis.

This 2023 survey study examined emergency department clinicians' attitudes and practices regarding suicide risk assessment and management in autistic youth. While clinicians recognized the importance of addressing suicidal thoughts and behaviors in autism spectrum disorder and acknowledged the need for care adaptations, concerning gaps emerged. Less than half identified autism as a suicide risk factor, and clinicians reported significantly lower confidence when treating autistic patients compared to non-autistic youth. Previous autism training was a strong predictor of clinician confidence, explaining approximately 25% of variance in confidence scores.

The findings highlight critical needs for specialized training, validated assessment tools, adapted prevention practices, and evidence-based treatments for suicidal behaviors in autistic youth presenting to emergency departments.

Emergency departments need urgent implementation of autism-specific training programs for clinicians. Development of validated suicide risk assessment tools adapted for autistic youth is critical. Current care gaps may result in inadequate risk assessment and suboptimal crisis intervention for this vulnerable population.

Single survey study without reported sample size or response rate. No information on clinician demographics, experience levels, or geographic representation. Relies on self-reported attitudes rather than observed clinical behaviors or patient outcomes.

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.