"Self-compassion changed my life": The self-compassion experiences of autistic and non-autistic adults and its relationship with mental health and psychological wellbeing.

Researchers studied how kindly people treat themselves (called 'self-compassion') in autistic and non-autistic adults. They found autistic adults were less kind to themselves than non-autistic adults. However, in both groups, people who were kinder to themselves had better mental health and fewer depression symptoms. This suggests teaching self-compassion skills might help improve wellbeing for autistic people.

This mixed-methods study examined self-compassion experiences in 153 autistic and 93 non-autistic adults through online surveys and 11 interviews. Results showed autistic adults reported significantly lower levels of self-compassion compared to non-autistic adults. In both groups, higher self-compassion was associated with better psychological wellbeing and fewer depression symptoms. The study identified demographic factors that predict self-compassion levels.

This research addresses a gap in understanding how autistic individuals relate to themselves with kindness and acceptance, providing important insights into potential protective factors for mental health in the autism community.

Self-compassion appears to be a protective factor for mental health in autistic adults but may need targeted development. Clinicians should consider assessing and potentially incorporating self-compassion interventions into mental health support for autistic clients, particularly given the higher rates of anxiety and depression in this population.

Study design is unclear from the abstract. Cross-sectional design likely limits causal inferences. Small interview sample (11 participants) may limit qualitative insights. Specific demographic predictors and effect sizes are not reported in the abstract.

Self-compassion is a gentle way of relating to oneself, linked to a host of mental health benefits in non-autistic people. Although many autistic individuals report high anxiety and depression symptoms, no research to-date has examined the self-compassion experiences of autistic individuals and determined if self-compassion is associated with psychopathology. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to address this research gap. The participants (153 autistic and 93 non-autistic adults) completed on online survey and 11 autistic participants were also interviewed.

Autistic participants reported significantly lower self-compassion than non-autistic adults, and in both groups, those with higher self-compassion reported higher psychological wellbeing and lower depression symptoms. Demographic predictors of self-compassion were identified. These findings have both clinical and research implications.