Health and wellbeing

We aim to understand factors that influence the health and wellbeing of Autistic people. These help to inform and enhance supports and practices across the lifespan.

RESEARCH PROGRAM LEADER: Associate Professor Darren Hedley

Researchers:  Simon Bury, Claire Brown, Amanda Richdale, Patrick Dwyer, Lauren Lawson, Melanie Muniandy, Katy Unwin

We achieve these aims through advocacy and policy development, academic research, and working with Autistic people.

We have:

  • trained the workforce to better support the health and wellbeing needs of Autistic workers
  • developed suicide prevention tools and education programs
  • delivered training to allied health professionals
  • conducted research in the areas of anxiety, depression, sleep, and suicide prevention.

The high rate of suicide and co-occurring health and other conditions makes the Autistic community a priority group for action. Policies that improve access to high quality allied healthcare delivered by a trained and experienced workforce are critical. This work needs to be underpinned by high quality research that meets the priorities and goals of Autistic people.

IN THE MEDIA

The Suicide Response Project (SRP)

The SRP provides tips for the general public on how to detect and respond to suicide risk in others.

SRP website

Policy advocacy

VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT'S INQUIRY INTO WOMENS PAIN

VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT'S INQUIRY INTO WOMENS PAIN

Our submission highlights the increased prevalence of chronic pain among Autistic women and girls, who face unique challenges in obtaining diagnosis and treatment.

Read the submission

SUICIDE IN AUTISM: RESEARCH EVIDENCE AND POLICY BRIEF

SUICIDE IN AUTISM: RESEARCH EVIDENCE AND POLICY BRIEF

This policy brief underscores the urgent need for the Australian Government and key suicide prevention bodies to formally acknowledge the significantly increased risk of suicide among Autistic Australians.

Read the policy brief

INQUIRY INTO THE PREVALENSE , CAUSES, AND IMPACTS OF LONELINESS IN NEW SOUTH WALES

INQUIRY INTO THE PREVALENSE , CAUSES, AND IMPACTS OF LONELINESS IN NEW SOUTH WALES

The submission highlights the heightened risk of loneliness among Autistic people and its negative impact on their mental and physical health.

Read the submission

Currently investigating

Suicidal thoughts and behavior

The Suicide Assessment Kit-Modified Interview (SAK-MI) is a revision of the Suicide Assessment Kit Suicide Risk Screener (Deady et al., 2015). The SAK-MI measures negative affect, current stressors, suicidal ideation and suicidal behaviour. Using a sample of 98 Autistic adults we modified the Suicide Assessment Kit Suicide Risk Screener to better measure suicidal thoughts and behaviours in Autistic adults without an intellectual disability. We found that the SAK-MI is a psychometrically strong clinical assessment tool.

SAK-MI validation article

Depression and Anxiety

The Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS; Zigmond et al.,1983). The HADS scale measures anxiety and depression symptoms in the past week. Using a sample of 45 SASLA (Australian sample) + 151 UK Transition longitudinal study (UK sample) Autistic adolescents and young adults, we found that the HADS demonstrated statistically similar properties in the Autistic sample to a non-autistic sample, with good Internal consistency.

Clinicians can use the HADS to measure anxiety and depression in Autistic adolescents and young adults aged 14-25 years.

HADS validation article

Depression

Patient Health Questionaire-9 (PHQ-9; Kroenke et al., 2001). The PHQ-9 measures depression symptom severity and functional impairment in the last 2 weeks. Using an Australian sample of 346 Autistic + 235 community comparison participants from the SASLA and ALSAA studies ages 15-80 years, we found that the PHQ-9 demonstrated statistically similar properties in the Autistic sample to the non-autistic sample. There was excellent internal consistency for Autistic and community comparison samples.

Clinicians can use the PHQ-9 to measure depression in autistic youth and adults aged 15-80 years.

PHQ-9 validation article

Coping

The Brief COPE (Carver, 1997) measures general coping styles. Using an Australian sample of 344 Autistic adults; 229 non-Autistic adults from the SASLA and ALSAA studies ages 15-80 years, we found that a six factor solution best represented the Autistic sample's coping styles. This six factor solution had high internal reliability and good convergent and divergent validity.

Brief COPE validation article

Mental wellbeing for Autistic young adults

The Panel discussion featured OTARC’s Dr Simon Bury, OTARC Affiliate Dr Lauren Lawson and mental health advocate Jessica Davis, and offered practical advice, tips and knowledge for supporting mental wellbeing for Autistic young adults, their family members/carer or supporters and care professionals.

Watch the video

The Campbell Collaboration

The Campbell Collaboration promotes positive social and economic change through the production and use of systematic reviews for evidence-based policy and practice. Associate Professor Darren Hedley conducted a systematic review of interventions for anxiety in Autistic children.

OUR OTHER RESEARCH PROGRAMS