Experiences of Suicide Prevention Interventions and Supports for Autistic Adults: Perspectives of Autistic Adults, Family Members and Clinicians.

PURPOSE: Autistic adults experience disproportionately high rates of suicidality, yet little research has examined how they experience suicide prevention supports. This study explored perspectives on suicide prevention supports from Autistic adults, family members and clinicians.

METHODS

A qualitative study using reflexive thematic analysis was conducted. Semi-structured interviews were completed with 21 participants: 14 Autistic adults with lived experiences of accessing suicide prevention supports in Ireland, 4 family members and 8 clinicians working with Autistic adults experiencing suicidality. Some participants represented more than one role. Analysis was inductive, informed by a neuroaffirmative, constructivist framework and involved community engagement throughout.

RESULTS

Five interconnected themes were generated. Three describe a harmful trajectory through suicide prevention supports. (1) "No one can help me", captures confusing and exclusionary help-seeking experiences. (2) "They weren't listening to me" reflects experiences of being invalidated, misunderstood, and dismissed by supports. (3) "You haven't done anything, just made it worse" describes withdrawal from future help-seeking. Across themes, systems were experienced as crisis-driven, difficult to access, and poorly attuned to Autistic distress, sometimes escalating rather than reducing distress. Two themes reflect protective buffers. (4) "Having someone who is human with you" describes how feeling understood and supported by others helped to contain suicidal distress. (5) "My whole life makes sense now" captures how developing an Autism-informed understanding of oneself reduced self-blame and fostered self-compassion.

CONCLUSION

Autism-informed, relationally attuned suicide prevention approaches that prioritise empathy, accessibility, and individualised support may reduce harm and improve engagement with suicide prevention supports for Autistic adults experiencing suicidal distress.