Suicidal Ideation and Suicidal Attempts in Referred Adolescents with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder and Comorbid Bipolar Disorder: A Pilot Study

Brain Sciences

Marinella Paciello¹  Deborah Fabiani²  Pietro Muratori²  Antonio Narzisi²  Francesca Lenzi²  Gabriele Masi²  Maria Mucci²  Giulia D'Acunto²  Silvia Scullin² 

[1] Faculty of Psychology, Università Telematica Internazionale Uninettuno, 00186 Rome, Italy;IRCCS Stella Maris, Scientific Institute of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, 56018 Calambrone, Pisa, Italy;

关键词: autism spectrum disorder;    bipolar disorder;    suicidal ideation;    suicidal attempts;    adolescence;   

DOI  :  10.3390/brainsci10100750

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Suicidal ideation and attempts in adolescents are closely associated to bipolar disorders (BD). Growing evidence also suggests that high functioning autism spectrum disorders (HF-ASD) are at increased risk for suicidal ideation and behaviors. Although BD and HF-ASD are frequently comorbid, no studies explored suicidality in these individuals. This exploratory study addressed this issue in a clinical group of inpatient adolescents referred to a psychiatric emergency unit. Seventeen adolescents with BD and HF-ASD and severe suicidal ideation or attempts (BD-ASD-S), were compared to 17 adolescents with BD and HF-ASD without suicidal ideation or attempts (BD-ASD-noS), and to 18 adolescents with BD and suicidal ideation or attempts without ASD (BD-noASD-S), using a structured assessment methodology. Individuals with BD-ASD-S had a higher intelligence quotient, more severe clinical impairment, more lethality in suicide attempts, more internalizing symptoms, less impulsiveness, and lower social competence. Severity of ASD traits in individuals and parents did not correlate with suicidal risk. Some dimensions of resilience were protective in terms of repulsion by life and attraction to death. Main limitations are the small sample size, the lack of a control group of typically developing adolescents. However, a better understanding of the specificities of bipolar HF-ASD individuals with suicidality may improve prevention and treatment strategies.

【 授权许可】

Unknown