Skip to main content

Spectrum: Autism Research News

Tag: depression

May 2020
Illustration: a person faces a computer screen, away from the viewer, while ominous profiles of people surround them, looking inward.

Radical online communities and their toxic allure for autistic men

by  /  13 May 2020

Isolated from their peers, some autistic men get drawn into extremist views — and, in rare cases, violence — associated with online groups for ‘celibates.’

Comments
Depressed teenage girl in her bedroom.

Autistic children’s emotional problems may persist into young adulthood

by  /  1 May 2020

A study that followed 126 autistic people in England from their preteen years to age 23 found little improvement in their behavioral and emotional problems.

Comments
April 2020
Two young women who met in the Action Play theater group and became friends. Lines between the women show their connection.

How people with autism forge friendships

by  /  1 April 2020

Most autistic people want to and can make friends, though their relationships often have a distinctive air.

Comments
March 2020
a green head has a 'top' that is red--and a hand is lifting the top to let steam out.

Autistic burnout, explained

by  /  30 March 2020

‘Autistic burnout’ is the intense physical, mental or emotional exhaustion, often accompanied by a loss of skills, that some adults with autism experience.

Comments
Illustration shows older person in chair in messy house, looking out the window at a sunset.

Growing old with autism

by  /  18 March 2020

For many autistic adults, the golden years are tarnished by poor health, poverty and, in some cases, homelessness. Their plight reveals huge gaps in care.

Comments
Young girl crying into mother's shoulder

Enlarged amygdala linked to severe behavioral problems in autistic girls

by  /  5 March 2020

Autistic children who have behavioral problems tend to have an enlarged right amygdala, and in girls the size is associated with the severity of certain behaviors.

Comments
February 2020
54% of autistic mothers report that professionals involved with their children often don’t believe them, compared with 31% of neurotypical mothers. 41% of autistic mothers feel that agencies do not support them sufficiently when they ask for parenting help. 68% of neurotypical mothers feel they can turn to others for parenting support. Only 41% of autistic mothers feel the same. 44% of autistic mothers report having anxiety that affects their ability to communicate, compared with 6% of neurotypical mothers. 38% of autistic mothers rarely or never disclose their autism diagnosis to professionals when talking about their children. 94% of neurotypical mothers say they can cope with parental multitasking. Only 51% of autistic mothers say the same. 85% of neurotypical mothers say they can cope with all the domestic responsibilities of parenting compared with 47% of autistic mothers. Autistic mothers do not differ from neurotypical mothers in putting their children’s needs above their own.

Why autistic mothers may feel overwhelmed and undersupported

by  /  26 February 2020

Autistic mothers report having more anxiety and depression than neurotypical mothers do.

Comments
Illustration shows child at school seated in chair with bullies all around

How abuse mars the lives of autistic people

by  /  5 February 2020

Many people with autism experience a triad of trauma: neglect at home, abuse from trusted adults and bullying at school or work.

Comments
January 2020
Variants linked to multiple conditions, including autism, tend to appear in genes that influence brain development, as shown in this chart in blue and grey.

Autism may share inherited variants with other psychiatric conditions

by  /  13 January 2020

Some of the inherited variants implicated in autism also increase the odds of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Comments
A young teen woman sits on stairs with her head hanging down, her face hidden by her hair.

Adolescent anxiety predicts later psychiatric diagnoses in autistic people

by  /  2 January 2020

People with autism are at increased odds of having other psychiatric conditions, such as anxiety and depression, but the links can be counterintuitive.

Comments