Social stigma contributes to mental health issues in ASD

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have elevated rates of mental health problems such as depression and anxiety, and a new study indicates that much of this increase is due to social stigma. 

In the study, Monique Botha and David Frost collected data from an online survey taken by 111 individuals who identified themselves as autistic. The researchers investigated the relevance of the “minority stress” theory—which posits that members of stigmatized minority groups experience increased stress—to individuals with ASD. 

The survey taken by participants delved into six key areas of minority stress, including victimization, “outness” (the degree to which participants disclosed their autism to others), everyday discrimination, expectation of rejection, physical concealment of ASD, and internalized stigma. 

The researchers say, “Minority stressors including everyday discrimination, internalized stigma, and concealment significantly predicted poorer mental health, despite controlling for general stress exposure.” 

Botha comments, “Traditionally, autism and poor mental health were believed to be intrinsically linked, but this is not the case. These findings show that poor mental health of people with autism is instead directly connected with exposure to social stress, which goes beyond the effects of everyday stress that are experienced by others.” She adds that the findings suggest that “taking actions within society to tackle discrimination might significantly reduce rates of poor mental health, and thus suicide in the autistic population.”

Citations

“Extending the minority stress model to understand mental health problems experienced by the autistic population,” Monique Botha and David M. Frost, Society and Mental Health, October 12, 2018 (online). Address: Monique Botha, University of Surrey, Staghill Campus, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH, UK, m. [email protected]. 

—and—

 “Social stigma contributes to poor mental health in the autistic community,” Natasha Meredith, University of Surrey, October 22, 2018.