Comparing Two Ways to Prevent Suicide among Autistic Youth

This research project is in progress. PCORI will post the research findings on this page within 90 days after the results are final.

PCORI has identified suicide prevention among youth as an important research topic. Suicide rates in the United States have been increasing over the past two decades, and the COVID-19 pandemic may have led to further increases. Patients, caregivers, clinicians, and others want to learn: What are effective ways of preventing suicide among youth ages 15 to 24? To help answer this question, PCORI launched an initiative in 2020 on Suicide Prevention: Brief Interventions for Youth. The initiative funded this research project and others.

What is the research about?

Suicide is a leading cause of death among youth. Autistic people are much more likely to attempt suicide and to die by suicide than non-autistic people. Questions remain about how to best help autistic youth who are at risk for suicide.

In this study, the research team is comparing two ways to help autistic youth manage thoughts of suicide and reduce suicidal behaviors. In the first way, a clinician works with the patient to create a safety plan using an approach that is tailored for autistic youth. Then the clinician provides follow-up care. The second way includes a tailored safety plan without follow-up care. A safety plan helps patients understand warning signs for suicide and find resources to prevent suicide.

Who can this research help?

Results may help doctors and healthcare administrators when considering ways to prevent suicide among autistic youth.

What is the research team doing?

The research team is enrolling 150 clinicians from four healthcare systems across the United States. The team is assigning clinicians by chance to provide safety plans with or without follow-up care for their patients with autism who are at risk for suicide. Follow-up care occurs via telehealth visits. During these contacts, clinicians assess patients’ suicide risk, review the safety plan, and help patients start mental health treatment. All patients receive at least two follow-up visits.

Patients include 1,500 autistic youth ages 15–24 who are receiving care from clinicians in the study. The research team is assessing youth at the first clinic visit and 1, 6, and 12 months later. Patients answer questions about:

• Suicidal thoughts and behaviors
• Mental health treatment
• Quality of life
• Well-being
• Skills to manage thoughts of suicide
• Access to things that they can use to self-harm
• Safety plan use
• Use of acute care services for suicidal thoughts and behavior

The research team is also asking 60 youth, 40 clinicians, and 15 healthcare administrators about their views on the safety planning process.

Autistic people, including people who have had suicidal thoughts and behaviors, their families, and clinicians are helping to plan and conduct this study.

Research methods at a glance