Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Disabil Health J. 2024 Jul;17(3):101633. doi: 10.1016/j.dhjo.2024.101633. Epub 2024 Apr 17.
Autistic adults and those with other developmental disabilities (DD) have increased depressive symptoms and decreased activity engagement when compared to those with no DD. Few studies explore activities related to depressive symptoms in autistic people and those with other DD during adolescence.
The objectives of this analysis were to describe depressive symptoms and activity engagement among autistic adolescents and those with other DD and no DD and explore types of activities associated with depressive symptoms, stratified by study group.
Parents of adolescents completed a multi-site case-control study of autism and other DD when their child was 2-5 years of age and a follow-up survey when their child was 12-16 years of age. Questions asked about the adolescent's current diagnoses, depressive symptoms (i.e., diagnosis, medication use, or symptoms), and engagement in club, social, sport, vocational, volunteer, and other organized activities.
Autistic adolescents (N = 238) and those with other DD (N = 222) were significantly more likely to have depressive symptoms than adolescents with no DD (N = 406), (31.9 %, 30.6 %, and 15.0 % respectively). Lower percentages of autistic adolescents participated in activities than peers with other DD, who had lower percentages than peers with no DD. Participation in sports was associated with lower likelihood of depressive symptoms in all groups.
Autistic adolescents and those with other DD are at increased risk for depressive symptoms and reduced activity engagement. Participation in sports may be especially important for adolescent mental health regardless of disability status. Implications for public health education and intervention are discussed.
与无发育障碍（DD）的个体相比，自闭症成人和其他患有 DD 的个体的抑郁症状更为明显，活动参与度更低。很少有研究探讨自闭症人群和其他患有 DD 的青少年在青春期与抑郁症状相关的活动。
本分析的目的是描述自闭症青少年和其他患有 DD 的个体与无 DD 的个体的抑郁症状和活动参与度，并探讨与抑郁症状相关的活动类型，按研究组分层。
当孩子 2-5 岁时，父母完成了自闭症和其他 DD 的多地点病例对照研究，并在孩子 12-16 岁时完成了随访调查。问题涉及青少年的当前诊断、抑郁症状（即诊断、用药或症状）以及参与俱乐部、社交、运动、职业、志愿和其他组织活动的情况。
自闭症青少年（N=238）和其他患有 DD 的青少年（N=222）比无 DD 的青少年（N=406）更有可能出现抑郁症状，分别为 31.9%、30.6%和 15.0%。与其他患有 DD 的青少年相比，自闭症青少年参与活动的比例较低，而其他患有 DD 的青少年的比例又低于无 DD 的青少年。所有群体中，参与运动与较低的抑郁症状可能性相关。
自闭症青少年和其他患有 DD 的青少年患抑郁症状和活动参与度降低的风险增加。无论残疾状况如何，参与运动可能对青少年的心理健康尤为重要。讨论了公共卫生教育和干预的意义。
