Gundeslioglu Hatice, Gray Kylie M, Thompson Paul A, Langdon Peter E
Centre for Research in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (CIDD), University of Warwick, Coventry, England, UK.
Intellectual Disabilities Research Institute (IDRIS), University of Birmingham, Birmingham, England, UK.
J Autism Dev Disord. 2025 Aug 13. doi: 10.1007/s10803-025-07002-8.
The aim of this study was to examine whether the relationship between a set of risk and protective factors (e.g., self-esteem, stress, intolerance of uncertainty, autistic symptoms) and mental health problems differed between autistic and non-autistic undergraduates enrolled in UK universities across genders. Autistic and non-autistic undergraduates were invited to complete an online survey between November 2022 and June 2023. The sample included 226 autistic participants, mean age = 21.36, SD = 4.04, and 46.9%, and 521 non-autistic participants, mean age = 21.96, SD = 4.24, and 63.3%. Two-way ANOVA followed by post-hoc comparisons were used to examine gender differences in mental health problems and multiple regression models were used to identify the predictors of mental health problems among autistic participants in comparison to non-autistic participants. A higher number of autistic undergraduates self-reported having mental health diagnoses than non-autistic undergraduates. Autistic females and autistic and non-autistic individuals of genders other than male or female had increased suicidality-defined to include both suicidal ideation and behaviours - relative to some groups. There were no gender differences in anxiety and worry, and in behavioural symptoms of depression and anxiety. Moreover, for both autistic and non-autistic participants, intolerance of uncertainty was associated with higher levels of anxiety and worry, whereas resilience was associated with lower levels of suicidality and behavioural symptoms of depression and anxiety. While autistic undergraduates self-reported more mental health disorders, there were more similarities than differences between autistic and non-autistic undergraduate students in terms of mental health risk and protective factors.
本研究的目的是考察一组风险和保护因素（如自尊、压力、对不确定性的不耐受、自闭症症状）与心理健康问题之间的关系在英国大学就读的不同性别的自闭症和非自闭症本科生中是否存在差异。在2022年11月至2023年6月期间，邀请自闭症和非自闭症本科生完成一项在线调查。样本包括226名自闭症参与者，平均年龄=21.36，标准差=4.04，占46.9%，以及521名非自闭症参与者，平均年龄=21.96，标准差=4.24，占63.3%。采用双向方差分析及事后比较来检验心理健康问题中的性别差异，并使用多元回归模型来确定与非自闭症参与者相比，自闭症参与者中心理健康问题的预测因素。与非自闭症本科生相比，有更多的自闭症本科生自我报告有心理健康诊断。相对于某些群体，自闭症女性以及非男非女的自闭症和非自闭症个体的自杀倾向有所增加，自杀倾向定义为包括自杀意念和行为。在焦虑和担忧以及抑郁和焦虑的行为症状方面没有性别差异。此外，对于自闭症和非自闭症参与者来说，对不确定性的不耐受与更高水平的焦虑和担忧相关，而心理韧性与更低水平的自杀倾向以及抑郁和焦虑的行为症状相关。虽然自闭症本科生自我报告的心理健康障碍更多，但在心理健康风险和保护因素方面，自闭症和非自闭症本科生之间的相似之处多于差异。
