Comorbid psychiatric disorders explain elevated suicide risk in autism spectrum disorders
A population-based study revealed reasons behind elevated suicide risk, attempted suicides, and other selfharm, which require special health care, among a and young adults with autism spectrum disorders. Comorbid disorders, especially non-affective psychoses and the affective and anxiety disorders, explained the risk.
The new study conducted at the University of Turku showed that the autistic children and youth did not have an elevated risk for accidental death. The higher risk for the premature mortality was associated with natural causes. In those cases, the risk was relatively highest among females and among subjects with intellectual disability.