Abstract
Rumination and low self-esteem are associated with suicidality, and with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, rumination and self-esteem in relation to suicidality in adults with ASD have not been examined. This cross-sectional study (n = 75; 46 males and 29 females) investigates the relation of rumination and self-esteem to the absence/presence of suicidal ideation (SUIC+/−), history of attempted suicide (HAS), and severity of suicidality. Multivariate analysis of variance showed that self-esteem was significantly associated with SUIC+/−, whereas rumination was significantly associated with HAS. Multiple regression analysis showed that rumination and self-esteem were independently associated with severity of suicidality, but these lose their significant contribution, when statistically controlling for depression. The prevalence of suicidal ideation was 66.6%; gender was not a significant factor.
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The authors are grateful for the contribution to this study by the clinicians and participating patients of the psychiatric out-patient departments of Zwolle, Deventer and Steenwijk.
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TGA and BBS conceived of the presented idea; contributed to the design and performed the measurement, and contributed to the analysis of the results and to the writing of the manuscript.
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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional Scientific Research Committee of Dimence (approval: 27-07-2017) and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
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Arwert, T.G., Sizoo, B.B. Self-reported Suicidality in Male and Female Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Rumination and Self-esteem. J Autism Dev Disord 50, 3598–3605 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04372-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04372-z