Autistic individualsoften face unique challenges that can impact their overall well-being. These challenges may include difficulties insocial communication and interaction, sensory sensitivities, and struggles with emotional regulation.
Many autistic people experiencehigher rates of anxiety, depression, and social isolation compared to their non-autistic peers.
Additionally, they may encounter barriers in education, employment, andbuilding meaningful relationships.
The constant effort required to navigate a world not designed for their neurodiversity can lead to increased stress and fatigue.
These factors, combined with societal misunderstanding and lack of appropriate support, can significantly affect an autistic person’s subjective well-being and quality of life.
Key Points
Rationale
Subjective well-being (SWB) is a critical aspect of mental health and overall quality of life. Previous research has shown that autistic individuals often experience lower SWB compared to their non-autistic peers (Begeer et al., 2017; Thorpe, 2018).
However, there is limited understanding of how SWB, positive affect, and negative affect interact and develop across adolescence and young adulthood in autistic populations.
The homeostatic theory of SWB proposes that a balance of high positive affect and low negative affect maintains SWB within a narrow range (Cummins, 2013).
However, it is unclear whether this theory applies similarly to autistic individuals, who may face unique challenges in social development and emotion regulation (Cai et al., 2018; Samson, Hardan, Podell, et al., 2015).
Understanding these patterns is crucial for developing targeted interventions and support strategies to improve the well-being of autistic individuals during critical developmental periods.
By comparing autistic and non-autistic adolescents and young adults, this study sought to identify potential differences in SWB patterns and their underlying mechanisms.
This knowledge can inform clinical practice and interventions aimed at enhancing the quality of life for autistic individuals throughout their lifespan.
Method
The study employed a cross-sectional design to analyze age-related differences in SWB, positive affect, and negative affect between autistic and non-autistic adolescents and young adults.
Procedure
Participants completed a suite of self-report pencil and paper measures over a one-hour period.
Sample
The final sample included 102 adolescents and young adults aged between 10 and 22 years old:
Measures
Statistical measures
Results
Autistic participants showed significantly lower overall SWB compared to non-autistic participants (t(100) = 3.2, p < 0.01, d = 0.64).
Autistic participants had a significantly lower intercept for SWB than non-autistic participants. Autistic group’s SWB increased across age (b = 0.02) compared to a decrease in the non-autistic group (b = −0.19).
No significant between-group differences were found in positive affect at intercept or slope (t(100) = 0.22, p = 0.83, d = 0.04).
Autistic participants showed significantly higher negative affect at the intercept (t = 1.69, p = 0.04). No significant difference was found in negative affect across age between diagnostic groups.
Autistic participants were 2.99 times more likely to score < 70 points on the PWI-SC than non-autistic participants (Z = 2.37, p < 0.01).
Multiple regression analysis revealed:
Autistic participants scored significantly lower on five subscales of the PWI-SC:
All correlations between variables were lower in the autistic group compared to the non-autistic group.
Correlations between positive affect and negative affect were moderate and positive in both groups.
In the non-autistic group, PWI-SC scores were negatively correlated with negative affect and positively correlated with positive affect (small correlations).
In the autistic group, a small positive correlation was found between PWI-SC scores and both negative affect and positive affect.
Insight
The study reveals that autistic adolescents and young adults experience significantly lower subjective well-being compared to their non-autistic peers.
Interestingly, the study found no significant differences in positive affect between autistic and non-autistic groups.
This unexpected similarity may reflect diagnostic differences in life experiences, such as autistic adolescents spending more time engaged in preferred interests that elicit positive affective responses.
The higher negative affect at the youngest age for autistic participants, combined with similar patterns across age between groups, suggests that the mechanisms underlying Homeostatic Protective mood during adolescence may not follow the typical pattern of high positive affect and low negative affect for autistic individuals.
This finding challenges existing theories and highlights the need for further research into the unique factors influencing SWB in autistic populations.
The study’s results indicate that being autistic and having poorly established external and internal buffers may reset SWB to a lower set point, potentially leaving autistic individuals more vulnerable to poorer long-term physical health and wellbeing, as well as to depression.
This emphasizes the importance of screening for resource deficiency and applying appropriate interventions in preadolescence for autistic individuals.
Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to better understand the cumulative effects of positive and negative affect on SWB over time in autistic populations.
Additionally, exploring alternative patterns of mechanisms that may underpin Homeostatic Protective mood and maintain SWB at a lower set point in autistic people could provide valuable insights for developing targeted interventions.
Strengths
The study had several methodological strengths, including:
Limitations
This study also had several methodological limitations, including:
These limitations suggest that results should be interpreted with caution and highlight the need for further research with larger, more diverse samples and longitudinal designs to confirm and expand upon these findings.
Implications
The study’s findings have significant implications for clinical psychology practice and support for autistic individuals:
These implications underscore the importance of a holistic approach to supporting autistic individuals, considering not only their immediate challenges but also their long-term well-being and quality of life.
References
Primary reference
Ridgway, K., Macmillan, C., Demmer, D. H., Hooley, M., Hedley, D., Westrupp, E., & Stokes, M. A. (2024). Subjective wellbeing of autistic adolescents and young adults: A cross sectional study.Autism Research.https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.3139
Other references
Begeer, S., Ma, Y., Koot, H. M., Wierda, M., van Beijsterveldt, C. T., Boomsma, D. I., & Bartels, M. (2017). Brief Report: Influence of gender and age on parent reported subjective well-being in children with and without autism.Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders,35, 86-91.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2016.11.004
Cai, R. Y., Richdale, A. L., Uljarević, M., Dissanayake, C., & Samson, A. C. (2018). Emotion regulation in autism spectrum disorder: Where we are and where we need to go.Autism Research,11(7), 962-978.https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.1968
Cummins, R. A. (2013). Subjective well-being, homeostatically protected mood and depression: A synthesis.The exploration of happiness: present and future perspectives, 77-95.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5702-8_5
Samson, A. C., Hardan, A. Y., Podell, R. W., Phillips, J. M., & Gross, J. J. (2015). Emotion regulation in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder.Autism Research,8(1), 9-18.https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.1387
Thorpe, P. T. (2018). Subjective well-being in adults with autism spectrum disorder.University of Sydney.
Keep Learning
Socratic questions for a college class discussion
Saul McLeod, PhD
BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester
Saul McLeod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.
Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc
BSc (Hons) Psychology, MSc Psychology of Education
Olivia Guy-Evans is a writer and associate editor for Simply Psychology. She has previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors.
