'Something needs to change': Mental health experiences of young autistic adults in England.
Young autistic adults say stigma and rigid systems—not lack of need—keep them out of mental health care.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Delgado-Lobete et al. (2019) talked with young autistic adults across England. They asked how these clients feel about mental health care and what blocks them from getting help.
The team used open interviews. People shared stories about stigma, long waits, and services that did not fit autism needs.
What they found
Young adults said they often cannot tell if they need help. When they do ask, they meet staff who lack autism training. Many leave without support.
Stigma came up in every talk. Clients felt judged for being autistic and for having mental health needs at the same time.
How this fits with other research
Wilson et al. (2023) asked 174 caregivers the same question and got the same answer: later diagnosis and high caregiver stress make barriers worse. Their numbers back up the voices here.
Han et al. (2022) pooled 26 studies and found autistic people use camouflaging and selective disclosure to cope with the exact stigma Laura’s group described. The stories and the review match point for point.
O'Connor et al. (2024) focused on girls and women yet named the same two drivers: stigma and a world not built for autism. The target paper widens the lens to all genders but lands on the same themes.
Why it matters
You can’t fix access with a flyer. Use Laura’s findings to audit your own pathway: Are forms autism-friendly? Is front-line staff trained? Add quiet waiting spots, clear steps, and peer mentors. Small swaps lower stigma and keep clients engaged from day one.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
There is a high incidence and prevalence of mental health problems among young people, with several barriers to help-seeking noted in this group. High rates of mental health problems have also been reported in children and adults on the autism spectrum. Taken together, young autistic people may be a particularly vulnerable group when it comes to mental health. Yet, there has been remarkably little work on the mental health needs and experiences of young autistic adults (16-25 years). Adopting a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach - in which academic researchers and young autistic adults collaborated in an equitable research partnership - we explored young autistic people's experiences of mental health problems and their perspectives on the support they sought, if any, for these problems. A total of 130 young autistic adults took part in the research: 109 completed an online survey and 21 took part in detailed interviews. The results highlight how young autistic people find it difficult to evaluate their mental health, experience high levels of stigma and often face severe obstacles when trying to access mental health support. The findings also demonstrate how listening to - and learning from - young autistic people is crucial in ensuring that their mental health needs are met.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2019 · doi:10.1177/1362361318757048