Inpatient Psychiatric Interventions for Acute Suicidality: Enhancing Support for Autistic People - Two Case Studies

Abstract

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by differences in social communication and behavior. A recent meta-analyses indicates that up to 34% of autistic people without intellectual disability experience suicidal ideation, and 24% have attempted suicide, rates far exceeding those in the general population (Newell et al., 2023). This qualitative case study explores suicidality—encompassing suicidal ideation and intent—in two autistic women without verbal or intellectual impairments and evaluates the effectiveness of current inpatient interventions in Spain. Demoralization and emotional dysregulation emerged as key contributors to suicidality. The study identifies both helpful and harmful aspects of inpatient care, highlighting limitations in standard suicide prevention protocols for autistic individuals. These findings underscore the need to adapt psychiatric hospitalization protocols to better support autistic people and offer specific recommendations to improve crisis care. While based on two cases, this research contributes to the growing understanding of autism and suicide risk, informing more effective and sensitive interventions.