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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Gareth RichardsORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Purpose Previous cross-sectional research suggests self-compassion may mediate associations between autistic traits and mental health in autistic and non-autistic adults. However, no research to date has examined these relationships longitudi- nally. In this study, we used a cross-lagged panel analysis to examine correlations over time between autistic traits, self- compassion, and anxiety/depression.Methods Participants were from the UK and included autistic (n = 228 at T1, n = 156 at T2, and n = 165 at T3) and non-autis- tic adults (n = 228 at T1, n = 122 at T2, and n = 124 at T3) without intellectual disability. Participants were recruited through an online participation platform and completed demographics, the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) at baseline (T1), 6 months (T2), and 12 months (T3). Results In the autistic sample, negative correlations were observed between self-compassion and subsequent anxiety/depres- sion across all models and timepoints, and these relationships were not reciprocal (i.e., earlier depression and anxiety did not predict future self-compassion). In the non-autistic sample, the findings generally suggested bi-directional relationships between self-compassion and anxiety/depression. In both groups, an indirect pathway between T1 autistic traits and T3 anxi- ety/depression via T2 self-compassion was confirmed.Conclusion Considering the high prevalence of anxiety and depression among autistic people, and that self-compassion can be cultivated through practice, these findings suggest that self-compassion could be a useful therapeutic target to promote mental health in the autistic population.
Author(s): Galvin J, Howes A, Richards G
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Year: 2023
Pages: epub ahead of print
Online publication date: 24/10/2023
Acceptance date: 09/10/2023
Date deposited: 25/10/2023
ISSN (print): 0162-3257
ISSN (electronic): 1573-3432
Publisher: Springer New York LLC
URL: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-023-06157-6
DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-06157-6
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