Table 1.
Participant characteristics
| Variables | Group | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP male (n = 54) | GP female (n = 115) | ASC male (n = 65) | ASC female (n = 99) | |
| Mean (SD)/n (%) | ||||
| Age | 39.11 (10.09) | 41.48 (11.18) | 41.52 (11.73) | 38.89 (10.47) |
| AQ total score | 22.96 (8.56) | 18.43 (7.12) | 35.38 (7.5) | 37.1(8.33) |
| Age diagnosed with ASC | – | – | 34.55 (14.75) | 35.06 (11.83) |
| % Lifetime ‘camouflage’ | – | – | 58 (89.2) | 90 (90.9) |
| Camouflage total score | – | – | 12.9 (4.06) | 14.7 (3.61) |
| % Non-suicidal self-injury | 18 (33.3) | 32 (28.1) | 35 (53.8) | 71 (74) |
| Suicidality | ||||
| SBQ-R total score | 7.48 (3.7) | 6.36 (3.08) | 10.14 (3.99) | 10.56 (3.98) |
| % ≥ general population cut off | 27 (50) | 49 (42.6) | 52 (80) | 79 (79.8) |
| % ≥ psychiatric population cut-off | 22 (40.7) | 35 (30.4) | 45 (69.2) | 73 (73.7) |
| % Lifetime suicide attempt | 7 (13) | 7 (6.1) | 21 (32.3) | 42 (42.4) |
| ASC subtype | ||||
| HFA/AS | – | – | 51 (78.5) | 85 (85.9) |
| Autism/classic autism | – | – | 0 0) | 2 (2) |
| ASC | – | – | 7 (10.8) | 7 (6.9) |
| PDD/PDD-NOS | – | – | 1 (1.5) | 1 (1) |
| Other | – | – | 6 (9.2) | 4 (4) |
| Education type | ||||
| Mainstream | 53 (98.1) | 113 (98.3) | 59 (98.1) | 88 (88.9) |
| Home | 1 (1.9) | 2 (1.7) | 1 (1.5) | 2 (2) |
| Special | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 3 (4.6) | 4 (4) |
| Private/boarding | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 2 (3.1) | 5 (5.1) |
| Support | ||||
| Need/receive support | 16 (29.6) | 36 (31.3) | 51 (78.5) | 75 (76.5) |
| Unmet support needs* | 2.12 (1.78) | 1.3 (1.47) | 3.1 (2.44) | 3.43 (2.25) |
| Treatment | ||||
| Current treatment (total) | 28 (51.9) | 60 (53.1) | 51 (78.5) | 77 (77.8) |
| For mental health | 27 (93.1) | 51 (76.1) | 44 (77.2) | 71 (76.3) |
| For suicidal thoughts | 9 (31) | 8 (11.9) | 14 (24.6) | 25 (26.9) |
| For self-injury | 3 (10.3) | 2 (3) | 4 (7) | 9 (9.7) |
| Other | 2 (6.9) | 6 (9) | 8 (14) | 14 (14) |
| Living arrangements | ||||
| Living independently | 15 (27.8) | 26 (22.6) | 18 (27.7) | 30 (30.3) |
| Living with parents | 5 (9.3) | 5 (4.3) | 15 (23.1) | 15 (15.2) |
| Living with flatmate(s) | 4 (7.4) | 8 (7) | 2 (3.1) | 3 (3) |
| Live with friend(s) | 0 (0) | 3 (2.6) | 1 (1.5) | 0 (0) |
| Living with a partner and/or dependent(s) | 29 (53.7) | 71 (61.7) | 21 (32.3) | 44 (44.4) |
| Living in supported accommodation | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 2 (3.1) | 1 (1) |
| Living with a carer | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (1.5) | 1 (1) |
| Other | 1 (1.9) | 2 (1.7) | 5 (7.7) | 5 (5.1) |
| Occupational status | ||||
| Employed | 41 (75.9) | 94 (81.7) | 30 (46.2) | 51 (51.5) |
| Volunteering | 2 (3.7) | 6 (5.2) | 3 (4.6) | 9 (9.1) |
| Student | 5 (9.3) | 6 (5.2) | 6 (9.2) | 15 (15.2) |
| Unemployed/unable to work | 4 (7.4) | 9 (7.8) | 25 (38.5) | 22 (22.2) |
| Retired | 2 (33.3) | 0 (0) | 1 (1.5) | 2 (2) |
| Mental health or other condition | ||||
| ≥1 mental health or other condition | 29 (53.7) | 66 (57.4) | 51 (78.5) | 92 (92.9) |
| Current medication for mental health condition | 10 (34.5) | 26 (39.4) | 26 (51) | 56 (60.9) |
| Depression | 25 (46.3) | 51 (44.3) | 47 (72.3) | 84 (84.8) |
| Anxiety | 19 (35.2) | 42 (36.5) | 40 (61.5) | 77 (77.8) |
| Obsessive compulsive disorder | 0 (0) | 3 (2.6) | 7 (10.8) | 17 (17.2) |
| Bipolar disorder | 1 (1.9) | 2 (1.7) | 2 (1.7) | 6 (3.7) |
| Personality disorder | 1 (1.9) | 4 (3.5) | 5 (7.7) | 18 (18.2) |
| Schizophrenia | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 2 (3.1) | 4 (4) |
| Anorexia nervosa | 0 (0) | 4 (3.5) | 1 (1.5) | 8 (8.1) |
| Bulimia | 0 (0) | 1 (0.9) | 0 (0) | 2 (2) |
| Myalgic encephalopathy | 0 (0) | 3 (2.6) | 3 (4.6) | 10 (10.1) |
| Tourettes | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 2 (3.1) | 2 (2) |
| Epilepsy | 1 (1.9) | 4 (3.5) | 1 (1.5) | 4 (4) |
| Other | 4 (7.4) | 4 (3.5) | 10 (15.4) | 21 (21.2) |
| Developmental condition | ||||
| ≥1 developmental condition | 2 (3.7) | 1 (0.9) | 15 (23.1) | 22 (22.2) |
| Dyspraxia | 1 (1.9) | 1 (0.9) | 7 (3.9) | 11 (11.1) |
| Learning disability | 1 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (1.5) | 0 (0) |
| Learning difficulty | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 2 (2) |
| Dyscalculia | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 2 (31) | 1 (1) |
| Dyslexia | 2 (3.7) | 0 (0) | 5 (7.7) | 8 (8.1) |
| Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 2 (3.1) | 9 (9.1) |
| Developmental delay | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (1) |
| Other | 0 (0) | 1 (0.9) | 2 (3.1) | 4 (4) |
*NB, unmet support needs calculated by (total n areas support ideally liked—total n areas support actually received)