Barriers and Facilitators to Suicide Risk Screening and Management for Autistic Youth

VCU researchers are looking to learn more about suicide risk screening practices for youth on the autism spectrum, including caregiver experiences and perspectives on screening autistic youth for suicide symptoms. Our team will use the information we learn to develop educational materials about suicide risk in autism for caregivers and clinicians.

Must be a Caregiver of an 7-17 year-old with an autism diagnosis in New York or Virginia

You will be asked to complete an online survey, which includes questions about your child’s diagnoses and mental health history, the services you have used to support your child, and your perspectives on suicide risk screening practices for autistic youth. The survey will not require you to share any identifying information and will take about 20-30 minutes.

To help reduce youth suicide rates, suicide risk screening has been recommended across pediatric care settings. However, the specific needs of autistic youth are rarely considered in these recommendations. This study aims to understand challenges to and supports for suicide risk screening with autistic children and adolescents. By better understanding these challenges, we can find ways to improve care for youth on the autism spectrum