A systematic review of the rates of depression in autistic children and adolescents without intellectual disability

Tracy M Stewart; Katherine Martin; Michela Fazi; Jessica Oldridge; Allan Piper; Sinead M Rhodes

doi:10.1111/papt.12366

A systematic review of the rates of depression in autistic children and adolescents without intellectual disability

Psychol Psychother. 2022 Mar;95(1):313-344. doi: 10.1111/papt.12366. Epub 2021 Oct 3.

Authors

Tracy M Stewart¹, Katherine Martin², Michela Fazi³, Jessica Oldridge⁴, Allan Piper⁵, Sinead M Rhodes⁴

Affiliations

¹ Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh, UK.
² Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, UK.
³ La Sapienza, University of Rome, Italy.
⁴ Child Life and Health, Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, UK.
⁵ Child and Adolescent Mental Health, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh, UK.

PMID: 34605156
DOI: 10.1111/papt.12366

Abstract

Objectives: Increasing evidence suggests that major depressive disorder (MDD) is highly prevalent in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current study is a systematic review of rates of depression in autistic children and adolescents, without intellectual disability.

Design: Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, a total of 14,557 studies were identified through five databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cinahl, ERIC, PsycINFO, and Web of Science).

Methods: Articles were screened for inclusion and exclusion criteria and 10% double coded at each stage. Nineteen studies met criteria and were retained in the review.

Result: The reported rates of depression in autistic children and adolescents varied from 0% to 83.3%. We discuss these findings in relation to method of report (self/informant, interview/questionnaire), recruitment status (clinical/community recruited), and age (pre-pubertal/adolescent).

Conclusion: Rates of depression vary considerably across studies and do not show a particular pattern in relation to methodology, or age. Our research joins a crucial call to action from the research community for future research to improve the identification of depression in autism, which in turn will aid our understanding of the potentially different characterization and manifestation of depression in autism, to ultimately improve assessment and treatment of depression in autistic children and adolescents.

Practitioner points: Rates of depression in autistic children and adolescents vary and do not show a particular pattern in relation to methodology or age. Our research joins the call to action from the research community for future research to improve the identification of depression in autistic children and adolescents, which in turn will aid understanding of depression in autism, and ultimately improve assessment and treatment of depression in autistic children and young people. The development of new measures of depression, specifically designed with, and for, children and adolescents with autism, is warranted.

Keywords: autism spectrum disorder; children and adolescents; co-occurrence; depression.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review
Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Autism Spectrum Disorder* / epidemiology
Autistic Disorder* / epidemiology
Child
Depression / epidemiology
Depression / therapy
Depressive Disorder, Major* / epidemiology
Humans
Intellectual Disability* / epidemiology