Lived experiences of depression in autistic children and adolescents: A qualitative study on child and parent perspectives

Sinead M Rhodes; Christopher B Eaton; Jessica Oldridge; Jacqui Rodgers; Stella Chan; Ereni Skouta; Andrew G McKechanie; Leila Mackie; Tracy M Stewart

doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2023.104516

Lived experiences of depression in autistic children and adolescents: A qualitative study on child and parent perspectives

Res Dev Disabil. 2023 Jul:138:104516. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2023.104516. Epub 2023 May 2.

Authors

Sinead M Rhodes¹, Christopher B Eaton², Jessica Oldridge³, Jacqui Rodgers⁴, Stella Chan⁵, Ereni Skouta⁶, Andrew G McKechanie⁷, Leila Mackie⁸, Tracy M Stewart⁹

Affiliations

¹ Child Life and Health, University of Edinburgh, UK; Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, UK. Electronic address: sinead.rhodes@ed.ac.uk.
² Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Wales, UK.
³ Clinical Psychology, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, UK.
⁴ Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, UK.
⁵ School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, UK.
⁶ NHS CAMHS South London and Maudsley, Snowsfield Adolescent Unit, Maudsley Hospital, London, UK.
⁷ The Patrick Wild Centre, University of Edinburgh, UK.
⁸ NHS Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy Service, Lothian, UK.
⁹ Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh, UK.

PMID: 37141676
DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2023.104516

Abstract

Background: Depression is highly prevalent in autistic children and adolescents. Despite this, little is known about the nature of the autistic child's subjective experience of depression and the impact of depression on their lives.

Methods: We therefore conducted a qualitative study using thematic analysis with 7 autistic children and adolescents and their parents to identify common themes and individual differences. All children had previously experienced at least one depressive episode.

Results: Six main themes were identified: (1) Autism related experiences; (2) Difficulties with peer relationships; (3) Co-occurring relationships between anxiety and depression; (4) Impactful pessimism and anhedonia; (5) Impactful difficulties with focus and concentration and (6) Feelings of irritability, including aggressive behaviours. Parent's accounts of their children's experience of depression mirrored the child's perspective. Novel findings included reports of depression related restriction of diet variety and masking of mental health difficulties. Children and parents linked being autistic and developing depression, referring to the difficulties of being autistic in a complex, neurotypical world.

Conclusions: These results highlight key challenges that autistic children and their families experience, calling for increased awareness of the impact of depression on autistic young people.

Keywords: Adolescents; Autism; Children; Depression; Parents.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Anxiety / epidemiology
Autistic Disorder* / psychology
Child
Depression / epidemiology
Emotions
Humans
Parents / psychology