Providing effective care and support for autistic adults with mental health issues

This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. one author of this publication is identified as autistic in the project.

About the autistic author marker

Metadata sources used for this reference

OpenAlex Crossref OpenCitations
Learn more about the sources used

Barber, C. (2023). Providing effective care and support for autistic adults with mental health issues. Nursing Standard, 39(1), 60-65. https://doi.org/10.7748/ns.2023.e12042

Publication date: 18 Dec 2023 Added to AutiHub: 7 Sep 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
Publisher source (DOI) OpenAlex source

This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:

Authors

Publication authors
1
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 1 (100.0%)
  1. Christopher Barber *

Abstract

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that is characterised by features such as persistent differences in social interaction and communication, specialised interests and sensory processing issues. It has been identified that autistic people are increasingly likely to experience various mental health issues, and often encounter challenges in accessing appropriate healthcare and a lack of understanding from healthcare professionals. This article explores the co-occurrence of autism and mental health issues in adults, and explains the role of nurses in providing care and support for this population.

Bibliography cited by this reference

Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.

Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 12 Sep 2026 18:18.

Cited references
51
With a DOI
19
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
32
1 / 51 (2.0%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
29 / 51 (56.9%)
References with detected author names
22 / 51 (43.1%)
Without detected author names
29
Without a structured title
24
Without a stable identifier
31
References with raw author names still to review
24
References with external metadata lookup issues
0
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
80
From DOI or external metadata
80
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
28
29 / 80 (36.2%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 51 / 80 (63.7%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
1 / 80 (1.2%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 1 / 29 (3.4%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 1 / 77 (1.3%).
  1. Karola Dillenburger , Julie-Ann Jordan , Lyn McKerr , Mickey Keenan (2015). The Millennium child with autism: Early childhood trajectories for health, education and economic wellbeing . Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 18(1), 37-46. Informa UK Limited.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.3109/17518423.2014.964378 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2039195105
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  2. All-Party Parliamentary Group on Autism, National Autistic Society (2019) The Autism Act: 10 Years On. pearsfoundation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/APPGA-Autism-Act-Inquiry-Report.pdf (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  4. Gill Livingston , Claudia Cooper (2004). User and carer involvement in mental health training . Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 10(2), 85-92. Cambridge University Press (CUP).
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1192/apt.10.2.85 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2147888174
    OpenAlex
  5. American Psychiatric Association (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders . American Psychiatric Association Publishing.
    Type: Book DOI: 10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4281687410
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  6. Devon White , Ashleigh Hillier , Alice Frye , Emily Makrez (2019). College Students’ Knowledge and Attitudes Towards Students on the Autism Spectrum . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(7), 2699-2705. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s10803-016-2818-1 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2402547458
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  7. Kitty-Rose Foley , Julian Trollor (2015). Management of mental ill health in people with autism spectrum disorder . Australian Family Physician, 44(11), 784.
    Type: Article OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2177277664
    Crossref OpenAlex
  8. N Anorson , Ian Male , W Farr , A Memon (2021). Prevalence of autism in Europe, North America and Oceania, 2000-2020: a systematic review . European Journal of Public Health, 31(Suppl 3). Oxford University Press (OUP).
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckab164.786 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4295887471
    Crossref OpenAlex
  9. Meng-Chuan Lai , Caroline Kassee , Richard Besney , Sarah Bonato , Laura Hull , Will Mandy et al. (2019). Prevalence of co-occurring mental health diagnoses in the autism population: a systematic review and meta-analysis . The Lancet Psychiatry, 6(10), 819-829. Elsevier BV.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1016/s2215-0366(19)30289-5 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2936336589
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  10. Eilidh Cage , Jessica Di Monaco , Victoria Newell (2018). Experiences of Autism Acceptance and Mental Health in Autistic Adults . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48(2), 473-484. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3342-7 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2766434912
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  11. Silvana Galderisi , Andreas Heinz , Marianne Kastrup , Julian Beezhold , Norman Sartorius (2017). A proposed new definition of mental health . Psychiatria Polska, 51(3), 407-411. Komitet Redakcyjno - Wydawniczy Polskiego Towarzystwa Psychiatrycznego.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.12740/pp/74145 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2719245248
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  12. Nicole Stadnick , Colby Chlebowski , Mary Baker-Ericzen , Margaret Dyson , Ann Garland , Lauren Brookman-Frazee (2017). Psychiatric comorbidity in autism spectrum disorder: Correspondence between mental health clinician report and structured parent interview . Autism, 21(7), 841-851. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/1362361316654083 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2466271225
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  13. Louise Camm-Crosbie , Louise Bradley , Rebecca Shaw , Simon Baron-Cohen , Sarah Cassidy (2019). ‘People like me don’t get support’: Autistic adults’ experiences of support and treatment for mental health difficulties, self-injury and suicidality . Autism, 23(6), 1431-1441. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/1362361318816053 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2902777586
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  14. Sue Fletcher-Watson , Geoffrey Bird (2020). Autism and empathy: What are the real links? Autism, 24(1), 3-6. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/1362361319883506 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2977702811
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  15. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021) Prevalence and Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years – Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2018. www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/ss/ss7011a1.htm (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  16. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2023) Data & Statistics on Autism Spectrum Disorder. www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  17. Alanna J. Shand , Scarlett A. D. Close , Punit Shah (2020). Greater autism knowledge and contact with autistic people are independently associated with favourable attitudes towards autistic people . Experimental Results, 1, E46. Cambridge University Press (CUP).
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1017/exp.2020.46 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3094492646
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  18. Kirsten Corden , Rebecca Brewer , Eilidh Cage (2022). A Systematic Review of Healthcare Professionals’ Knowledge, Self-Efficacy and Attitudes Towards Working with Autistic People . Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 9(3), 386-399. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s40489-021-00263-w OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3163025874
    Crossref OpenAlex
  19. Jill C. Fodstad (2019). Editorial: Special Issue on Mental Health Issues in Autism Spectrum Disorder . Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 6(3), 243-245. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s40489-019-00178-7 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2945970454
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  20. Department of Health (2003) Confidentiality: NHS Code of Practice. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/200146/Confidentiality_-_NHS_Code_of_Practice.pdf (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  21. Will Mandy (2022). Six ideas about how to address the autism mental health crisis . Autism, 26(2), 289-292. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/13623613211067928 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4210731441
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  22. Jinan Zeidan , Éric Fombonne , Julie Scorah , Alaa T. Ibrahim , Maureen S. Durkin , Shekhar Saxena et al. (2022). Global prevalence of autism: A systematic review update . Autism Research, 15(5), 778-790. Wiley.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1002/aur.2696 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4214849391
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  23. Doughty B, Taylor M, Martini M (2021) Mental Health Problems in Autistic People. www.mqmentalhealth.org/mentalhealth-and-autism (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  24. Md Mahbub Hossain , Nusrat Khan , Abida Sultana , Ping Ma , E. Lisako J. McKyer , Helal Uddin Ahmed et al. (2020). Prevalence of comorbid psychiatric disorders among people with autism spectrum disorder: An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses . Psychiatry Research, 287, 112922. Elsevier BV.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.112922 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2997685177
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  25. Hampshire Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (2023) Mental Health/Illness and Resilience. hampshirecamhs.nhs.uk/issue/mental-health-and-mental-illness-professional (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  26. Elizabeth M Weir , Carrie Allison , Simon Baron-Cohen (2022). Autistic adults have poorer quality healthcare and worse health based on self-report data . Molecular Autism, 13(1), 23. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1186/s13229-022-00501-w OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4281568468
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  27. Health Education England (2023) The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism. www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/learning-disability/current-projects/oliver-mcgowan-mandatory-training-learning-disability-autism (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  28. House of Lords (2021) Mandatory Training on Learning Disabilities and Autism Bill [HL]. bills.parliament.uk/publications/44205/documents/1111 (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  29. (2009). Nursing in Child and Adolescent Mental Health . Nursing in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 7.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  30. (2018). User and carer involvement in mental health training . Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 10(2), 85.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  31. McKenzie K (2016) Supporting People with Autism Spectrum Disorder. www.nursinginpractice.com/cpd/supporting-people-with-autism-spectrum-disorder (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  32. (2000). The Mental Health of Children and Adolescents in Great Britain . The Mental Health of Children and Adolescents in Great Britain.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  33. Mental Health First Aid England (2020) Mental Health Statistics. mhfaengland.org/mhfa-centre/research-and-evaluation/mental-health-statistics (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  34. Mental Health Foundation (2021) Mindfulness. www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/a-z-topics/mindfulness (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  35. (2022). Asmundson GJ (2022) Comprehensive Clinical Psychology . Asmundson GJ (2022) Comprehensive Clinical Psychology, 402.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  36. Mind (2022) Mental Health and Autism. www.mind.org.uk/about-us/our-policy-work/equality-and-human-rights/mental-health-and-autism (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  37. National Autistic Society (2023a) What is Autism? www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/what-is-autism (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  38. National Autistic Society (2023b) Making Macclesfield Hospital Accessible to Autistic People. www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/professional-practice/accessible-hospital (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  39. National Autistic Society, Mind (2021) Good Practice Guide for Professionals Delivering Talking Therapies for Autistic Adults and Children. s2.chorus-mk.thirdlight.com/file/24/asDKIN9as.klK7easFDsalAzTC/NAS-Good-Practice-Guide-A4.pdf (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  40. National Institute for Health , Care Excellence (2021). Autism Spectrum Disorder in Adults: Diagnosis and Management. Clinical guideline No. 142 . Autism Spectrum Disorder in Adults: Diagnosis and Management. Clinical guideline No. 142.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  41. NHS (2022a) NHS Talking Therapies. www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/nhs-talking-therapies (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  42. NHS (2022b) Signs of Autism. www.nhs.uk/conditions/autism/signs (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  43. NHS England, NHS Improvement, National Collaborating Central for Mental Health (2019) The Community Mental Health Framework for Adults and Older Adults. www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/community-mental-health-framework-for-adults-and-older-adults.pdf (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  44. Nursing , Midwifery Council (2018). The Code: Professional Standards of Practice and Behaviour for Nurses, Midwives and Nursing Associates . The Code: Professional Standards of Practice and Behaviour for Nurses, Midwives and Nursing Associates.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  45. (2019). Falling through the cracks: how service gaps leave children with neurodevelopmental disorders and mental health difficulties without the care they need . BC Medical Journal, 61(3), 114.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  46. Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, NHS England (2019) STOMP and STAMP: A Leaflet for Families of Children and Young People with a Learning Disability, Autism or Both who may be Prescribed (or are Prescribed) Psychotropic Medication. www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/stomp-stamp-family-leaflet.pdf (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  47. Tam P (2013) Autism’s New Frontiers, Part 3: Falling Between the Cracks. ottawacitizen.com/health/family%20&%20child/autisms-new-frontiers-part-3-falling-between-the-cracks?r (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  48. The Open University (2022) Understanding Autism. www.open.edu/openlearn/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=66953§ion=2. 2 (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  49. World Health Organization (2022) Mental Health. www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-response (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  50. World Health Organization (2023) ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics. icd.who.int/browse11/l-m/en (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  51. Young Minds (2022) A Guide for Young People: Autism and Mental Health. www.youngminds.org.uk/young-person/mental-health-conditions/autism-and-mental-health (Last accessed: 30 November 2023.)
    Type: Other
    Crossref