Virtual group-based mindfulness program for autistic women: A feasibility study

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Redquest, B., Tint, A., St. John, L., Hutton, S., Palmer, P., & Lunsky, Y. (2022). Virtual group-based mindfulness program for autistic women: A feasibility study. Women's Health, 18, 17455057221142369-17455057221142369. https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057221142369

Publication date: 1 Jan 2022 Added to AutiHub: 17 Sep 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
6
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 6 (16.7%)
  1. Brianne Redquest
  2. Ami Tint
  3. Laura St. John
  1. Sue Hutton
  2. Pamela Palmer *
  3. Yona Lunsky

Abstract

Background: Autistic women experience life differently than autistic men. For example, autistic women tend to be diagnosed significantly later than autistic men, they experience a higher number of traumas, and are at increased risk for mental health conditions. Given gender-specific life experiences, autistic women may benefit from gender-specific group-based supports. Virtual mindfulness has been shown to be helpful in improving well-being among autistic adults; however, limited research has explored the impact of virtual mindfulness when it is delivered to a group of autistic women only. Objectives: The aim of this article is to describe a preliminary evaluation of a virtual mindfulness group piloted for autistic women. Five key areas of feasibility were assessed in the current study: demand, implementation, acceptability, practicality, and limited efficacy testing. Methods: Twenty-eight women participated in a 6-week virtual autism-informed mindfulness program and were asked to complete measures assessing psychological distress, self-compassion, and mindfulness at pre and post. Participants were also asked to complete a satisfaction survey after the program. Results: Results showed that the program was feasible in terms of demand, implementation, practicality, and acceptability. While quantitative results showed there were no changes in psychological distress, self-compassion, and mindfulness from pre- to post-program, qualitative results showed some benefits. Conclusion: Given the unique challenges that some autistic women experience, offering groups to autistic women may have some value and it would be important to continue exploring this topic area.

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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: 20 Sep 2026 01:01.

Cited references
43
With a DOI
39
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
3
3 / 43 (7.0%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
1 / 43 (2.3%)
References with detected author names
43 / 43 (100.0%)
Without detected author names
0
Without a structured title
1
Without a stable identifier
3
References with raw author names still to review
0
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
178
From DOI or external metadata
178
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
0
41 / 178 (23.0%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 137 / 178 (77.0%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
4 / 178 (2.2%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 4 / 41 (9.8%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 4 / 148 (2.7%).
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