Autism and Mental Health: The Role of Occupational Therapy

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

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Kirby, A. V., Morgan, L., & Hilton, C. (2023). Autism and Mental Health: The Role of Occupational Therapy. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 77(2), 170-174. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2023.050303

Publication date: 24 Mar 2023 Added to AutiHub: 23 Sep 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
Publisher source (DOI) Full text OpenAlex source

This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:

Authors

Publication authors
3
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 3 (33.3%)
  1. Anne V. Kirby
  2. Lisa Morgan *
  3. Claudia Hilton

Abstract

Research has indicated a high prevalence of mental health problems among autistic people, with elevated rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality. The profession of occupational therapy has its roots in mental health and can offer a unique focus on occupation to support the mental health needs of autistic clients. In this Guest Editorial we introduce articles for this special issue of the American Journal of Occupational Therapy related to autism and mental health and use the Person–Environment–Occupation Model. The articles offer insights into how interactions among person, environment, and occupation factors affect the mental health of autistic populations and demonstrate ways that mental health can be supported through occupational engagement. Opportunities to support the mental health of autistic people include promoting engagement in meaningful activities, supporting individual strengths, and bolstering clients’ sense of self and identification with their autistic identity. Future research is needed to uncover and test interventions to support autistic clients and should reflect cultural humility and participatory approaches. We chose to use identity-first language (rather than person-first language) to describe the autistic community in this Guest Editorial out of respect for common community member preferences and in accordance with recommendations for anti-ableist language use (Bottema-Beutel et al., 2021 ). Decisions about language for each article in this special issue were made by the respective authors.

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: 2 Oct 2026 02:39.

Cited references
24
With a DOI
21
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
3
7 / 24 (29.2%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
2 / 24 (8.3%)
References with detected author names
22 / 24 (91.7%)
Without detected author names
2
Without a structured title
2
Without a stable identifier
3
References with raw author names still to review
2
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
120
From DOI or external metadata
120
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
4
69 / 120 (57.5%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 51 / 120 (42.5%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
23 / 120 (19.2%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 23 / 69 (33.3%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 20 / 112 (17.9%).
  2. American Occupational Therapy Association (2017). Mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention in occupational therapy practice . American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 71(2_suppl), 7112410035. SAGE Publications.
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    OpenAlex
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    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  9. Kate Simpson , Dawn Adams , Stephanie Malone , Madonna Tucker , Ron Rapee , Jacqui Rodgers (2023). A Parent-Mediated Anxiety Intervention Specifically Tailored for Autistic Preschoolers: A Pilot Study . American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 77(2), 255-265. SAGE Publications.
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    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  10. Virginia C. Stoffel (2013). Opportunities for Occupational Therapy Behavioral Health: A Call to Action . American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 67(2), 140-145. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.5014/ajot.2013.672001 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2143640222
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  11. Aaron Dallman , Kaitlyn P. Wilson , Emily Friesner (2023). Social Agency and Neurodivergent Routines: Supports and Barriers to the Mental Health of Autistic Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic . American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 77(2), 174-182. SAGE Publications.
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    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  12. Kristie Patten Koenig , Lauren Hough Williams (2017). Characterization and Utilization of Preferred Interests: A Survey of Adults on the Autism Spectrum . Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 33(2), 129-140. Informa UK Limited.
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    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  14. Valencia Steele , Lenin Grajo (2023). A Preliminary Study on the Content Validity of the Family Assessment of Quality in Self-Care Engagement . American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 77(2), 190-198. SAGE Publications.
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    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  15. 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.
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  17. Merry Kalingel-Levi , Naomi Schreuer , Yelena Granovsky , Tami Bar-Shalita , Irit Weissman-Fogel , Tseela Hoffman et al. (2023). “Feeling Unwanted, When Nobody Wants You Around”: Perceptions of Social Pain Among People With Autism . American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 77(2), 208-220. SAGE Publications.
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    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  18. Wanda J. Mahoney , Gifty Abraham , Minerva Villacrusis (2023). Many Hands Working Together: Adapting Hospital Care to Support Autistic Children’s Mental Health . American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 77(2), 198-208. SAGE Publications.
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    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  19. Morgan L. (2020). Living with PTSD on the autism spectrum: Insightful analysis with practical applications . Living with PTSD on the autism spectrum: Insightful analysis with practical applications.
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    Crossref
  21. Kavitha Murthi , Yu-Lun Chen , Stephen Mark Shore * , Kristie Patten (2023). Strengths-Based Practice to Enhance Mental Health for Autistic People: A Scoping Review . American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 77(2), 220-232. SAGE Publications.
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  22. Julie Smith , Nicole Halliwell , Amy C. Laurent , Jessica Tsotsoros , Katelyn Harris , Beth DeGrace (2023). Social Participation Experiences of Families Raising a Young Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Implications for Mental Health and Well-Being . American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 77(2), 265-277. SAGE Publications.
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    Crossref
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