The relationship between childhood peer problem trajectories and adolescent mental health in autistic and non-autistic youth

Authors

Abstract

Peer problems are a well-established risk factor for mental ill health among children and adolescents. Research shows that exposure to peer problems (e.g., peer victimisation, rejection, social isolation) can have detrimental consequences on mental health, increasing risks for depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and self-harm or suicidality, as well as broader psychosocial difficulties such as low self-esteem, loneliness, and internalising difficulties. However, much of the existing literature relies on cross-sectional or short-term designs, making it difficult to determine whether early peer problems have enduring effects, or whether escalating trajectories confer greater risk for mental ill health. These questions can be particularly significant for autistic youth, who experience much higher rates of peer difficulties and mental ill health compared to neurotypical peers. Yet it remains unclear whether peer problems operate as a general developmental risk factor or represent a disproportionately impactful pathway to later mental health difficulties for autistic young people. We aimed to map longitudinal trajectories of peer problems and test their prospective associations with mental health, comparing between autistic and non-autistic youth.

No cited bibliography is currently integrated for this reference. This does not necessarily mean that no bibliography exists.