TW - People who Need People: Leveraging Desire for Connection to Address Suicide in Autism

There is substantial evidence showing that autistic adults have an increased risk of suicide, but the misconception that they lack social motivation has hindered the recognition of social connection as a protective factor. Recent studies indicate that autistic adults actually have a strong desire for social connection and similar levels of social connections as non-autistic adults, challenging the social motivation theory. It is crucial to dismantle these misconceptions and develop suicide interventions that focus on promoting social connections for autistic individuals, considering their social needs and experiences of isolation and rejection.