Teryn McDermott
Fairbanks School of Public Health
PBHL-S337: The Impact of Societal Stigma on Increased Suicidality for Those with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Health and Society Issue Brief
PBHL-S337, Health Equity and Social Determinants of Health, was a course I took during my last semester of undergraduate education. This course helped me to better understand the different aspects leading to health outcomes in an individual as well as the overall health of society. During this course I chose to research how societal stigma impacts those with autism spectrum disorder, specifically how it impacts mental health outcomes. This was an area of interest to me after working with HANDS in Autism for many years and having a twin brother on the spectrum. Below are my findings and final project.
The Impact of Societal Stigma on Increased Suicidality for Those with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Key Findings
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Autism spectrum disorder is a risk factor for suicide.
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Those with autism spectrum disorder present themselves differently in public to avoid judgement by society.
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Societal stigma is a contributing factor to decreased life expectancy of those on the autism spectrum.
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Society members increasing their education on this disorder and addressing their own biases can be impactful.
Increased Suicidality of Those on the Autism Spectrum as a Social Issue
Those who have autism spectrum disorder are at both a higher risk of suicide and more at risk of dying by suicide than those who do not have autism spectrum disorder (Newell, 2021). The rates and statistics for those who have autism spectrum disorder inherently make this a social issue. These rates and statistics identify a key problem occurring in the current group in society. In addition to the above statistics, it has been found that many of what is perceived to be a protective factor for suicide risk is not the same for those with autism spectrum disorder.
Societal stigma plays a key role in increasing poor mental health outcomes in those with autism spectrum disorder. Many individuals in society do not properly understand what autism spectrum disorder is, and as such do not understand those with this disorder. This is why camouflaging, otherwise known as masking, is so prevalent in those with autism spectrum disorder. This refers to those with autism spectrum disorder hiding traits or behaviors when in public to be better accepted and perceived by society (Newell, 2021).
This can be especially harmful for an individual with autism spectrum disorder and contributes to feelings of social exclusion. Social exclusion and social stigma raises strong, intense emotions for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (Secer et al., 2025). These feelings can often cause an increase in suicidal ideation (Jack, C., 2023). Due to this, along with the noted increasing in social anxiety, depression, and anxiety, camouflaging or masking has been identified as a risk factor (Secer et al., 2025).
Those with autism spectrum disorder regulate and experience emotions in a unique way compared to those who do not have the disorder. This is referred to as alexithymia, which means it is difficult for many to identify what emotions they are having, which can lead to further negative mental health consequences (Newell, 2021). This links societal stigma to this social issue.
Societal stigma also plays a role in support and healthcare individuals with autism spectrum disorder experience. Often, those with this disorder can be overlooked or even dismissed by healthcare professionals (Hotez, E. et al., 2024). This can lead to health issues going undiagnosed as well as not treated. Being dismissed in this way and not being understood by trusted personnel can be very damaging to a person’s mental health. In addition, societal stigma and bias is also demonstrated in both the infantilization and adultification of individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Infantilization refers to treating an individual as if they were younger and effectively undermining their ability to make decisions for themselves (Hotez, E. et al., 2024). This is effectively acting as if individuals with autism spectrum disorder cannot make their own choices and is undermining their intelligence and control of their own life. On the other hand, adultification refers to having expectations of someone that is inappropriate for their age or their stage in development (Hotez, E. et al., 2024). This is also effectively undermining an individual with autism spectrum disorder. Both of these behaviors rooted in societal stigma lead to poor health outcomes. In terms of physical health, the choice of receiving care maybe taken away from the individual and cause poor health outcomes. In terms of mental health, the loss of control associated with infantilization can be very dehumanizing and make a person depressed. Adultification can cause increased stress levels as individuals may have expectations on them and responsibilities that they are both physically and mentally unable to perform.
"The factors described contribute to many recognizing autism spectrum disorder as its own risk factor for suicide (Newell, 2021). These issues, along with the direct impacts caused by poor mental health outcomes and suicide on society in general, identify this issue as a social issue. This can be seen especially clearly when linked to the impacts of societal stigma."
What I learned
This assignment taught me a lot about autism spectrum disorder. I learned about contributing health issues as well as the mental health issues individuals with this disorder face. I was also able to learn more about the role of societal stigma on suicidality for individuals on the autism spectrum.