{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,11,6]],"date-time":"2026-11-06T12:46:41Z","timestamp":1793969201301,"version":"4.8.0"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2018,12,14]],"date-time":"2018-12-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1544745600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000269","name":"Economic and Social Research Council","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["ES\/N000501\/1"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["ES\/N000501\/1"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000269","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Autism"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2019,8]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Previous research shows that autistic people have high levels of co-occurring mental health conditions. Yet, a number of case reports have revealed that mental health conditions are often misdiagnosed in autistic individuals. A total of 420 adults who identified as autistic, possibly autistic or non-autistic completed an online survey consisting of questions regarding mental health diagnoses they received, whether they agreed with those diagnoses and if not why. Autistic and possibly autistic participants were more likely to report receiving mental health diagnoses compared to non-autistic participants, but were less likely to agree with those diagnoses. Thematic analysis revealed the participants\u2019 main reasons for disagreement were that (1) they felt their autism characteristics were being confused with mental health conditions by healthcare professionals and (2) they perceived their own mental health difficulties to be resultant of ASC. Participants attributed these to the clinical barriers they experienced, including healthcare professionals\u2019 lack of autism awareness and lack of communication, which in turn prevented them from receiving appropriate support. This study highlights the need for autism awareness training for healthcare professionals and the need to develop tools and interventions to accurately diagnose and effectively treat mental health conditions in autistic individuals.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/1362361318818167","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2018,12,14]],"date-time":"2018-12-14T11:22:03Z","timestamp":1544786523000},"page":"1508-1518","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":130,"title":["Experience of mental health diagnosis and perceived misdiagnosis in autistic, possibly autistic and non-autistic adults"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"23","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0516-4755","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sheena K","family":"Au-Yeung","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Coventry University, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Louise","family":"Bradley","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Coventry University, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9914-3199","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ashley E","family":"Robertson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Coventry University, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rebecca","family":"Shaw","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Coventry University, UK"},{"name":"Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Simon","family":"Baron-Cohen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Cambridge, UK"},{"name":"Cambridge Lifespan Asperger Syndrome Service (CLASS), UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1982-3034","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sarah","family":"Cassidy","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Coventry University, UK"},{"name":"University of Cambridge, UK"},{"name":"University of Nottingham, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2018,12,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_5_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1176\/appi.books.9780890425596"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1023\/A:1005653411471"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1191\/1478088706qp063oa"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/archgenpsychiatry.2011.38"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_6_1","article-title":"\u2018People like me don\u2019t get support\u2019: autistic adults\u2019 experiences of support and treatment for mental health difficulties, self-injury and suicidality","author":"Camm-Crosbie L","unstructured":"Camm-Crosbie L, Bradley L, Shaw R, et al. (2018) \u2018People like me don\u2019t get support\u2019: autistic adults\u2019 experiences of support and treatment for mental health difficulties, self-injury and suicidality. Autism. Epub ahead of print 29 November. doi: 10.1177\/1362361318816053","journal-title":"Autism"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/aur.1922"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cpr.2018.05.002"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S2215-0366(14)70248-2"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s13229-018-0226-4"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_11_1","volume-title":"Statistical Power and Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences","author":"Cohen J","year":"1988","unstructured":"Cohen J (1988) Statistical Power and Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.","edition":"2"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1362361318757048."},{"key":"e_1_3_5_13_1","unstructured":"Department of Health (2015) Statutory guidance for local authorities and NHS organisations to support implementation of the adult autism strategy. Available at: https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/uploads\/system\/uploads\/attachment_data\/file\/422338\/autism-guidance.pdf"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1359104507078476"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1362361318786721."},{"key":"e_1_3_5_16_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/tra0000298"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/da.22759"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_18_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1192\/bjp.bp.114.160192"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_19_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/archpedi.161.4.372"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_20_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10803-014-2161-3"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_21_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1362361315588200"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_22_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S2215-0366(15)00277-1"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_23_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10803-016-2722-8"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_24_1","first-page":"131","article-title":"Misdiagnosis of high function autism spectrum disorders in adults: an Italian case series","volume":"4","author":"Luciano CC","year":"2014","unstructured":"Luciano CC, Keller R, Politi P, et al. (2014) Misdiagnosis of high function autism spectrum disorders in adults: an Italian case series. Autism 4: 131.","journal-title":"Autism"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_25_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2217\/npy.13.1"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_26_1","unstructured":"National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2014) Implementation pack: developing a multi-agency local autism team. Putting NICE guidance into practice. Available at: https:\/\/www.nice.org.uk\/guidance\/cg170\/resources\/the-bristol-autism-spectrum-service-bass-pdf-436748082"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_27_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1362361314529627"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_28_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/aur.1828"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_29_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S2215-0366(16)30348-0"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_30_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s13229-016-0073-0"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_31_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1362361306062013"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_32_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10803-014-2239-y"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_33_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10803-005-3300-7"}],"container-title":["Autism"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/1362361318818167","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/1362361318818167","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/1362361318818167","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,28]],"date-time":"2026-04-28T12:49:15Z","timestamp":1777380555000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/1362361318818167"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2018,12,14]]},"references-count":32,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2019,8]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1177\/1362361318818167"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/1362361318818167","relation":{},"ISSN":["1362-3613","1461-7005"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1362-3613","type":"print"},{"value":"1461-7005","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2018,12,14]]}}}