Lifetime and perceived stress, social support, loneliness, and health in autistic adults.
Rachel L MoseleyJulie M Turner-CobbChandler M SpahrGrant S ShieldsTheodore F RoblesPublished in: Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association (2021)
Autistic individuals experienced more lifetime stressors, and their impact on physical and mental health was mediated by perceived stressor severity. Moreover, loneliness and low social support were associated with greater negative impact of lifetime stress exposure on mental health. Interventions that reduce cognitive-perceptual stress appraisals, and that target loneliness and social support, may help reduce risk for stress-related disease in autistic individuals. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).