Table 1 Participant characteristics
| Â | Â | Autistic | Possibly autistic | Combined autistic/possibly autistic | Non-autistic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N = 308 | N = 113 | N = 421 | N = 268 | ||
N (%)/mean (SD) | |||||
Questionnaires | AQ | 22.86 (3.76) | 20.17 (4.57) | 22.14 (4.16) | 9.45 (5.67) |
| Â | CAT-Q | 129.02 (23.97) | 123.5 (21.11) | 127.56 (23.34) | 83.31 (25.97) |
| Â | Thwarted belongingness | 36.84 (10.65) | 35.71 (10.81) | 36.53 (10.69) | 23.09 (11.26) |
| Â | Perceived burdensomeness | 19.17 (9.21) | 16.69 (8.51) | 18.5 (9.09) | 10.21 (5.68) |
| Â | ASA-A | 37.82 (10.74) | 32.49 (11.24) | 36.4 (11.11) | 19.35 (11.18) |
| Â | PHQ-9 | 14.29 (7.58) | 12.92 (7.28) | 13.92 (7.52) | 7.37 (6.47) |
Demographics | Sex | 82 (26.62) | 29 (25.66) | 111 (26.37) | 85 (31.72) |
| Â | Gender | 83 (26.95) | 33 (29.2) | 116 (27.55) | 83 (30.97) |
| Â | Identify with a different gender than birth sex | 51 (16.56) | 17 (15.04) | 68 (16.15) | 8 (2.99) |
| Â | Age (years) | 39.71 (13.34) | 40.34 (13.55) | 39.88 (13.81) | 41.57 (14.05) |
| Â | UK residency | 243 (78.9) | 73 (64.6) | 316 (75.06) | 182 (67.91) |
Ethnicity | Asian | 6 (1.95) | 5 (4.42) | 11 (2.61) | 6 (2.24) |
| Â | Black or African or Caribbean | 2 (0.65) | 3 (2.65) | 5 (1.19) | 3 (1.12) |
| Â | Latinx | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Â | Middle eastern or arab | 2 (0.65) | 0 (0) | 2 (0.48) | 2 (0.75) |
| Â | White or Caucasian | 287 (93.18) | 99 (87.61) | 386 (91.69) | 247 (92.16) |
| Â | Other ethnic group | 12 (3.9) | 5 (4.42) | 17 (4.04) | 10 (3.73) |
| Â | Prefer not to answer | 2 (0.65) | 2 (1.77) | 4 (0.95) | 1 (0.37) |
Living arrangements | Living with flatmate(s) | 9 (2.92) | 9 (7.96) | 18 (4.28) | 15 (5.6) |
| Â | Living independently | 88 (28.57) | 23 (20.35) | 111 (26.37) | 50 (18.66) |
| Â | Living with a partner and/or dependent(s) | 131 (42.53) | 60 (53.1) | 191 (45.37) | 179 (66.79) |
| Â | Living with parents | 55 (17.86) | 11 (9.73) | 66 (15.68) | 20 (7.46) |
| Â | Living with friend(s) | 7 (2.27) | 5 (4.42) | 12 (2.85) | 2 (0.75) |
| Â | Living with a carer | 1 (0.32) | 1 (0.88) | 2 (0.48) | 0 (0) |
| Â | Living in supported accommodation | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Â | Other | 14 (4.55) | 3 (2.65) | 17 (4.04) | 2 (0.75) |
Employment status | Employed full time | 93 (30.19) | 47 (41.59) | 140 (33.25) | 154 (57.46) |
| Â | Employed part time | 66 (21.43) | 19 (16.81) | 85 (20.19) | 51 (19.03) |
| Â | Volunteering full time | 1 (0.32) | 1 (0.88) | 2 (0.48) | 1 (0.37) |
| Â | Volunteering part time | 32 (10.39) | 7 (6.19) | 39 (9.26) | 12 (4.48) |
| Â | Student full time | 36 (11.69) | 18 (15.93) | 54 (12.83) | 28 (10.45) |
| Â | Student part time | 33 (10.71) | 7 (6.19) | 40 (9.5) | 14 (5.22) |
| Â | Retired | 14 (4.55) | 6 (5.31) | 20 (4.75) | 21 (7.84) |
| Â | Unemployed looking for work | 11 (3.57) | 9 (7.96) | 20 (4.75) | 7 (2.61) |
| Â | Unemployed not looking for work | 10 (3.25) | 10 (8.85) | 20 (4.75) | 7 (2.61) |
| Â | Unable to work due to illness or disability | 90 (29.22) | 18 (15.93) | 108 (25.65) | 7 (2.61) |
Education | Home | 11 (3.57) | 1 (0.88) | 12 (2.85) | 4 (1.49) |
| Â | Mainstream | 296 (96.1) | 107 (94.69) | 403 (95.72) | 259 (96.64) |
| Â | Special | 12 (3.9) | 1 (0.88) | 13 (3.09) | 2 (0.75) |
| Â | Other | 8 (2.6) | 6 (5.31) | 14 (3.33) | 7 (2.61) |
| Â | University degree | 206 (66.88) | 79 (69.91) | 285 (67.7) | 221 (82.46) |
ASC subtype | Asperger syndrome | 150 (48.7) | Â | Â | Â |
| Â | High functioning autism | 29 (9.42) | Â | Â | Â |
| Â | Atypical autism | 1 (0.32) | Â | Â | Â |
| Â | Autism | 32 (10.39) | Â | Â | Â |
| Â | ASC | 60 (19.48) | Â | Â | Â |
| Â | Classic autism | 2 (0.65) | Â | Â | Â |
| Â | PDD-NOS | 1 (0.32) | Â | Â | Â |
| Â | Other | 30 (9.74) | Â | Â | Â |
| Â | Age of ASC diagnosis | 34.58 (14.12) | Â | Â | Â |
| Â | Clinician confirmed | 308 (100) | Â | Â | Â |
Developmental conditions |  >  = 1 Co-occurring Developmental Condition | 86 (27.92) | 16 (14.16) | 102 (24.23) | 26 (9.7) |
| Â | Dyspraxia | 24 (7.79) | 4 (3.54) | 28 (6.65) | 5 (1.87) |
| Â | Learning disability | 3 (0.97) | 2 (1.77) | 5 (1.19) | 1 (0.37) |
| Â | Learning difficulty | 1 (0.32) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.24) | 0 (0) |
| Â | Dyscalculia | 6 (1.95) | 0 (0) | 6 (1.43) | 2 (0.75) |
| Â | Dyslexia | 25 (8.12) | 2 (1.77) | 27 (6.41) | 10 (3.73) |
| Â | ADHD | 42 (13.64) | 9 (7.96) | 51 (12.11) | 15 (5.6) |
| Â | Developmental delay | 5 (1.62) | 0 (0) | 5 (1.19) | 0 (0) |
| Â | Other | 10 (3.25) | 0 (0) | 10 (2.38) | 1 (0.37) |
Current mental health/other conditions |  >  = 1 current mental health/other condition | 220 (71.43) | 61 (53.98) | 281 (66.75) | 86 (32.09) |
| Â | Depression | 154 (50) | 45 (39.82) | 199 (47.27) | 64 (23.88) |
| Â | Anxiety | 184 (59.74) | 50 (44.25) | 234 (55.58) | 57 (21.27) |
| Â | OCD | 29 (9.42) | 3 (2.65) | 32 (7.6) | 5 (1.87) |
| Â | Bipolar | 14 (4.55) | 3 (2.65) | 17 (4.04) | 3 (1.12) |
| Â | Personality disorder | 20 (6.49) | 9 (7.96) | 29 (6.89) | 8 (2.99) |
| Â | Schizophrenia | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.37) |
| Â | PTSD | 55 (17.86) | 15 (13.27) | 70 (16.63) | 8 (2.99) |
| Â | Tourette's syndrome/tic disorder | 6 (1.95) | 0 (0) | 6 (1.43) | 1 (0.37) |
| Â | Anorexia | 12 (3.9) | 1 (0.88) | 13 (3.09) | 2 (0.75) |
| Â | Bulimia | 5 (1.62) | 1 (0.88) | 6 (1.43) | 3 (1.12) |
| Â | Other | 30 (9.74) | 5 (4.42) | 35 (8.31) | 4 (1.49) |