development and evaluation of guidelines and tools for autistic individuals
Autistic people are more likely to have suicidal thoughts than neurotypical people. The Flemish Centre of Expertise in Suicide Prevention (VLESP) has started a project on behalf of the Flemish Government to screen existing guidelines and tools for autism-friendliness and to adapt them where necessary. The current research project is a complementary project to generate input for the adjustment of existing guidelines and tools on the one hand and the evaluation of their use on the other hand.
What? Suicide prevention: guidelines, e-learning, and tools
For whom? For autistic people with suicidal thoughts, their family members and care providers
Why? To help autistic people cope with suicidal thoughts
What is the research about?
What are the experiences with and course of suicidal ideation and/or suicide attempt(s) in autistic individuals?
Using interviews with autistic individuals who had suicidal thoughts in the past 5 years, we want to gain more insight into the experience and course of suicidality in this target group. We will use this information to adjust existing guidelines and tools.
To what extent are existing suicide prevention tools autism-friendly?
We ask for feedback from autistic individuals through interviews and an online survey on two commonly used, existing suicide prevention tools in Belgium: My Safety Plan and the BackUp app. Based on this, we will examine whether any and what adjustments are needed to make these tools more autism-friendly.
Is the e-learning on suicide prevention for autistic individuals effective for care providers? Through an online survey among care providers who completed the e-learning on suicide prevention for autistic individuals, we want to find out whether care providers are satisfied with this e-learning and whether the e-learning provides more knowledge and less reluctance to act among care providers.
In collaboration with
Vlaams Expertisecentrum Suïcidepreventie
Eva Dumon, Elien Cornelis en Jill Schietse
Contact person ACCA
Jarymke Maljaars
Academic Collaborative Centre for Autism 