Exploring loneliness of Autistic adults

Why

Loneliness is the feeling of being alone or isolated, even when you're surrounded by people. It's a sense of not having the connection or companionship you desire.

Research tells us that loneliness could become an international health crisis, with wide spreading negative impacts on physical and mental health and the economy. While most people may experience loneliness throughout their lifetime, emerging research shows that Autistic adults may experience higher levels of loneliness than non-Autistic people.

How can we measure loneliness of Autistic people? Do we measure it in the same way as we do for non-Autistic people? What influences loneliness in Autistic adults? What recommendations should be made to support services, therapists, parents and caregivers to support Autistic adults in reducing their loneliness levels?

The research

Before we try to measure loneliness, we are completing a phase of research where we will seek expert feedback on the survey items. In our research, experts are Autistic people and academic researchers who focus on loneliness research in other cohorts. After the items are all reviewed, we’ll use best practice to make sure the survey is accessible. Then, we’ll begin recruitment!

Find out more or take part

We are looking for both Autistic and non-Autistic participants for this survey. To participate, you need to be over 18 years of age. You can choose to participate by completing the survey yourself or doing it over the phone or Zoom with a researcher.

Register your interest by completing the form below and we’ll contact you when we are ready to recruit participants for this study:

Making a difference

This study aims to fill a gap in the research by investigating what influences loneliness of Autistic adults and how loneliness can be measured. We want to know what is related to loneliness for autistic people, so we’ll explore things like anxiety, camouflaging, and depression to see how they are related to loneliness.

The findings from this study will enable us to create a guide containing recommendations on how support services, therapists, parents and caregivers can support Autistic adults in reducing their loneliness levels.

Research team

Dr Abbey Love, Lead Researcher ARCAP

Dr Vicki Gibbs, ARCAP

Dr Ru Ying Cai, ARCAP

Dr Chris Edwards, ARCAP

Dr Kana Umagami (Japan)

Dr Michael Toland (USA)

Funding

Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect)