Promoting Quality of Life: Suggestions for Mental Health Care Providers Working with Young Autistic Adults

There is a growing population of autistic adults in need of supports from a service delivery system that, at present, fails to accommodate their needs adequately and equitably. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of trained behavioral health service providers to meet the needs of young autistic adults. Quality of life (QoL), or one's perception of, and satisfaction with, life in relation to held goals and expectations, has been identified as a key outcome of interest by autistic self-advocates. By supporting autistic clients to hone their strengths and interests, integrate various aspects of their identity, identify goals, and connect to appropriate resources, providers can promote clients' self-knowledge and self-determination, in the service of improving QoL. In this Perspectives article, we offer concrete recommendations to mental health providers, including those who do not specialize in autism, with the goal of supporting implementation of evidence-based strategies that improve QoL and promote self-determination among young autistic clients.

Brief Report: The Influence of Autism Severity and Depression on Self-Determination Among Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Self-determination (SD) is linked to autonomy and better adult outcomes. Adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often less independent than cognitively matched peers. Given the frequency with which depression co-occurs in ASD and the established association between depression and SD, we sought to evaluate the influence of both ASD severity and depression on SD among cognitively able emerging adults with ASD. Emerging adults (n = 59) with ASD completed measures of SD, ASD severity, and depression. Both ASD severity and depression were moderately correlated with SD (r = - 0.473; - 0.423, respectively) and with each other (r = 0.625). After controlling for ASD severity, depression did not significantly predict SD. Strengthening SD should be considered in programming to promote independence.

Basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration in major depressive disorder

Basic psychological needs theory postulates that a social environment that satisfies individuals' three basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness leads to optimal growth and well-being. On the other hand, the frustration of these needs is associated with ill-being and depressive symptoms foremost investigated in non-clinical samples; yet, there is a paucity of research on need frustration in clinical samples. Survey data were compared between adult individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD; n = 115; 48.69% female; 38.46 years, SD = 10.46) with those of a non-depressed comparison sample (n = 201; 53.23% female; 30.16 years, SD = 12.81). Need profiles were examined with a linear mixed model (LMM). Individuals with depression reported higher levels of frustration and lower levels of satisfaction in relation to the three basic psychological needs when compared to non-depressed adults. The difference between depressed and non-depressed groups was significantly larger for frustration than satisfaction regarding the needs for relatedness and competence. LMM correlation parameters confirmed the expected positive correlation between the three needs. This is the first study showing substantial differences in need-based experiences between depressed and non-depressed adults. The results confirm basic assumptions of the self-determination theory and have preliminary implications in tailoring therapy for depression.

Need frustration and depressive symptoms in French older people: using a self-determination approach

OBJECTIVES

To provide evidence of the relationship between basic psychological need frustration (BPNF) for autonomy, competence and relatedness, and depressive symptoms in French older people, and to explore the potential moderator effects of place of residence (home vs nursing home) on this relationship.

METHODS

Partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) was used. A total of 410 French older people (212 women, 198 men, Mage = 77.13 years, SD = 9.19, age range: 60-98 years) voluntarily participated in the study and completed the measures of BPNF and depressive symptoms. Sociodemographic data were collected.

RESULTS

Findings showed that for all the participants, competence and relatedness need frustration positively predicted depressive symptoms. More particularly, BPNF for relatedness significantly predicted depressive symptoms for older people living at home (β = .18, p < .05), whereas BPNF for competence significantly predicted depressive symptoms for both participants living at home (β = .25, p < .05) and in nursing homes (β = .34, p < .05). Among participants living at home, results showed that BPNF for competence significantly predicted depressive symptoms (β = .28, p < .05) across married participants, while BPNF for relatedness significantly predicted depressive symptoms (β = .27, p < .05) across participants living alone.

CONCLUSION

By focusing on BPNF and its relationship to depressive symptoms, this study suggests the importance of investigating further this concept, and alerts to the long-term consequences of frustration of competence and relatedness needs in older people.

Reflections on self-determination theory as an organizing framework for personality psychology: Interfaces, integrations, issues, and unfinished business

OBJECTIVE

This special issue focuses on self-determination theory (SDT) as an integrative framework for the wider field of personality research. In this commentary our aims include: reflecting on the utility and strengths of SDT as such a general framework and responding to the various contributions in this issue regarding their use of SDT as a guiding, complementary, or contrasting framework.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We describe how SDT has developed organically and conservatively from "within" based on the emerging patterns of evidence, as well through the ongoing challenges from other models and frameworks. We then discuss each of the various contributions to this special issue, addressing themes that include SDT's breadth of methods, and its relevance to topics such as narcissism, wisdom, individual differences, Big-Five traits, and the neuropsychology of motivation, among others. Across these discussions, we highlight fruitful avenues for research and cross-fertilization across the fields of personality, development, motivation, and neuroscience. At the same time, we counter some claims made about SDT, and forward certain cautions regarding the integration of SDT and other personality frameworks and models.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude by revisiting the value of broad theory, and SDT in particular, for coordinating complex research findings concerning motivation, personality development and wellness across multiple levels of analysis and, perhaps more importantly, for pointing researchers to the right questions within today's prolific empiricism.