Large-Scale Study Finds Autistic Youth Far More Likely to Be Hospitalized for Mental Health Conditions

Autistic youth are hospitalized for mental health reasons at dramatically higher rates than their non-autistic peers, according to a new peer-reviewed study led by Catalight researchers Ben Pfingston and Lindsey Sneed, Ph.D., BCBA. The research also explored differences in the quality and cost of hospital stays; however, those findings were analyzed separately and may not be directly explained by mental health factors.

Using data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project’s 2019 Kids’ Inpatient Database, one of the largest national samples available (representing 48 states and more than more than 42,000 autistic hospital admissions and over 1.2 million non-autistic admissions), the team compared mental health hospitalizations for children and young adults ages 2–20 with and without autism.

Key Findings:

• 36% of autistic youth admissions were for a primary mental health or behavioral health condition – compared to 21% among non-autistic youth
• 45% of autistic hospital admissions included at least one mental health diagnosis, versus 27% of their non-autistic peers
• Autistic youth admitted with mental health conditions were younger, stayed longer and had greater severity of illness, driving up hospital charges

“Mental Health Disparities in Hospital Admissions for Youth With and Without Autism” was published in the Journal of Social, Behavioral and Health Sciences in August 2025.

“These findings reinforce what we see in practice every day,” said Dr. Sneed, the vice president of clinical excellence at Catalight – one of the largest non-profit behavioral health networks in the United States. “Autistic individuals face greater mental health challenges, but they often aren’t getting the help they need until a crisis lands them in the hospital. We need to be meeting their needs earlier.”

The study highlights a critical gap in mental health care: Many autistic youth are not receiving timely or autism-informed outpatient support. By the time they are hospitalized, their symptoms are more severe and treatment is more complex.

“This is a national issue of access and equity. Autistic children and young adults aren’t getting the mental health care they need,” said Pfingston, Catalight’s senior research and data analyst who was diagnosed with autism at age 11. “If we can train providers and create systems that meet these needs earlier, we can vastly improve outcomes and reduce burdens.”

The authors urge a multifaceted approach to address the disparities, including better clinician training so that hospital staff, psychiatrists and mental health professionals are equipped to recognize and respond to the unique needs of autistic youth.

“Most people assume their mental health providers know how to work with autistic individuals but, in reality, very few receive any formal training,” Dr. Sneed said. “Even psychiatrists and psychologists often lack the tools to recognize how mental health issues present differently in autistic patients. That gap in knowledge can delay diagnosis, delay treatment and ultimately lead to a crisis that might have been preventable.”

Pfingston added that one of the most dangerous mistakes providers make is when depression and other severe mental health issues are dismissed as “just autism.”

“Our data shows that nearly half of autistic youth admitted to hospitals have a mental health diagnosis and we know from other research that suicide rates are tragically high among autistic people” he said. “When professionals overlook changes in behavior or assume depression or suicidal thoughts are simply a symptom of autism, they risk missing a critical window for intervention.”

Pfingston and Dr. Sneed also call for earlier support which can come in the form of school counseling, community-based mental health services and telehealth as a way to intervene before challenges escalate to the point of hospitalization. The importance of fostering social connection, building greater awareness about autistic and mental health issues, and encouraging family support systems can’t be overlooked either, they said.

“Adaptations in communication, environment and expectations can make a huge difference,” said Dr. Sneed. “We need to equip mental health professionals with the right knowledge in order to serve the autistic population equitably and prevent more tragedies.”

Contact:

Megan McDevitt
Catalight
Vice President of Communications
[email protected]
+1-925-464-0811