Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition characterised by difficulties with social communication and interaction, and stereotyped and repetitive patterns of behaviours, interests and activities. It is estimated that around 1–2% of England’s population are autistic. Evidence suggests that autistic individuals are more likely to have a co-occurring mental health condition, and have higher rates of psychological distress, than the general population. There is thought to be an association between autism and psychotic disorders and there is an overlap between some features of autism and the prodromal symptoms of psychosis. This commentary summarises and critically appraises a previously published systematic review which aimed to estimate the prevalence of psychosis and bipolar disorder in autistic adults and reviewed the evidence in the literature around factors correlated with the co-occurrence of these conditions. This commentary discusses the implications of the findings of the review from a mental health practice perspective.