Can Digital Mental Health Support Meet the Needs of Autistic People? A Systematic Review
Abstract
Autistic people experience high rates of mental health conditions and barriers to accessing supports. Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) may be one way to improve access, but their applicability is unclear. We reviewed DMHIs that focus on mental health outcomes in autistic people, examining their scope, adaptation, community involvement and evidence of effectiveness. Five databases were searched in 08/2024 and 04/2026. Eligible studies evaluated a DMHI and reported pre-post mental health outcomes in autistic people. Findings were synthesised narratively using SWiM guidelines. Thirty-three studies reported on 1,258 autistic participants across fifteen studies were randomised controlled trials and 17 uncontrolled designs. Although anxiety was the primary focus of DMHIs, effects of DMHIs on depression, specific phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and trauma were also explored. Comparative findings for anxiety were mixed, and the predominantly small and uncontrolled evidence base could not establish efficacy. Most interventions were CBT-based, community involvement in study or DMHI design was very limited. DMHIs could be a promising option to support the mental health of autistic people, but research is in preliminary stages. Future studies should focus on co-producing DMHIs and embedding these into adequately powered controlled studies that are inclusive for a broader range of participants.
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BibTeX
@misc{adams2026digital,
title = {{Can Digital Mental Health Support Meet the Needs of Autistic People? A Systematic Review}},
author = {Dawn Adams and Chris Paradisis and Kiera Louise Adams},
howpublished = {PsyArXiv},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.31234/osf.io/trxgs_v1},
url = {https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/trxgs_v1/},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Can Digital Mental Health Support Meet the Needs of Autistic People? A Systematic Review
AU - Dawn Adams
AU - Chris Paradisis
AU - Kiera Louise Adams
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/05
PB - PsyArXiv
DO - 10.31234/osf.io/trxgs_v1
UR - https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/trxgs_v1/
AB - Autistic people experience high rates of mental health conditions and barriers to accessing supports. Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) may be one way to improve access, but their applicability is unclear. We reviewed DMHIs that focus on mental health outcomes in autistic people, examining their scope, adaptation, community involvement and evidence of effectiveness. Five databases were searched in 08/2024 and 04/2026. Eligible studies evaluated a DMHI and reported pre-post mental health outcomes in autistic people. Findings were synthesised narratively using SWiM guidelines. Thirty-three studies reported on 1,258 autistic participants across fifteen studies were randomised controlled trials and 17 uncontrolled designs. Although anxiety was the primary focus of DMHIs, effects of DMHIs on depression, specific phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and trauma were also explored. Comparative findings for anxiety were mixed, and the predominantly small and uncontrolled evidence base could not establish efficacy. Most interventions were CBT-based, community involvement in study or DMHI design was very limited. DMHIs could be a promising option to support the mental health of autistic people, but research is in preliminary stages. Future studies should focus on co-producing DMHIs and embedding these into adequately powered controlled studies that are inclusive for a broader range of participants.
ER -