Abstract
<p>This study examined the relationship between religiosity and suicidality in autistic adults, with a particular focus on whether perceived stress mediates this relationship. Prior research suggests that autistic individuals are at increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours, yet the mechanisms underlying this vulnerability are not fully understood. While religiosity has been identified as a potential protective factor in the general population, its role within autistic populations has received limited attention. A secondary data analysis was conducted on data from 127 autistic adults aged 19-73 years. Measures included self-reported religiosity, perceived stress, suicidality, and additional psychosocial variables such as loneliness, psychological distress, social anxiety, social support, and contextual stressors. Pearson correlation analyses, mediation analysis, and multiple regression were performed. The findings indicated that perceived stress did not significantly mediate the relationship between religiosity and suicidality. Furthermore, religiosity was not identified as a significant predictor of suicidality within this sample. However, other factors, including loneliness, psychological distress, and social anxiety, showed stronger associations with increased suicidality, while social support appeared to play a protective role. Moreover, psychological distress and treatment/health difficulties were found to be significant predictors of suicidality. These results suggest that, although religiosity may offer benefits for some individuals, it does not seem to play a central role in reducing suicide risk among autistic adults. Instead, interventions targeting emotional distress, social isolation, and stress management may be more effective. This study emphasises the importance of focusing on broader psychosocial factors to better understand and reduce suicidality in the autistic population.</p>