I had never heard the term "eudaimonic" before and it is an interesting idea.

http://positivepsychology.org.uk/the-concept-of-eudaimonic-w...

My question is, is this work assessing whether an existing, confirmed hypothesis (e.g. happiness counters depression) holds true for a different population, or is it assessing whether this hypothesis holds true at all [0]?

The paper appears to focus entirely on ASD subjects, so this delineation was not clear to me, at least on an initial skim of the paper.

Also, I feel like a more detailed treatment of hedonic and eudaimonic happiness from the perspective of ASD would have been beneficial in providing a better context to the reader. Maybe this is well-known in the domain?

[0] and happens to focus on this population for access, funding, or other ancillary reasons

"These results are consistent with research in the general population [Teismann, Brailovskaia, et al., 2018; Teismann, Forkmann, et al., 2018; Wilhelm et al., 2010] that shows well‐being functions as a buffer or protective factor against depression."

Is the study trying to show that people with autism get brought up to the general population's base-line when there is a supported employment program?

Wait, so the theory is that if you're generally happy, you're less likely to be depressed? I know that depression and sadness are very different things, and happy people get depressed, but... it sure seems like you'd expect a correlation.

Not only does this seem a little bit obvious, it also doesn't seem immediately useful. And further down it notes that this is entirely consistent with research in the general population, so this result is... also totally unsurprising. Is there a reason at all to believe that this would be true for people generally but not for people with ASD?

https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/med/research/platform/wemwbs/

You literally self-rate the fourteen items on a scale from 1 to 5: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/med/research/platform/wemwbs/w...

As I understand it, and someone correct me if I don't, these self-reporting scales are just a loose diagnostic indicator. They're more useful over time, especially if receiving therapy or medication, as the change in responses can be tracked.

But if well-being is stuff like being optimistic and fulfilled, then it seems to me hardly a surprise that being optimistic and fulfilled makes you less likely to become depressed, in the same way that not being depressed today makes you less likely to be depressed tomorrow. So I'm trying to work out what this study is actually saying, other than non-depressed people (with ASD) are less likely to be depressed in the future than currently slightly-to-very depressed people.

My therapist uses a different questionnaire that has more negative questions like "Little interest or pleasure in doing things" or "Poor appetite or overeating". I tend to do alright on that one.

However, I score over 2 on only a few of the items on the list you posted, and a lot of them are solidly 1. There's a feeling of tension, anger, and frustration I just can't shake.

There's a big difference (to me anyway) in the wording between "Feeling bad about yourself – or that you are a failure or have let yourself or family down" and "I’ve been feeling good about myself"

I wouldn't say that I feel like a failure (and I have nobody who cares enough to let down), but I sure haven't been feeling good either.

I don't know quite how to express this doctors and mental health professionals in a way they understand, though, and this scale really kind of illustrates it for me, so I'm wondering what that means?

Find a good mental health professional who will take the time and care to understand you, and show them the same thoughts you've shared here.

You shouldn't have to change your vernacular with a mindful professional. There's plenty of leads they can follow here -- And if you want effective answers about your feelings, that's who should be doing it! A true professional dedicated to figuring these things out with you.

People with ASD have much, (much, much,) higher incidence rates of mental health problems usually stemming from loss/lack of employment viability.

What this study concludes is that the supportive employment program buffers against those health issues that effect so many with ASD.

Couple years old but I recall this talk being vaguely relevant.

https://youtu.be/NCAErePScO0

(Mental health info around 11:20)

So yes, kind of obvious, and seemingly useless information alas we have the statistics, we have the problem, and now we know of one such solution.

Non ASD would likely benefit from the employment program as well but to the same extent? Unlikely - but only because there is less room to improve.

Also, the study specifically dealt with people who had formal diagnoses already, so I'm really not sure how your comment is even relevant.

No, it's not. A rash is a symptom, not a disorder diagnosed from a complex combination of symptoms; it's more like self-diagnosis of AIDS prior to the discovery of the role of HIV, and the use of HIV testing.

In young children, the visible symptoms of autism may mimic other developmental conditions, so a professional diagnosis is important. An intelligent adult can make the distinction for themselves, given enough information. (Though they'll still need a diagnosis to seek treatment or accommodations.)

That's also true of many physical conditions with unknown causes, hence the comparison to pre-knowledge-of-HIV AIDS as a more apt comparison than a rash.

> But right now, if you have a large number of autistic symptoms, you most likely meet the diagnostic criteria for ASD.

By DSM 5 criteria, you need either two or three symptoms (depending on exactly where you bound así for symptom) symptoms, manifesting by a particular time, with specific social impact, and all the potential symptoms (and the impact) are defined in a way that even an intelligent layman in a position to be objective rather than applying a bias from their own position is likely to have trouble applying them well.

Do you have any advice on things that were beneficial for you? Or alternatively things that were super horrible and should be avoided?

I guess the main thing for dealing with any autistic people is to remember that they're bad both at emoting and at reading others' emotions. If he seems insensitive sometimes, it may be that he doesn't realize he's being hurtful, or it may be that he's actually very upset but is shutting down and can't express himself effectively. We can learn to be better at both of those, but it doesn't come naturally.

This was less of a problem for me, but I've heard about autistic kids who frequently got yelled at/punished and genuinely didn't understand why, and that can be very damaging; you wind up afraid to do anything for fear of violating unknown and unspoken rules. So, I guess, try to be patient and talk to him when he acts out. Remember also that he may not be able to put his reasons for things into words, especially if he's upset or feeling pressured; that doesn't mean he doesn't have a reason.

Be patient, do your homework, listen to his doctors, be willing to talk to his teachers and go to bat for him at school, and I'm sure you'll do all right.

Wouldn't "99% of self-diagnosed ASD are not" be more accurate and clear, even if the stat is a guess.

This was mainly brought on due to numerous employment experiences and mostly the last one in which the company I worked for sent me to America to work for 3 weeks. Simple enough, though fiscally they utterly destroyed me. Chap from Canada (company base) was also over there. For me to cover expenses over there they sorted me out a pittance expense advance. Chap from Canada, had 5x that advanced! Equally my boss messed up the form, did it as salary advance and upshot was first week there I realised I was going to be paid nothing end of the month, be owed a bucket load of expenses and my rent and all my bills would bounce. Short version, boss failed to sort it out, complained to HR about me chassing him about it and my subsequent breakdown, lossed the job, home, everything. Still not recovered from that.

More to the story, things like started low salary, told would get big pay rise after few month, never happened. Promoted without pay rise, did most of the work (including peers stealing credit for my work.

But then, get many things that upset you in work. Recall in another company, having time off for family funeral, arraged return date and come back to work to find somebody sitting at my desk!

I will say one issue that I wished I'd identified early was never to mix work with pashions. As I literally burned myself out so many time that the toll has been horrendous. Made lots of people very rich, but got taken advantage off something rotten.

Had I had an earlier diagnoses, life would of been easier for sure. That I have no doubts and I'd of been in better shape today mentally.

So anybody self-diagnosing - just get formally diagnosed, just to protect yourself from being abused.

That said, I have found that in some area's of life, your better of not even saying you have mental health quirks. AS you end up getting patronised and somewhat ignored. I've had personal experience with the UK Police and frankly it's shocking how bad you can be treated.

Still, encouraging that some companies being properly mindful about such people and with that, not just giving lip-service. Just a bit late for me alas, I'm a spent force in mid 50's now.