MINDS: Mental Illness, Neurodiversity and Distress Study

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Mental Illness, Neurodiversity and Distress Study: Understanding the experiences of mental health problems in Autistic/ADHD/AuDHD adults

• IRAS ID

  361255

• Contact name

  Hannah Bowers

• Contact email

  h.bowers@soton.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Southampton

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 5 months, 26 days

• Research summary

  The MINDS study explores how autistic adults, ADHD adults, or both (sometimes called “AuDHD” adults) experience mental health challenges like depression, anxiety, and distress, especially when seeking help from their GP or primary care services.
  Autism and ADHD are lifelong conditions that affect how people think, feel, and interact with others. Many adults are only diagnosed later in life, often after struggling with mental health or social issues. Getting a diagnosis can be difficult due to long waiting times, lack of suitable assessment tools, and differences in how symptoms appear in women and people from minority backgrounds.

  Autism and ADHD often occur together, and people with both conditions may face more severe mental health issues. However, most research looks at autism or ADHD separately, and little is known about the unique experiences of those with both.
  Mental health symptoms in these groups can be misunderstood. For example, emotional traits linked to autism or ADHD may be mistaken for depression or anxiety, leading to misdiagnosis or ineffective treatment. Many people are prescribed antidepressants or offered talking therapies, but these may not always work well without adjustments to suit their needs.

  This study aims to better understand how depression, anxiety, and distress show up in adults with autism and/or ADHD, and how these are managed in primary care. It will explore people’s experiences with diagnosis and treatment, and how well current approaches meet their needs.

  The goal is to improve how GPs and other healthcare providers identify and support mental health in this group, and to help develop treatments that are more effective and tailored to their unique experiences.
  

• REC name

  London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  26/LO/0078

• Date of REC Opinion

  3 Mar 2026

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion