Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and social support/education (SE) both reduced depression, anxiety, and autistic traits in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). MBSR uniquely improved executive functioning and increased mindfulness traits, including the trait nonjudgment. Decreased connectivity between the insula and thalamus was associated with anxiety reduction and increased mindfulness traits specifically in the MBSR group; decreased connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and posterior cingulate correlated with improved working memory. Both groups showed decreased amygdala-sensorimotor and medial-lateral prefrontal cortex connectivity, which corresponded with reduced depression. The findings suggest shared and distinct neural mechanisms for MBSR and SE, implicating the default mode and salience networks.
Autistic adults face elevated depression risk, which harms daily functioning and life outcomes. App-based meditation helps neurotypical adults manage depression, but long-term evidence for autistic adults was lacking. Anchoring, a habit-formation strategy, had not been tested in this group. This work shows that combining anchoring with app-based meditation is feasible and effective for establishing meditation habits in autistic adults. These habits maintained reduced depressive symptoms over six months. The findings indicate anchoring-based habit formation is a promising technique for building healthy habits in autistic adults, and app-based meditation offers a durable self-care option for managing depression in this population.