Autistic adolescents are at increased risk of developing mental health problems. Improving psychological well-being could reduce the likelihood of such problems developing. Research has tended to prioritise the voices of non-autistic people and has neglected to consult autistic young people themselves. Our meta-synthesis aimed to systematically review qualitative research on the perspectives of autistic young people and their parents on the lived experience of psychological well-being. We conducted a pre-planned systematic search which identified 2552 papers, with 37 of those meeting full inclusion criteria. Included papers were published between 2008 and 2023, with three-quarters published since 2018. We extracted qualitative data from each paper pertaining to the lived experience of psychological well-being in autistic young people and conducted a thematic synthesis. We identified three themes; Walking a tightrope: the need for growth versus recharging through rest and familiarity; Developing a positive sense of self in the social world; Internally driven sources of happiness. Psychological interventions aiming to improve well-being in autistic young people should respect their autonomy and need for rest whilst encouraging growth and skills development, provide opportunities to understand social needs and differences, and promote opportunities to enjoy special interests.

中文翻译：

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自闭症青少年及其父母心理健康观的系统回顾与荟萃

自闭症青少年出现心理健康问题的风险增加。改善心理健康可以减少出现此类问题的可能性。研究往往优先考虑非自闭症患者的声音，而忽略了咨询自闭症年轻人本身。我们的荟萃分析旨在系统地回顾关于自闭症年轻人及其父母对心理健康生活体验的看法的定性研究。我们进行了预先计划的系统检索，确定了 2552 篇论文，其中 37 篇符合完全纳入标准。纳入的论文发表于 2008 年至 2023 年之间，其中四分之三是自 2018 年以来发表的。我们从每篇论文中提取了有关自闭症年轻人心理健康生活经历的定性数据，并进行了主题综合。我们确定了三个主题；走钢丝：成长的需要与通过休息和熟悉来充电的需要；在社交世界中培养积极的自我意识；内在驱动的幸福源泉。旨在改善自闭症青少年福祉的心理干预应尊重他们的自主性和休息需要，同时鼓励成长和技能发展，提供了解社会需求和差异的机会，并促进享受特殊兴趣的机会。