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. 2022 Aug;52(8):3639-3654.
doi: 10.1007/s10803-021-05235-x. Epub 2021 Sep 4.

Autism Through the Ages: A Mixed Methods Approach to Understanding How Age and Age of Diagnosis Affect Quality of Life

Gray Atherton  1 , Emma Edisbury  2 , Andrea Piovesan  3 , Liam Cross  2
Affiliations

Autism Through the Ages: A Mixed Methods Approach to Understanding How Age and Age of Diagnosis Affect Quality of Life

Gray Atherton et al. J Autism Dev Disord. 2022 Aug.

Abstract

A significant proportion of autistic adults today were not diagnosed until later in life, a group referred to as the 'lost generation,' which may affect mental health. In Study 1 we explored quality of life and autistic trait levels in 420 autistic and TD adults, and in Study 2 we explored the experiences of 8 autistic adults diagnosed as adults. We found that autistic adults had lower quality of life outcomes and higher autistic trait levels which related to age of diagnosis, and qualitative findings indicated that while adults were empowered by their new diagnosis, they still require specialized supports. Our findings are discussed, emphasizing future directions and implications for the current care system in place for autistic adults.

Keywords: Adulthood; Autism; Autism quotient; Mental health; Mixed methods; Quality of life.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
AQ scores of participants divided between ASC and TD and by sex
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Scatter plots showing the relationship between age, AQ and QoL Scores in the TD Group (Top Panels) and in the ASC Group (Middle Panels), and the relationship between age of diagnosis, AQ and QoL scores in the ASC group (Bottom Panels). Panel A Relationship between age and AQ scores in the TD group. Panel B Relationship between age and QoL scores in the TD group. Panel C Relationship between age and AQ scores in the ASC group. Panel D Relationship between age and QoL scores in the ASC group. Panel E Relationship between age of diagnosis and AQ scores in the ASC group. Panel F Relationship between age of diagnosis and QoL scores in the ASC group
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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