Autism in adulthood: Men and women with autism between critical issues and resources

Abstract

Since its relatively recent "discovery", autism has been investigated in a number of different scientific areas focusing mainly on the signs and symptoms that allow its diagnosis. To date, a comprehensive theory of autism is still lacking, despite the fact that there are several genetic, neuroscientific and psychological approaches that, in light of the complexity, attempt to provide a description of some of its key features. Although the large amount of research produced in recent years has indeed led to significant insight, data concerning autism in adulthood is scarce. There are two interesting aspects to consider when looking at autism in adulthood. The first concerns the timing of the diagnosis. In fact, there are many individuals, especially women within the high functioning spectrum or Asperger's, who are diagnosed only in mid/late adulthood. The second, concerns the impact on a number of areas such as education, employment, independence and autonomy in autistic adults. Critically, although the severity of autistic symptoms and behavioural difficulties tend to decrease over time, the individual and the family, are often left without adequate supports. Indeed, when looking at post-school educational and occupational perspectives, individuals with autism tend to have worse outcomes than individuals with other disorders, such as intellectual disabilities, specific learning difficulties, speech and language disorders. As a consequence of the lack of investment in this area, there are concerns about accurate screening and diagnosis of adults with autism. The lack of diagnostic tools specifically validated for adults remains a serious methodological challenge for both researchers and clinicians. The aim of the present scoping review is to highlight what emerges in terms of outcomes in the adult autistic population, and how many studies consider the female population. Our results revealed how aspects related to the family, the environment and social policies affect the well-being outcomes of adult autistic individuals.

Keywords: Adulthood, Autism; Female autism.