Re-examining the association between the age of learning one is autistic and adult outcomes.
| Autor: | Leung FY; University of Bath, UK., Shah P; University of Bath, UK., Mason D; King's College London, UK., Livingston LA; King's College London, UK.; Cardiff University, UK. |
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| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Zdroj: | Autism : the international journal of research and practice [Autism] 2024 Feb; Vol. 28 (2), pp. 433-448. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Jun 14. |
| DOI: | 10.1177/13623613231173056 |
| Abstrakt: | Lay Abstract: An interesting recent study found that people who learned they were autistic at a younger age felt more positive about their lives (i.e., had better quality of life) than those who learned at an older age. However, this study has some limitations: (a) the study only involved a fairly small group of university students, (b) whether 'learning one is autistic' referred to learning about one's diagnosis or receiving one's diagnosis was unclear, (c) the influence of other factors on the link between age of learning one is autistic and quality of life was not considered, and (d) the assessment of different areas of quality of life was limited. Addressing these limitations, we re-examined whether the age at which one learns they are autistic relates to quality of life in adulthood. Contrary to the previous study, we found the age at which one learns about their autism does not have a significantly independent impact on their quality of life as an adult. Rather, other factors (e.g., autistic traits, sex, and additional mental health conditions) may have a greater impact. Given our participant sample was larger and more diverse in age and education level compared to previous research, this finding is likely to be more applicable to autistic adults from different backgrounds. Importantly, however, we are not suggesting that individuals should be made aware of their diagnosis later than sooner. Getting a timely diagnosis remains crucial for autistic people and their families to access appropriate support. Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article. |
| Databáze: | MEDLINE |
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