Summary 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 a 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 college students, (b) it was unclear whether "learning that one is autistic" referred to learning about one’s diagnosis or receiving one’s diagnosis, (c) the influence of other factors on the link between the age of learning that 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 reexamined whether the age at which one learns they are autistic is related to quality of life in adulthood. Contrary to the previous study, we found that the age at which one learns about their autism does not have a significant independent impact on their quality of life as an adult. Rather, other factors (for example, autistic traits, gender, and additional mental health conditions) may have a greater impact. Given that our sample of participants was larger and more diverse in age and educational level compared to previous research, this finding is likely more applicable to autistic adults from different backgrounds. However, it is important to note that we are not suggesting that people should find out about their diagnosis later rather than earlier. Getting a timely diagnosis remains crucial for autistic people and their families to access appropriate support. |
Press release from the University of Bath
Receiving an autism diagnosis at age 20, 30, 40, 50 or even 60 may seem daunting, but a new study from psychologists in Bath and London finds that the link between the age at which someone receives the diagnosis has little bearing on their quality of life.
So-called ’late diagnosis’ for autism has made headlines recently thanks to autism activist Christine McGuiness. While autism is usually diagnosed in childhood, it is increasingly diagnosed in adults and especially among women.
Parents often wonder whether their child finding out sooner or later that they are autistic will have a long-term impact on their lives. While many people who discover they are autistic in adulthood wonder what their life would have been like if they had found out sooner.
In this context, the new study, carried out by researchers at the University of Bath and King’s College London, is the first to examine whether the age at which one realizes they are autistic is related to their quality of life, after taking into account other crucial factors. factors such as family income.
Researchers asked 300 autistic adults to report the age at which they first learned they were autistic, as well as detailed information about their sociodemographic background, such as current age, gender, ethnicity, marital status, life, educational level, employment status, household income, and the presence of additional mental health conditions. The participants’ level of autistic personality traits was also measured.
Participants then completed questions about different aspects of their quality of life, including physical, psychological, social, and environmental aspects. For example, questions like: “To what extent do you feel that your life has meaning?” and “How satisfied are you with the support you receive from your friends?”
The results, published in the journal Autism , found that the relationship between the age at which one realizes they are autistic and different areas of quality of life was not statistically related after accounting for other factors. In fact, other factors were more strongly related to quality of life: autistic women reported better quality of life than autistic men, and people who had additional mental health conditions (e.g., anxiety) reported worse quality of life.
Dr Lucy Livingston, senior researcher at the University of Bath and Professor of Psychology at King’s College London, said: "More and more people are discovering they are autistic for the first time as adults, which can be life-changing." . Because we know that many autistic people experience very poor quality of life and well-being, this raises the question of whether discovering you are autistic earlier in life improves outcomes.
"Our findings did not suggest this. For some people, finding out they are autistic sooner rather than later was linked to better quality of life. For others, finding out later was better. Overall, there was no overall link between the age at which discovered and their quality of life.
"There could be many reasons for this. Getting an autism diagnosis does not always lead to any significant additional support, so it could be that autistic people who find out they are autistic at a younger age do not necessarily experience a benefit in their Similarly, a late diagnosis in adulthood can be a positive experience, helping people realize themselves, which can improve their self-reported quality of life. It is different for everyone and there may be other individual factors that are more important to focus on."
Lead researcher at the University of Bath, Dr Florence Leung, added: "Our findings revealed that having more autistic personality characteristics, regardless of when you found out you are autistic, was the strongest link with poor outcomes across all areas of quality of life. They are now following up on this finding to take a closer look at how different autistic characteristics contribute to quality of life. This will be an important step towards establishing more personalized and effective support for autistic people based on their specific autistic strengths, difficulties and self-esteem. evaluation of your quality of life.
"Furthermore, being male and having additional mental health conditions was linked to poor quality of life. These observations highlight the importance of considering support strategies that are gender-specific to have a more targeted focus on improving people’s mental health." Autistic men, to improve their lives There has understandably been a lot of discussion about autism and mental health in women in recent years, but based on these findings, we should not overlook the needs of autistic men who may also be struggling. ”.
Co-author and Associate Professor at the University of Bath, Dr Punit Shah, said: "Our research more broadly adds to a better understanding of neurodiversity across the lifespan. For a long time, it was thought that Autism was a childhood condition. Many still think this way. But people may not realize that the majority of autistic people, in the UK for example, are now actually adults. With a society that ages, this pattern will increase in the coming decades, so it is vitally important that we conduct more detailed research on individual differences among autistic adults, as we have done. Such research on autism in adults will begin to reveal the many different ways we can understand and support autistic people throughout their lives, going beyond a ’one size fits all’ approach."
