Autism spectrum disorder: outcomes in adulthood
Open accessAbstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Until recently, there has been little systematic study of adult life among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) but recognition of the high psychological and social costs of ASD has led to an increase in adult-focused research over the past decade. The aim of this review is to summarize recent empirical findings on outcomes for adults with ASD. RECENT FINDINGS: Most research on adult outcomes in ASD indicates very limited social integration, poor job prospects and high rates of mental health problems. However, studies vary widely in their methodology, choice of measures and selection of participants. Thus, estimates of how many adults have significant social and mental health problems are often conflicting. There is little consistent information on the individual, familial or wider social factors that may facilitate more positive social and psychological outcomes. There is a particular dearth of research on older individuals with ASD. SUMMARY: The very variable findings reported in this review reflect the problems of conducting research into lifetime outcomes for individuals with a condition as heterogeneous as ASD. Much more systematic research is needed to delineate different patterns of development in adulthood and to determine the factors influencing these trajectories.
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The research-to-practice gap is especially stark in autism, where the life outcomes of autistic people remain severely constrained despite enormous investment in autism science.
“This research-to-practice gap is especially stark in the field of autism, where, despite enormous investment in autism science, the life outcomes of autistic people remain severely constrained (Howlin & Magiati, 2017; Lord et al., 2022; Pellicano et al., 2022).”
From ‘You feel part of something bigger’: Stakeholders’ experiences of a long-term community–academic participatory research partnership (2025) · cites this paper as Howlin & Magiati, 2017
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“This research-to-practice gap is especially stark in the field of autism, where, despite enormous investment in autism science, the life outcomes of autistic people remain severely constrained (Howlin & Magiati, 2017; Lord et al., 2022; Pellicano et al., 2022).”
- Authors
- Howlin, P., & Magiati, I.
- Affiliations
- The University of Sydney (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Howlin, Patricia
- Venue
- Current Opinion in Psychiatry
- Published
- 2017-03
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 69-76
- ISSN
- 0951-7367 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2569059432
- Cited by
- 457
- References
- 10
- Citations by year
- 2026: 32 · 2025: 55 · 2024: 63 · 2023: 56 · 2022: 60 · 2021: 71 · 2020: 45 · 2019: 42 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 3 · 2014: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 3.52
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Licence
- other-oa
- Locations
- Current Opinion in Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
- Griffith Research Online (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Disability Education and Employment
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Family and Disability Support Research
- Keywords
- autism spectrum disorder, adult outcomes, social integration, employment, mental illness, psychological outcomes, aging, developmental trajectories, family factors
- MeSH terms
- Autism Spectrum Disorder, Adult, Mental Disorders, Child, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Research, Unemployment, Outcome Assessment, Health Care
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