Post-diagnostic support for autistic adults in the United Kingdom is geographically inequitable and, in general, considered inadequate. This results in autistic adults facing unnecessary challenges and wide-ranging poor outcomes. A modified Delphi study sought to establish autistic adults' priorities for optimal provision of post-diagnostic…

It was recently reported that learning one is autistic earlier in life is associated with greater quality of life and well-being in university students. In a pre-registered extension of this work, we addressed several limitations of this study by: (1) recruiting a larger sample of more diverse ages and education levels; (2) distinguishing between…

Autistic people diagnosed in adulthood often report that the experience can be life-changing, but there are issues with the diagnostic pathway. Few studies consider the views of people "currently" seeking diagnosis or contextualise the experience of diagnosis around developing an autistic identity. In this qualitative participatory…

Opportunities for adults to access support following a clinical diagnosis of autism are limited. This study investigated perspectives of autistic adults, relatives and clinicians regarding characteristics of optimal adult autism post-diagnosis support and services. In Stage 1, key stakeholders were surveyed about recent experiences of UK adult…

The UK government identified 'improving support within the criminal justice systems' as a priority for autistic people. There is a lack of quantitative research to enable policymakers to make evidence-based decisions on how to improve access to justice for autistic people. This study used a case-comparison design to compare the experiences of 145…

Accessing adult autism diagnostic pathways can be difficult. This study explored perspectives of UK autistic adults, relatives and clinicians regarding the characteristics of optimal adult autism assessment and diagnostic services. In stage 1, three key stakeholder groups were surveyed about experiences of adult autism diagnostic services…

Females often receive autism spectrum condition diagnoses later than males, leaving needs misunderstood. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of female adults diagnosed with an autism spectrum condition in middle to late adulthood. Eleven autistic females diagnosed over the age of 40 years completed semi-structured interviews,…

Accessing an autism diagnosis is a key milestone, both for an individual and their family. Using a qualitative methodology, the current study examined the views and experiences of ten autistic adults, ten parents of children on the autism spectrum, and ten professionals involved in autism diagnosis, all based in the United Kingdom (UK).…

Introduction: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be under-recognized in people with intellectual disabilities (PWID) and reviews on appropriate screening tools and prevalence are lacking. This review aims to identify PTSD screening tools for PWID and estimate the prevalence of PTSD within this population. Method: Medline, PubMed, Embase,…

More adults are undergoing autism assessment due to recent changes in awareness, diagnostic criteria and professional practices. This scoping review aimed to summarise research on autism diagnosis in adulthood and identify any gaps for future study. The authors searched for studies involving first-time assessment and diagnosis of autism in adults,…

The role and future of assessment and treatment units for people with intellectual disabilities is once again the focus of debate and government policy. Reviewing the admissions to inpatient services can provide useful information about the characteristics, needs and clinical outcomes of clients. Data were collected retrospectively for all 36…

Background: Patients with tracheostomy tubes are at risk of aspiration and swallowing problems (dysphagia), and because of their medical acuity, complications in this patient population can be severe. It is well recognized that swallow screening in stroke significantly reduces potential complications by allowing early identification and…

Diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is important throughout the lifespan. The objective was to investigate the transcultural diagnostic validity of the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) in a clinical sample of 451 adults with Intellectual Developmental Disorder (IDD) with and without ASD in Germany, the U.S.A. and Great Britain.…

A total of 128 adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders were surveyed concerning the process they went through to obtain their diagnosis and the subsequent support they received. Results suggested that routes to diagnosis were quite heterogeneous and overall levels of satisfaction with the diagnostic process were mixed; 40% of…

Labels are firmly rejected by the disability rights movement, yet the complex effects of labeling on lay beliefs are poorly understood. This study examined the effects of labeling on the general public's reactions to people with intellectual disabilities. A sample of 1,233 adult members of the UK general population were randomly presented with…