Current mainstream care for autistic individuals is fragmented, narrow, and poorly individualized. To better describe cutting-edge autism care, we searched for care programs in the United States that had been collaboratively designed with patients and families and that carry the highest potential to improve the quality of life of autistic…

There is a gap in our knowledge of aging with autism. The present study examined the applicability of the popular gerontology concept of "aging well" to autistic adults. Using survey data, a model of "aging well" was operationalised and applied to 92 autistic adults and 60 controls. A very small proportion (3.3%) of autistic…

Social support has a positive impact on quality of life (QoL) in neurotypical older adults and young autistic adults, but the association for older autistic adults is unclear. Autistic adults (n = 388; mean age = 40-83 years) were recruited via Simons Powering Autism Research for Knowledge (SPARK) Research Match. Participants completed…

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic might negatively impact the quality of life and functional autonomy of Spanish adults with intellectual disability, and meaningful activities could prevent this negative progression. Methods: This is a prospective cohort study in Spanish adults with intellectual disability during the COVID-19 pandemic. Quality of…

Background: The number of people with intellectual disabilities and associated mental illness has increased considerably in recent years. This population presents greater obstacles than their peers without mental health problems in accessing education, leisure, and health services. This, conditions their quality of life (QoL) and makes them one of…

This study aimed to explore experiences of support after adulthood autism diagnosis. In this mixed-methods survey study of 137 adults, we found that most common formal supports received were counselling and mental health. Common unmet support needs were sensory sensitivities and accessing other services. Cost, lack of information, and fear of not…

Intellectual disability (ID) persists from birth through adulthood and aging. Thus, the support provided to individuals with intellectual disabilities (IwID) in adulthood is essential to increase their self-determination and quality of life. This research aimed to determine how IwID may receive support for education, working life, accommodation,…

This paper reports on a section of a larger study, investigating the mathematics experiences of Down syndrome (DS) learners in Australian Primary Schools. Developing the numeracy skills to experience independence in post school settings is crucial for individuals with DS. The aim of this paper is to share the school mathematics experiences of six…

This study examined life satisfaction of former gifted students who graduated from a gifted program in Vietnam 10 years ago. The authors surveyed adults in their mid- to late-20s to discover whether being identified as gifted during their high school years impacted their quality of life as adults. The research instrument that was used for this…

Background: Building Circles of Support is an innovative strategy for developing natural support networks. This study explored some of the ambiguity in the conceptualisations, operational elements, and perceived outcomes of Circles of Support programs. Method: A comparative case study of three Australian Circles of Support programs was conducted.…

The experiences of coping in parents of autistic children have been extensively studied in the literature. While this research has identified both effective and ineffective coping strategies used by caregivers, no studies to date have examined how coping strategies used by parents might be linked to family quality of life outcomes. Furthermore,…

Introduction: Every person needs to define their own parameters of values and quality of life as there is a range of life circumstances and objective or subjective factors which force individuals to make decisions and select from available solutions depending on their personalities and other determinants. Currently, these notions have been broadly…

Background: The Personal Outcomes Scale is a measurement tool to examine quality of life among persons with intellectual disability. This paper addressed the validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the scale using both self-reports and reports of others. Method: Data were collected from 128 people with intellectual disability (90 men…

The problem addressed in the research was that many individuals were not diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) until they were adults. The purpose of the study was to examine the experiences and beliefs of participants regarding the management of ADHD and the impact that experiences may or may not have regarding the…

Background: Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have high rates of homelessness. This observational study evaluates Bridges to Housing, a cross-sector intervention offering immediate access to housing and supports to this population in Toronto, Canada. Methods: Twenty-six participants, enrolled between April 2016 and…