Nothing Special   »   [go: up one dir, main page]
Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Young Adult Outcome of Autism Spectrum Disorders

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

To learn about the lives of young adults with ASD, families with children born 1974–1984, diagnosed as preschoolers and followed into adolescence were contacted by mail. Of 76 eligible, 48 (63%) participated in a telephone interview. Global outcome scores were assigned based on work, friendships and independence. At mean age 24, half had good to fair outcome and 46% poor. Co-morbid conditions, obesity and medication use were common. Families noted unmet needs particularly in social areas. Multilinear regression indicated a combination of IQ and CARS score at age 11 predicted outcome. Earlier studies reported more adults with ASD who had poor to very poor outcomes, however current young people had more opportunities, and thus better results were expected.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • American Psychiatric Association (1980). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, DSM-III (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association (1987). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, DSM-IIIR (3rd ed. revised). Washington, D.C., American Psychiatric Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnard, J., Harvey, V., Potter, D., & Prior, A. (2001). Ignored or ineligible? The reality for adults with autism spectrum disorders. London: The National Autistic Society.

    Google Scholar 

  • Billstedt, E., Gillberg, C., & Gillberg, C. (2005). Autism after adolescence: Population-based 13–22-year follow-up study of 120 individuals with autism diagnosed in childhood. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 15(3), 351–360.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Charman, T. (2002). The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders: Recent evidence and future challenges. European Child Adolescent Psychiatry, 11(6), 249–256.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eaves, L. C., & Ho, H. (1996). Stability and change in cognitive and behavioral characteristics of autism through childhood. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 26(5), 557–569.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eaves, L. C., Ho, H., & Eaves, D. M. (1994). Subtypes of autism by cluster analysis. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 24(1), 3–22.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ellison, D., Clark, C., & Langford, B. (2005). Where are they now? Adult functioning in autism spectrum disorders. Presented at IMFAR, Boston, May.

  • Engstrom, I., Ekstrom, L., & Emilsson, B. (2003). Psychosocial functioning in a group of Swedish adults with Asperger syndrome or high functioning autism. Autism, 7(1), 99–110.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fombonne, E. (2003). Epidemiological surveys of autism and other pervasive developmental disorders: An update. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 33(4), 365–382.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gerhardt, P., & Holmes, D. (1997). Employment: Options and issues for adolescents and adults with autism. In D. Cohen & F. Volkmar (Eds.), Handbook of autism and pervasive developmental disorders (2nd ed., pp. 650–664). New York: Wiley & Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gillberg, C., & Coleman, M. (1992). The biology of the autistic syndromes (2nd ed.). London: MacKeith Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gillberg, C., & Steffenberg, S. (1987). Outcome and prognostic factors in infantile autism and similar conditions: A population-based study of 46 cases followed through puberty. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 17, 273–287.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goode, S., Rutter, M., & Howlin, P. (1994). A twenty year follow-up of children with autism. Paper Presented at the 13th Biennial Meeting of the International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development. Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

  • Gurney, J., Fritz, M., Ness, K., Sievers, P., Newschaffer, C., & Shapiro, E. (2003). Analysis of prevalence trends of autism spectrum disorder in Minnesota. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 157(7), 622–674.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ho, H., Eaves, L.C., & Peabody, D. (1997). Nutrient intake and obesity in children with autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 12(3), 187–192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howlin, P. (2000). Outcome in adult life for more able individuals with autism or Asperger syndrome. Autism, 4, 63–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howlin, P., & Goode, S. (1998). Outcome in adult life for people with autism and Asperger’s syndrome. In F. R. Volkmar (Ed.), Autism and pervasive developmental disorders (pp. 209–241). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Howlin, P., Goode, S., Hutton, J., & Rutter, M. (2004). Adult outcome for children with autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45(2), 212.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kanner, L. (1971). Follow-up study of eleven autistic children originally reported in 1943. Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 1, 119–145.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kobayashi, R., Murata, T., & Yashinaga, K. (1992). A follow-up study of 201 children with autism in Kyushu and Yamguchia, Janan. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 22, 395–411.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lavrakas, P. (1993). Telephone survey methods: Sampling, selection and supervision. Applied Social Research Methods Series, Vol. 7. London: Sage Publications.

  • Lotter, V. (1974). Factors related to outcome in autistic children. Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 4, 263–277.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lotter, V. (1978). Follow-up studies. In M. Rutter & E. Schopler (Eds.), Autism: A reappraisal of concepts and treatment (pp. 187–99). New York: Plenum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nordin, V., & Gillberg, C. (1998). The long term course of autistic disorders: Update on follow-up studies. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 97, 99–108.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rumsey, J. M., Rapoport, J. L., & Sceery, W. R. (1985). Autistic children as adults: Psychiatric, social and behavioral outcomes. Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 24(4), 465–473.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M. (1970). Autistic children: Infancy to adulthood. Seminars in Psychiatry, 2, 435–450.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M. (1978). Diagnosis and definition. In M. Rutter & E. Schopler (Eds.), Autism: A reappraisal of concepts and treatment. New York: Plenum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M., Greenfield, D., & Lockyer, L. (1967). A five to fifteen year follow-up study of infantile psychosis. II. Social and behavioral outcome. British Journal of Psychiatry, 113, 1183–1199.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M., & Lockyer, L (1967). A five to fifteen year follow-up study of infantile psychosis. I. Description of sample. British Journal of Psychiatry, 113, 1169–1182.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Statistics Canada (2005). Canadian community health survey: Obesity among children and adults. Ottawa: The Daily.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stein, C., Ring, A., Shulman, C., Meir, D., Holan, A., Weizman, A., & Barak, Y. (2001). Brief report: Children with autism as they grow up—description of adult inpatients with severe autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 31(3), 355–360.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Szatmari, P., Bartolucci, R., Bremner, R., Bond, S., & Rich, L. (1989). A follow-up study of high functioning autistic children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 19, 213–225.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tantam, D. (1991). Asperger’s syndrome in adulthood. In U. Frith (Ed.), Autism and Asperger syndrome (pp. 47–83). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wing, L. (1996). The autistic spectrum: A guide for parents and professionals. London: Constable Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolff, S. (2000). Schizoid personality in childhood and Asperger syndrome. In A. Klin, F. Volkmar, & S. Sparrow (Eds.), Asperger syndrome (pp. 278–305). New York: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

The authors wish to thank the families for their time and insights. We also thank Aireen Wingert and David Eaves for their contributions.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Department, Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children, 3644 Slocan Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V5M-3E8

    Linda C. Eaves

  2. Division of Developmental Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Helena H. Ho

Authors
  1. Linda C. Eaves
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Helena H. Ho
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Linda C. Eaves.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Eaves, L.C., Ho, H.H. Young Adult Outcome of Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 38, 739–747 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-007-0441-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-007-0441-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation