scholarly journals Childhood diagnoses in individuals identified as autistics in adulthood

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eya-Mist Rødgaard ◽  
Kristian Jensen ◽  
Kamilla Woznica Miskowiak ◽  
Laurent Mottron
Keyword(s):  
School Psychologists ◽  
Control Sample ◽  
Stress Disorders ◽  
Autism Diagnosis ◽  
Childhood Conditions ◽  
Danish Health ◽  
Autistic People ◽  
National Patient ◽  
Autistic Symptoms ◽  
Adult Autism

Abstract Background Autism is a developmental condition, where symptoms are expected to occur in childhood, but a significant number of individuals are diagnosed with autism for the first time in adulthood. Here, we examine diagnoses given in childhood among individuals that are diagnosed with autism in adulthood, to investigate whether the late autism diagnosis might be explained by misdiagnosis in childhood or diagnostic overshadowing. Methods Through the Danish National Patient Registry, we identified individuals diagnosed with autism in adulthood (N = 2199), as well as a control sample with no records of an autism diagnosis (N = 460,798) and calculated how many had received different psychiatric or neurological diagnoses in childhood. Results We found that most childhood diagnoses were overrepresented in those with an adult autism diagnosis, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, affective disorders, anxiety, and stress disorders were the most prevalent childhood conditions in this group. However, 69% of males and 61% of females with adult autism diagnoses were not found to have received any of the investigated diagnoses before 18 years of age, and most childhood diagnoses were given after the age of 12. Limitations Milder to moderate cases of psychiatric conditions that have been solely treated by family physicians or school psychologists may not be fully included in our dataset. The study is based on data from the Danish health care system, and further research is needed to assess whether the findings can be generalized to other countries. Conclusion A majority of those with an adult autism diagnosis had no records of having received any of the investigated diagnoses in childhood. In these cases, the late autism diagnosis is therefore unlikely to be explained by either misdiagnosis or overshadowing. This result is at odds with the prevailing notion that autistic symptoms tend to diminish with age. Therefore, further research is warranted to examine how and if early signs of autism may have manifested among these individuals, and how similar they are to autistic people diagnosed earlier in their development.

scholarly journals Childhood Diagnoses in Individuals Diagnosed With Autism in Adulthood

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eya-Mist Rødgaard ◽  
Kristian Jensen ◽  
Kamilla Woznica Miskowiak ◽  
Laurent Mottron
Keyword(s):  
School Psychologists ◽  
Stress Disorders ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Danish Patient ◽  
Autistic People ◽  
Autistic Symptoms ◽  
Psychiatric Conditions ◽  
Number Of Individuals ◽  
First Time ◽  
Developmental Condition

Abstract Autism is a developmental condition, where symptoms are expected to occur in childhood, but a significant number of individuals are diagnosed with autism for the first time in adulthood. Here we use the National Danish Patient Registry to investigate diagnoses given in childhood among those that are diagnosed with autism in adulthood (N = 2199). We found that most childhood diagnoses were given after the age of 12, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, affective disorders, anxiety, and stress disorders were the most prevalent childhood diagnoses. However, 69% of males and 61% of females with adult autism diagnoses had not received any of the included diagnoses before the age of 18. In most cases, the late autism diagnosis is therefore unlikely to be explained by either misdiagnosis or diagnostic overshadowing. This result is at odds with the prevailing notion that autistic symptoms tend to diminish with age. Therefore, further research is warranted to examine how early signs of autism may have manifested among these individuals, and how similar they are to autistic people diagnosed earlier in their development. Milder to moderate cases of psychiatric conditions that have been solely treated by family physician or school psychologists may not be fully included in our dataset.

scholarly journals Less Illusion of a Just World in People with Formally Diagnosed Autism and Higher Autistic Traits

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Bertrams
Keyword(s):  
Information Processing ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Locus Of Control ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Autism Diagnosis ◽  
Just World ◽  
External Locus ◽  
General Belief ◽  
Autistic People

AbstractPeople differ in how strongly they believe that, in general, one gets what (s)he deserves (i.e., individual differences in the general belief in a just world). In this study (N = 588; n = 60 with a formal autism diagnosis), whether or not autistic people and those with high autistic traits have a relatively low general belief in a just world is examined. The results revealed the expected relationship between autism/higher autistic traits and a lower general belief in a just world. In a subsample (n = 388), personal belief in a just world, external locus of control, and self-deception mediated this relationship. These findings are discussed in terms of autistic strengths (less biased information processing) and problems (lowered well-being).

Marked Increase in Incident Gynecomastia: A 20-Year National Registry Study, 1998 to 2017

2020 ◽  
Vol 105 (10) ◽  
pp. 3134-3140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trine Koch ◽  
Elvira V Bräuner ◽  
Alexander S Busch ◽  
Martha Hickey ◽  
Anders Juul
Keyword(s):  
Age Groups ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Incidence Rates ◽  
National Registry ◽  
Registry Study ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Danish Health ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
National Patient ◽  
First Time

Abstract Context Gynecomastia, the proliferation of mammary glandular tissue in the male, is a frequent but little-studied condition. Available prevalence data are based on selected patient populations or autopsy cases with their inherent bias. Objective The objective of this work is to evaluate the age-related incidence and secular trends in gynecomastia in the general population. Design An observational, 20-year national registry study was conducted. Setting This population-based study used nationwide registry data. Participants Participants included all Danish males (age 0-80 years) with a first-time diagnosis of gynecomastia. Main Outcome Measures All Danish males (age 0-80 years) were followed up for incident diagnosis of gynecomastia in the Danish National Patient Registry from 1998 to 2017 using the International Codes of Diseases, 10th revision, and the Danish Health Care Classification System. Age-specific incidence rates were estimated. The hypothesis tested in this study was formulated prior to data collection. Results Overall, a total 17 601 males (age 0-80 years) were registered with an incident diagnosis of gynecomastia within the 20-year study period, corresponding to 880 new cases per year and an average 20-year incidence of 3.4 per 10 000 men (age 0-80 years). The average annual incidence was 6.5/10 000 in postpubertal males age 16 to 20 years and 4.6/10 000 in males age 61 to 80 years, with a respective 5- and 11-fold overall increase in these 2 age groups over the 20-year period. Conclusions The incidence of gynecomastia has dramatically increased over the last 20 years, implying that the endogenous or exogenous sex-steroid environment has changed, which is associated with other adverse health consequences in men such as an increased risk of prostate cancer, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, or cardiovascular disorders.

scholarly journals “It’s being a part of a grand tradition, a grand counter-culture which involves communities”: A qualitative investigation of autistic community connectedness

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monique Botha ◽  
Bridget Dibb ◽  
David Frost
Keyword(s):  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Autism Diagnosis ◽  
Community Connectedness ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Sense Of Direction ◽  
Autistic People ◽  
Counter Culture ◽  
Political Connectedness ◽  
Autistic Community

Autistic people report experiencing greater comfort socialising and easier communication with other autistic people compared to with non-autistic people. Despite autism being stereotypically associated with a lack of social motivation or community, an autistic community has been described briefly in the literature but is not yet well understood. Autistic community connectedness (ACC) may play an important role in promoting and protecting wellbeing for autistic people. This qualitative study involved interviewing autistic individuals (N = 20) in-person, via a video-based platform, over a text-based platform, or over email (according to the needs of the participants) to investigate ACC. Critical grounded theory tools were used to collect and analyse the data. Three elements of ACC were apparent in the data: belongingness, social connectedness, and political connectedness. Belongingness referred to the general sense of similarity that autistic people experienced with other autistic people, which they often did not with non-autistic people. Social connectedness referred to specific friendship participants formed with other autistic people. Political connectedness referred to a connectedness to the political or social equality goals of the autistic community. Participants described the benefits of ACC as being increased self-esteem, a sense of direction, and access to a sense of community that they did not typically experience with non-autistic people. Lack of connectedness involved ambivalence with an autism diagnosis and/or feelings of internalised stigma. These experiences of ACC may have implications for autistic people’s health and wellbeing, as well as how they deal with exposure to discrimination and stigma.

‘A way to be me’: Autobiographical reflections of autistic adults diagnosed in mid-to-late adulthood

Autism ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 136236132110506
Author(s):  
Rozanna Lilley ◽  
Wenn Lawson ◽  
Gabrielle Hall ◽  
Joanne Mahony ◽  
Hayley Clapham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oral History ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Autism Diagnosis ◽  
Late Adulthood ◽  
Autistic People ◽  
Autistic Adults ◽  
Autistic Identity ◽  
Over Time

In this article, we report on an oral history study documenting the lives of autistic adults in Australia. This qualitative study, co-produced with autistic researchers, offers insight into the lived experiences of autistic adults diagnosed in mid-to-late adulthood. Oral history methodology was utilised to understand the experiences of autistic adults who grew up in an era before autism was well-known. The 26 interviewees were born before 1975, receiving a clinical autism diagnosis after age 35 years. All interviews were conducted by autistic researchers, transcribed and thematically analysed by a team of autistic and non-autistic researchers using the six-step process outlined by Braun and Clarke. We identified four themes relating to perceptions of the self: being different, exploring identity, the suffering self and being Autistic. Some interviewees reported a direct relationship between trauma, negative self-conceptions and suffering. For most, formal diagnosis had positive impacts on sense of self, contributing to a greater focus on strengths. Contra research suggesting autistic impairments in self-awareness, these interviewees demonstrated a deep capacity for self-reflection, highlighting the variability of autistic lives and the socio-historical contexts that shape individual biographies, including experiences of stigma and discrimination as well as the empowering potential of identifying as autistic. Lay abstract Using oral history methods, we interviewed and recorded 26 autistic adults in Australia about their life history. We wanted to better understand interviewees’ self-reflections about their lives. The interviewers were autistic researchers and the interviews were analysed by autistic and non-autistic researchers. All of the adults we interviewed were born before 1975 and formally identified as autistic after age 35 years. This group of people is sometimes referred to as ‘late-diagnosed autistic adults’. In general, there is not much research done about autistic adults and even less is known about those diagnosed late in life. In this article, we explore what these adults said about their sense of self and how that changed over time. These autistic adults told us about many negative experiences, including trauma, which had shaped how they think about themselves. For most, autism diagnosis had a very positive impact on their sense of self, allowing them to understand more about their own past and to feel good about their autistic identity. Previously some researchers have said that autistic people have a limited or impaired sense of self. Instead, our results show some autistic people can actually reflect deeply on their lives and their changing sense of self-identity over time.

scholarly journals How is autistic identity in adolescence influenced by parental disclosure decisions and perceptions of autism?

Autism ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 136236132095821
Author(s):  
Ariana Riccio ◽  
Steven K Kapp ◽  
Allison Jordan ◽  
Anna Marie Dorelien ◽  
Kristen Gillespie-Lynch
Keyword(s):  
Identity Development ◽  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Summer Camp ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Group Level ◽  
Autism Diagnosis ◽  
Parents And Children ◽  
Autistic People ◽  
Disclosure Decisions ◽  
Autistic Identity

A large body of literature examines parental interpretations of their child’s autism diagnosis. However, research examining intersections between parental disclosure of their child’s autism diagnosis to their child and their child’s identity development is lacking. The primary aim of this study was to analyze if parental decisions to disclose/withhold their child’s autism diagnosis influence adolescents’ perceptions of autism and identity development. Adolescent participants ( n = 19) and their mothers, recruited from an informal educational program, completed in-person interviews and online questionnaires, respectively. Adolescents were told about their autism diagnosis in varying ways. Adolescents whose parents voluntarily disclosed their autism diagnosis to them described autism and themselves more positively than adolescents who did not experience voluntary disclosure. Although parents and teens showed similarities on a group level when defining autism, parents and children expressed diverse themes in their definitions of autism. Findings suggest that parents can help their children develop neurodiversity-aligned perspectives about autism by mindfully discussing autism with them early in their development. Lay abstract There is a lot of research about how parents think about their child’s autism but we don’t know much about how parents talk with their kids about autism. How parents talk with their kids about autism may shape how kids see autism. A team of autistic and non-autistic people (including a mother of an autistic person) did a study. We wanted to know if how parents talk with their kids about autism shapes how their kids see autism. Nineteen teens from a summer camp did interviews and surveys. Their mothers did surveys. Teens learned about if they had autism in different ways. Some teens still didn’t know they were autistic. Teens whose moms chose to tell them about their autism talked about autism and themselves more positively than teens whose moms didn’t choose to talk with them about autism. Only teens whose moms chose to talk with them about autism described themselves as having social strengths. Teens had a harder time defining autism than moms. However, teens and moms talked about autism in similar ways. Our study shows that parents can help their kids see autism and themselves more positively by talking with their kids about autism early in development.

scholarly journals “They Think I’m Amazing but Won’t Talk with Me.” Neurotypical People Are More Cognitively Than Behaviorally Positive Towards Their Autistic Friends

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J. Bolton ◽  
Lara K. Ault ◽  
Steven D. Meigs
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Situational Factors ◽  
Cognitive Responses ◽  
Autism Diagnosis ◽  
Negative Stereotypes ◽  
Peer Perceptions ◽  
Diagnosis Disclosure ◽  
Autistic People ◽  
Positive Cognitions ◽  
Positive Effect

Negative stereotypes and ostracism of those on the autism spectrum persist, with consequences for autistic people including fewer friendships and smaller social networks. Recent work in the area has found that diagnosis disclosure can have a positive effect on autistic peer perceptions and that non-autistic people often decide whether or not to maintain relations with autistic individuals based on initial thin slice judgements. Participants (N = 423) in this study were randomly assigned to one of two conditions (disclosure of autism diagnosis or no disclosure) and read a fictional vignette depicting a social interaction with someone displaying behaviors characteristic of autism. They then answered questions regarding their affective, behavioral, and cognitive responses to the character. Results indicate that non-autistic people show positive cognitions, but less positive behavior, towards those on the spectrum, and that participants with autistic friends (regardless of diagnosis disclosure) showed more negativity to the vignette character than those participants without such friends. Implications are discussed in light of situational factors that may be present within these relationships.

scholarly journals Defining the Optimal Threshold Scores for Adult Autism Subthreshold Spectrum (AdAS Spectrum) in Clinical and General Population

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 204-211
Author(s):  
Liliana Dell’Osso ◽  
Claudia Carmassi ◽  
Ivan Mirko Cremone ◽  
Dario Muti ◽  
Antonio Salerni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Autism Spectrum Quotient ◽  
Dsm 5 ◽  
Diagnostic Thresholds ◽  
Psychometric Tool ◽  
Autistic Symptoms ◽  
Adult Autism ◽  
Clinically Significant

Background: The Adult Autism Subthreshold Spectrum (AdAS Spectrum) is a recently developed instrument tailored to assess the broad range of full-threshold as well as sub-threshold manifestations related to the autism spectrum. Although it has proved to be a valuable instrument for quantitative assessment of autistic symptoms, the AdAS Spectrum still lacks validated diagnostic thresholds. Objective: The aim of this study was to define the best cut-off scores of the AdAS Spectrum for determining the presence of subthreshold autistic traits as well as a clinically significant autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods: Our sample was composed of 39 patients with full-blown ASD, 73 subjects with autistic traits, and 150 healthy controls. Subjects were evaluated by trained psychiatrists, who performed a clinical diagnosis according to DSM-5 and then assessed with the AdAS Spectrum and the Autism Spectrum Quotient. Results: Our results showed that the most discriminant cut-off scores were 70 for identifying subjects with full-blown ASD, and 43 for determining the presence of significant autistic traits. Conclusion: The threshold values proposed here showed satisfying levels of specificity and sensibility, as well as a good agreement with the diagnosis according to DSM-5 criteria, confirming the validity of the AdAS Spectrum as a psychometric tool for measuring ASD-related conditions in the clinical and general population.

Introduction

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael B. Bakan
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Place Value ◽  
Autistic People ◽  
Autistic Symptoms ◽  
Conventional Paradigm ◽  
Guiding Questions

How do autistic people make, experience, and find meaning in music? And why does it matter to them that they do? These are the guiding questions put forth at the beginning of the introductory chapter, which establishes the book’s purpose, conceptual framework, and significance. The widely recognized talents and affinities for music that many autistic people exhibit have historically been a focus of therapeutic interventions aimed at ameliorating autistic symptoms. In that context, autism is regarded as a disorder and autistic people as individuals in need of treatment. In this book, however, the conventional paradigm is turned on its head, with autism reconceptualized as a viable manifestation of neurodiversity rather than a disorder rooted in pathology. The ten autistic individuals who throughout the book will speak for themselves on the place, value, and meaning of music in their lives are introduced, and both the structure and rationale for the book’s conversational approach, which is re-presentational rather than representational, are outlined.

scholarly journals Adult Autism - Global Challenge of the Future

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 94
Author(s):  
Elona Mano
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Disabled Children ◽  
Autistic Children ◽  
Autism Diagnosis ◽  
Global Challenge ◽  
Adult Autism ◽  
Real Challenge

There is an increase awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder recently. The truth is that tens of thousands face an autism diagnosis each year. Even though the integration of autistic children is the focus of many studies in the last decades, the problem remains unsolved. What happens with autistic children as adults? In addition, one of the biggest challenges in providing services to people with an autism spectrum disorder is that the needs change from person to person. This study is focused on parent`s point of view. During the interviews the participants raised some important issues. To have their children in the same classes with non-disabled children, was the first won battle of parents of autistic children, but integrating autistic individuals as adults in society seems to be just the cover of a big dilemma for parents of autistic children. Autistic child as adult is a real challenge for society worldwide.

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