Autistic adults' experiences of financial wellbeing: Part II.
Elizabeth Pellicano, Gabrielle Hall, Ru Ying Cai
PMID 37795595WHAT IT FOUND
Autistic adults described financial wellbeing as precarious even when budgeting strictly.
Stable income and accessible government support were paramount, while executive function challenges and lack of early financial education made planning difficult. Social dynamics ranged from helpful family buffers to financial abuse.
Key findings
01Participants identified a sufficient, stable income as the most critical factor for financial wellbeing, noting that both employment and government support were often precarious.
02Many participants reported that executive function difficulties, such as problems with planning and organisation, combined with anxiety, created barriers to managing finances and planning for the future.
03Family and social networks had a complex influence, providing essential financial or practical support for some, while others experienced financial abuse or exploitation.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The sample was predominantly white, well-educated, and female, which may not represent the broader autistic population. Only one participant had an intellectual disability, and all used traditional communication, limiting applicability to non-speaking or intellectually disabled autistic adults. Most participants were diagnosed in adulthood, so findings may not reflect the experiences of those diagnosed in childhood. The study is cross-sectional and qualitative, so it cannot establish causality or track changes in financial wellbeing over time.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The study was supported by non-U.S. government funding.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the participants' disciplined budgeting as evidence that financial education alone solves financial wellbeing. The study found that despite strict control, many participants remained financially insecure due to systemic barriers like precarious employment and inaccessible government support.