Is Older Age Associated with Higher Self- and Other-Rated ASD Characteristics?
Anne G Lever, Hilde M Geurts
PMID 29349671WHAT IT FOUND
Self-reported autism traits and sensory sensitivity peak in middle adulthood and drop in old age, but partners and family do not see this change.
Do not assume symptoms resolve with age; they may just be less visible to others or less self-reported.
Key findings
01In adults with ASD, self-reported autism traits and sensory sensitivity were highest in middle adulthood and lower in young and older adulthood.
02Informants (partners, family, friends) did not report any significant age-related differences in ASD characteristics.
03Agreement between self-reports and informant reports was poor to fair within the ASD group, suggesting they capture different aspects of symptoms.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study is cross-sectional, so it cannot confirm that individual symptoms actually change over time; the pattern might reflect differences between age groups rather than aging itself. Participants were intellectually able and mostly diagnosed in adulthood, so results may not apply to those with intellectual disability or childhood diagnoses. Informant reports were not blinded to the participant's diagnosis, and the specific nature of the relationship (partner vs friend) varied.
Declared interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests. The study was approved by the local institutional ethical review board.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that autism traits naturally improve or abate with age. The drop in self-reported traits in older adults was not matched by informant reports, suggesting the change may reflect coping, insight, or reporting style rather than a true reduction in symptom severity.