The importance of home: Satisfaction with accommodation, neighborhood, and life in adults with autism.
Anke M Scheeren, Patricia Howlin, Meike Bartels and 2 others
PMID 34910374WHAT IT FOUND
Most autistic adults in this study lived independently, and they rated their homes and neighborhoods as satisfying as matched non-autistic adults.
Sensory sensitivity did not predict accommodation satisfaction. However, independently living autistic adults reported significantly lower overall life satisfaction than the community group.
Key findings
0179% of the autistic adults lived independently, with older age, higher self-reported IQ, and female gender predicting independent living.
02Independently living autistic adults reported equal satisfaction with their accommodation and neighborhood compared to a matched community sample.
03Sensory sensitivity was not associated with accommodation or neighborhood satisfaction in the autistic group.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample was predominantly high-functioning (70% IQ ≥116) and late-diagnosed, so findings may not generalize to autistic adults with intellectual disabilities or those diagnosed in childhood. The study is cross-sectional, so it cannot establish causality between housing factors and well-being. Data relied almost exclusively on self-report, which may be less reliable for measuring autism traits or intellectual ability. The study was conducted in the Netherlands, where housing policies and social support structures differ from other countries.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO). No other conflicts of interest were reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that independent living equals well-being for autistic adults. While 79% lived independently, this group still reported significantly lower life satisfaction than the community sample. Independent living is a milestone, but it does not guarantee happiness or mental health.