Trajectories of positive affect in autistic individuals during the transition to adulthood.
James B McCauley, Elaine B Clarke, Hillary K Schiltz and 1 others
PMID 39056304WHAT IT FOUND
Positive affect in autistic adults followed varied paths, not just one.
Lower positive affect linked to more autism features and less daily living skill. Higher positive affect tied to work, friends, and independent living. Caregiver reports matched self-reports less as adults gained independence.
Key findings
01Caregiver-reported positive affect trajectories showed four groups: lower stable, lower decreasing, higher decreasing, and higher increasing.
02Groups with lower positive affect had more autism features and lower daily living skills compared to higher positive affect groups.
03Higher positive affect was associated with better adult outcomes like employment, independent living, and friendships.
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
Attrition over 30 years was related to race and caregiver education, limiting generalizability. Self-report data was only available for 60 participants, likely skewing towards higher cognitive abilities. Caregiver reports may misrepresent the internal experience of autistic adults, especially as they gain independence. The study is observational and cannot prove that improving daily living skills or social contact causes higher positive affect.
Declared interests
One author (CL) receives royalties from ADOS-2 and ADI-R sales, but these royalties are donated to a non-profit agency. Other authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that intellectual ability alone determines an autistic adult's happiness. The study found that social relationships, daily activities, and autism features were stronger predictors of positive affect trajectories than IQ scores.