Skip to main content

Autism Spectrum Disorder in Adolescents and Adults: An Introduction

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

Seventy years have passed since Leo Kanner’s classic description of autism. Although the pace of research has increased dramatically, research specifically focused on adolescents and adults remains limited in many respects. Numerous outcome studies have been conducted and suggest potential for markedly improved outcome with intervention. Unfortunately studies on adults after early adulthood are sparse indeed. This volume reviews work in multiple areas. The chapters review what is known and highlight important areas for future research. It does appear that with support more and more individuals with autism/autism spectrum disorder can be independent and self-sufficient. New models of care are needed to support these individuals as well as those who continue to need high levels of care.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Note that unless otherwise specified we use the terms autism and autism spectrum disorder interchangeably.

References

  • American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorder (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorder (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Asperger, H. (1944). Die “autistichen Psychopathen” im Kindersalter. Archive fur psychiatrie und Nervenkrankheiten, 117, 76–136.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Billstedt, E., Gillberg, I., & Gillberg, C. (2007). Autism after adolescence: Population-based 13- to 22-year follow-up study of 120 individuals with autism diagnosed in childhood: Erratum. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37(9), 1822.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Billstedt, E., Gillberg, I., & Gillberg, C. (2011). Aspects of quality of life in adults diagnosed with autism in childhood: A population-based study. Autism, 15(1), 7–20.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Farley, M. A., McMahon, W. M., Fombonne, E., Jenson, W. R., Miller, J., Gardner, M., et al. (2009). Twenty-year outcome for individuals with autism and average or near-average cognitive abilities. Autism Research, 2(2), 109–118.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ganz, M. L. (2007). The lifetime distribution of the incremental societal costs of autism. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 161(4), 343–349.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibbs, V., Aldridge, F., Chandler, F., Witzlsperger, E., & Smith, K. (2012). An exploratory study comparing diagnostic outcomes for autism spectrum disorders under DSM-IV-TR with the proposed DSM-5 revision. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(8), 1750–1756.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gillberg, C., Billstedt, E., Sundh, V., & Gillberg, I. C. (2010). Mortality in autism: A prospective longitudinal community-based study. Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders, 40(3), 352–357.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howlin, P. (2013). Outcomes in adults with autism spectrum disorders. In F. Volkmar, S. Rogers, R. Paul, & K. Pelphrey (Eds.), Handbook of autism (4th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kanner, L. (1943). Autistic disturbances of affective contact. Nervous Child, 2, 217–250.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kanner, L. (1971). Follow-up study of eleven autistic children originally reported in 1943. Journal of Autism & Childhood Schizophrenia, 1(2), 119–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kanner, L., Rodriguez, A., & Ashenden, B. (1972). How far can autistic children go in matters of social adaptation? Journal of Autism & Childhood Schizophrenia, 2(1), 9–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knapp, M., Romeo, R. E., & Beecham, J. (2009). Economic cost of autism in the UK. Autism, 13(3), 317–336.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mahjouri, S., & Lord, C. E. (2012). What the DSM-5 portends for research, diagnosis, and treatment of autism spectrum disorders. Current Psychiatry Reports, 14(6), 739–747.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Matson, J. L., Belva, B. C., Horovitz, M., Kozlowski, A. M., & Bamburg, J. W. (2012). Comparing symptoms of autism spectrum disorders in a developmentally disabled adult population using the current DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria and the proposed DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 24(4), 403–414.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McPartland, J., Reichow, B., & Volkmar, F. (2011). Sensitivity and Specificity of proposed DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 51(4), 368–383.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mukaetova-Ladinska, E., Perry, E., Baron, M., & Povey, C. (2012). Aging in people with autistic spectrum disorder. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 27(2), 109–118.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • National Institute of Clinical Excellence, (2012). Autism: Recognition, referral, diagnosis, and management of adults on the autism spectrum. Manchester, England: NICE Clinical Guideline.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Research Council. (2001). Educating young children with autism. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perkins, E. A., & Friedman, S. L. (2012). Introduction to the special issue on aging and end of life. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 117(6), 439–441.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Piven, J., & Rabins, P. (2011). Autism spectrum disorders in older adults: Toward defining a research agenda. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 59(11), 2151–2155.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reichow, B., & Volkmar, F. R. (2011). Evidence-based practices in autism: Where we started. In B. Reichow, P. Doehring, D. V. Cicchetti, & F. R. Volkmar (Eds.), Evidence-based practices and treatments for children with autism (pp. 3–24). New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M. (2011). Research review: Child psychiatric diagnosis and classification: Concepts, findings, challenges and potential. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry & Allied Disciplines, 52(6), 647–660.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M., Kim-Cohen, J., & Maughan, B. (2006). Continuities and discontinuities in psychopathology between childhood and adult life. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry & Allied Disciplines, 47(3–4), 276–295.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seltzer, M. M., Krauss, M. W., Shattuck, P. T., Orsmond, G., Swe, A., & Lord, C. (2003). The symptoms of autism spectrum disorders in adolescence and adulthood. Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders, 33(6), 565–581.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shattuck, P. T., Roux, A. M., Hudson, L. E., Taylor, J. L., Maenner, M. J., & Trani, J.-F. (2012). Services for adults with an autism spectrum disorder. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry/La Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, 57(5), 284–291.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stoddart, K. P., Burke, L., Muskat, J., Duhaime, S., Accardi, C., Burnh Riosa, P., et al. (2013). Diversity in Ontarios youth and adults with autism spectrum disorders: Complex needs in unprepared systems. Toronto, ON: The Redpath Centre.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsai, L. Y. (2012). Sensitivity and specificity: DSM-IV versus DSM-5 criteria for autism spectrum disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 169(10), 1009–1011.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Volkmar, F. R. (2011). Understanding the social brain in autism. Developmental Psychobiology, 53(5), 428–434.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Volkmar, F. R., & Klin, A. (1994). Social development in autism: Historical and clinical perspectives. In S. Baron-Cohen & H. Tager-Flusberg (Eds.), Understanding other minds: Perspectives from autism (pp. 40–55). Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Volkmar, F. R., Klin, A., Schultz, R., Bronen, R., Marans, W. D., Sparrow, S., et al. (1996). Asperger’s syndrome. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 35(1), 118–123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Volkmar, F. R., Reichow, B., & Doehring, P. (2011). Evidence-based practices in autism: Where we are now, and where we need to go. In B. Reichow, P. Doehring, D. V. Cicchetti, & F. R. Volkmar (Eds.), Evidence-based practices and treatments for children with autism (pp. 365–391). New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Volkmar, F. R., Reichow, B., Westphal, A., & Mandell, D. S. (2013). Autism and the autism spectrum: Diagnostic concepts. In F. Volkmar, R. Paul, K. Pelphrey, & S. Rogers (Eds.), Handbook of autism and pervasive developmental disorders. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, (pp. 3–27).

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolff, L. E., Brown, J. T., & Bork, G. R. (2009). Students with Asperger syndrome: A guide for college personnel. Shawnee Mission, KS: APC.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization. (1993). International classification of disease. Geneva, Switzerland: Author.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fred R. Volkmar M.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Volkmar, F.R., Reichow, B., McPartland, J.C. (2014). Autism Spectrum Disorder in Adolescents and Adults: An Introduction. In: Volkmar, F., Reichow, B., McPartland, J. (eds) Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-0506-5_1

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics