- Autism must be studied across adolescence and adulthood with context sensitive, developmentally relevant lenses beyond child-focused research.
- Multimethod research, including behavioural, physiological, qualitative and computational approaches, emphasises emotion regulation, wellbeing and mental health in later development.
- Autistic flourishing in adolescence and adulthood requires societal embrace of neurodiversity and commitment to meaningful systemic change.
Sci Rep. 2026 Aug 7;16(1):24525. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-53442-2.
ABSTRACT
Landmark descriptions of autism in the 1940s were based on clinical work with children. Research over the subsequent 80 years has largely focused on the experiences and needs of autistic children, with recent neuroimaging and genetic studies contributing significant insights into the developmentally driven neurobiological underpinnings of this condition. However, autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition and adolescence and adulthood introduces new developmental transitions and life experiences that require specific consideration. Together, the articles in this Collection-Autism in Adolescence and Adulthood-highlight the need to understand autistic experiences and neurobiology in adolescence and adulthood through a context-sensitive lens that considers developmentally relevant experiences. Across diverse methodologies, including behavioural, physiological, qualitative, and computational (machine learning), a particular focus is on understanding and supporting emotion regulation, wellbeing and mental health. Collectively, the papers highlight that adolescence and adulthood are periods of autistic development that warrant focussed scientific attention. They also underscore that autistic flourishing in adolescence and adulthood depends on a society that embraces neurodiversity and is committed to meaningful change.
PMID:42567865 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-53442-2
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