The Relationship between Age of Autism Diagnosis and Life Satisfaction in Adulthood
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| Title: | The Relationship between Age of Autism Diagnosis and Life Satisfaction in Adulthood |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Stacy Cremer, Ligia Antezana (ORCID |
| Source: | Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice. 2026 30(4):931-943. |
| Availability: | SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 13 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (DHHS/NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (DHHS/NIH) |
| Contract Number: | R01HD100392 T32MH018951 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Autism Spectrum Disorders, Clinical Diagnosis, Age Differences, Life Satisfaction, Adults, Individual Characteristics, Gender Differences, Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Intellectual Disability, LGBTQ People |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: | Social Responsiveness Scale |
| DOI: | 10.1177/13623613261416672 |
| ISSN: | 1362-3613 1461-7005 |
| Abstract: | This study examined how age of autism diagnosis relates to adult life satisfaction in a sample of 769 self-reporting autistic adults. We analyzed how demographic and clinical variables related to age of diagnosis and then analyzed the relationship between age of diagnosis and scores on four measures of life satisfaction while controlling for variables significantly associated with age of diagnosis. Participants diagnosed in adulthood were older, less likely to have an intellectual disability, more likely to be assigned female at birth, more likely to identify as a sexual minority, and had higher self-reported autistic traits than those diagnosed earlier. Controlling for these factors, participants diagnosed between ages 3 and 5 reported higher levels of flourishing, autonomy satisfaction, and social satisfaction than those diagnosed in adulthood. Diagnosis before 3 was also associated with more social satisfaction and autonomy satisfaction than adult diagnosis. Individuals diagnosed in adulthood did not significantly differ from those diagnosed between ages 6 and 11 or 12 and 17 on any outcome. These findings indicate that age of autism diagnosis is nonlinearly related to adult life satisfaction. Early childhood diagnosis was associated with more life satisfaction, but beyond early childhood, age of diagnosis was not reliably linked to adult life satisfaction. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1501031 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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| Abstract: | This study examined how age of autism diagnosis relates to adult life satisfaction in a sample of 769 self-reporting autistic adults. We analyzed how demographic and clinical variables related to age of diagnosis and then analyzed the relationship between age of diagnosis and scores on four measures of life satisfaction while controlling for variables significantly associated with age of diagnosis. Participants diagnosed in adulthood were older, less likely to have an intellectual disability, more likely to be assigned female at birth, more likely to identify as a sexual minority, and had higher self-reported autistic traits than those diagnosed earlier. Controlling for these factors, participants diagnosed between ages 3 and 5 reported higher levels of flourishing, autonomy satisfaction, and social satisfaction than those diagnosed in adulthood. Diagnosis before 3 was also associated with more social satisfaction and autonomy satisfaction than adult diagnosis. Individuals diagnosed in adulthood did not significantly differ from those diagnosed between ages 6 and 11 or 12 and 17 on any outcome. These findings indicate that age of autism diagnosis is nonlinearly related to adult life satisfaction. Early childhood diagnosis was associated with more life satisfaction, but beyond early childhood, age of diagnosis was not reliably linked to adult life satisfaction. |
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| ISSN: | 1362-3613 1461-7005 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/13623613261416672 |
