Living with autism without knowing: receiving a diagnosis in later life
Increasingly adults over the age of 50 are receiving a diagnosis of
autism spectrum condition. Growing up in a time when autism
was poorly recognised, these adults have lived unknowingly with
the condition and face readjustment. This paper reports the first
study to investigate this population. Nine adults over the age of
50, who had recently been diagnosed with ASC, were interviewed,
and thematic analysis was used to analyse the transcripts. Results
showed that the participants had received treatment for anxiety
and depression. They reported ASC behaviours in their childhood
and growing up they felt isolated and alien. Receiving a diagnosis
was seen as a positive step and allowed for a reconfiguration of
self and an appreciation of individual needs. Given the positive
aspects of receiving a late diagnosis, more work is needed to
identify older adults with undiagnosed ASC