Exploratory Study of Executive Function Abilities Across the Adult Lifespan in Individuals Receiving an ASD Diagnosis in Adulthood

Little is known about cognition in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) across adulthood. We examined executive function abilities and autism traits in 134 adults receiving a first diagnosis of ASD. Participants aged 18–75 years with abilities in the normal range were assessed on executive function and se...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of autism and developmental disorders 2018-12, Vol.48 (12), p.4193-4206
Main Authors: Abbott, Patricia, Happé, Francesca G., Charlton, Rebecca A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ability
Adolescent
Adult
Adults
Age
Age differences
Aged
Aging
Aging - psychology
Autism
Autism Spectrum Disorder - diagnosis
Autism Spectrum Disorder - psychology
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Child and School Psychology
Cognition
Cognition - physiology
Correlation
Diagnosis
Executive Function
Executive Function - physiology
Female
Humans
Life span
Male
Medical diagnosis
Middle Aged
Neuropsychological Tests
Neurosciences
Original Paper
Pediatrics
Pervasive Developmental Disorders
Psychology
Public Health
Self Report
Young Adult
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Summary:Little is known about cognition in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) across adulthood. We examined executive function abilities and autism traits in 134 adults receiving a first diagnosis of ASD. Participants aged 18–75 years with abilities in the normal range were assessed on executive function and self-report autism traits. Results suggest that for some abilities relying on speed and sequencing (Trails A and B; Digit Symbol), late-diagnosed individuals with ASD may demonstrate better performance than typical age-norms. On other executive measures (Digit Span, Hayling and Brixton tests) age-related correlations were similar to typical age-norms. Different domains of executive function may demonstrate different trajectories for ageing with ASD, with patterns of slower, accelerated or equivalent age-related change being observed across different measures.
ISSN:0162-3257
1573-3432
DOI:10.1007/s10803-018-3675-x