Pellicano, Fatima, Hall, Heyworth, Lawson, Lilley, Mahony and Stears (2022)

Content Warning: Brief reference without details to Sexual Violence, Self-harm and Suicide

There is little comprehensive research into Autistic adulthood, this limited research is partly because Autism is largely conceived as a condition of childhood. This focus of research has also come from traditional approach to Autism, which views Autistic experience almost entirely as a series of biologically derived functional deficits. Approaching Autism in this way severely limits what is known about this neurodevelopmental difference, how research is conducted and the services and supports available. In this review, the authors adopt an alternative research strategy. Through applying Martha Nussbaum’s capabilities approach, which focuses on ten core elements of a thriving human life, to research on Autistic adulthood. They identify areas where Autistic adults thrive and where they often struggle, and highlight issues. The authors state that it is far more complex than conventional accounts of Autism imply and stress the need to engage Autistic people in research.

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