What Factors Have Been the Most Helpful and Harmful and When? Identifying Key Impacts on Psychosocial Development According to Autistic Adults and Caregivers.

Few studies have asked autistic adults and caregivers directly about what has most positively and negatively impacted their lives. This study sought to: (a) identify positive and negative factors experienced by autistic adults and caregivers; (b) test for within-subject differences in endorsement of...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders Vol. 56; no. 9; pp. 3456 - 3473
Autores principales: Lerner, Juliette E., Schiltz, Hillary, Schisterman, Noa, Ziegler, Sonja, Lord, Catherine
Formato: research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Springer Nature Sep2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
fields @attributes:
  recordID: 1
pdfLink:
plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=195843182&site=ehost-live
header:
  @attributes:
    shortDbName: ccm
    uiTerm: 195843182
    longDbName: CINAHL Complete
    uiTag: AN
  controlInfo:
    bkinfo:
    dissinfo:
    jinfo:
      jid:
        01623257
        AUT
      jtl: Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders
      issn: 01623257
      maglogo: N
    pubinfo:
      dt: Sep2026
      vid: 56
      iid: 9
      pid: 237
      pub: Springer Nature
      place: New York, New York
    artinfo:
      ui:
        195843182
        185026881
        195843182
        195843182
        10.1007/s10803-025-06800-4
        195843182
      ppf: 3456
      ppct: 17
      formats:
        fmt:
          – @attributes:
              type: T
          – @attributes:
              type: P
      tig:
        atl: What Factors Have Been the Most Helpful and Harmful and When? Identifying Key Impacts on Psychosocial Development According to Autistic Adults and Caregivers.
      aug:
        au:
          Lerner, Juliette E.
          Schiltz, Hillary
          Schisterman, Noa
          Ziegler, Sonja
          Lord, Catherine
        affil: https://ror.org/046rm7j60 Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, 760 Westwood Plaza, Suite 68-217, 90024, Los Angeles, CA, USA
      sug:
        subj:
          Personal Growth
          Adaptation, Psychological
          Autism Spectrum Disorder In Adulthood
          Caregiver Attitudes
          Persons with Disabilities Psychosocial Factors
          Cognition
          Adverse Childhood Experiences Complications
          Human
          Multimethod Studies
          Interviews
          United States
          Support, Psychosocial
          Patient Education
          Scales
          Descriptive Statistics
          Data Analysis Software
          Post Hoc Analysis
          McNemar's Test
          Leisure Activities
          Peer Group
          Autonomy
          Bullying
          Victims
          Family Conflict
          Adult
          Middle Age
          Aged
          Male
          Female
          Content Analysis
          Funding Source
          Questionnaires
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Middle Aged: 45-64 years
          Aged: 65+ years
          Male
          Female
      ab: Few studies have asked autistic adults and caregivers directly about what has most positively and negatively impacted their lives. This study sought to: (a) identify positive and negative factors experienced by autistic adults and caregivers; (b) test for within-subject differences in endorsement of promotive factors reported specific to four stages of development; and (c) test for differences in factors between adults with varying cognitive ability (i.e., less cognitively able [LCA; verbal IQ < 70] and more cognitively able [MCA; verbal IQ ≥ 70]). Participants included 91 autistic adults and caregivers. Autistic adults' VIQs ranged from 4 to 139. Participants completed a modified version of the Social/Emotional Functioning Interview which consists of open-ended questions about positive and negative factors experienced across development. Autistic adults and caregivers, regardless of cognitive abilities, frequently reported people supports as more helpful than specific services, aspects of education, or generative activities from early childhood through adulthood. For both cognitive groups, generative activities were increasingly important after childhood. Services were more frequently identified as helpful by LCA caregivers in adulthood, while education was reported more by MCA caregivers and autistic adults. Differences by cognitive ability in negative factors included that more LCA caregivers reported poorly prepared professionals/caregivers as disruptive, while more MCA caregivers and autistic adults reported family conflict and bullying. Positive and negative factors identified through interviews of lived experiences can inform targeted care based on strengths and needs across cognitive abilities and life stages.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
    refInfo:
    holdings:
      @attributes:
        islocal: N