B2-D: Adolescents and Adult Diagnosis of Autism: Differentiating between ASD and other comorbid presentations

B2-D: Adolescents and Adult Diagnosis of Autism: Differentiating between ASD and other comorbid presentations

Few, if any, formal protocols capture the unique complexity of autistic symptoms for adolescent/adult diagnostic processes. Over time, individuals may have experienced trauma, mental health diagnoses, and social pressures resulting in masking behaviors. These scenarios may either present similar to autism, or obscure a possible autism diagnosis. Additionally, adolescents and adults face Few, if any, formal protocols capture the unique complexity of autistic symptoms for adolescent

diagnoses (or misdiagnoses) and learned behaviors, including those in women, and removing barriers that could impact the diagnosis process.

many barriers to seeking autism assessment. This presentation will discuss considerations and suggestions for late autism evaluation including collecting historical information, differentiating mental health diagnoses (or misdiagnoses) and learned behaviors, including those in women, and removing barriers that could impact the diagnosis process.

Learning Outcomes:

1. About the potential benefits and barriers to adolescents and adults pursuing an autism diagnosis.
2. Tips to collect historical data to make the diagnosis, even when the person’s parents/caregiver are unavailable.
3. Considerations for how symptoms may present based on mental health, learned behaviors, and gender expression.

Speakers