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Outcomes for People with Autism Spectrum Disorders

This is a list of scientific studies into outcomes in people with autism spectrum disorders – what happens to people with ASD as they get older – which have been published in peer-reviewed journals.

If you know of any other scientific studies we should include please email info@researchautism.net with the details. Thank you.

If you are a UK resident you may be able to obtain full copies of some of the items listed on this page from your local public library, your college library, or the National Autistic Society’s Information Centre.

Research Autism

Research Autism project Research Autism is conducting a project on this issue. For details, please see

Baghdadli, A (2006) What happens to children with PDD when they grow up? Prospective follow-up of 219 children from preschool age to mid-childhood. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 0(0).

Bolman, W.M. et al. (2008). Brief report: 25-Year follow-up of a high-functioning autistic child. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38(1), 181-183. Read Abstract

Bolton, P. et al.(1998). Autism, affective and other psychiatric disorders: patterns of familial aggregation. Psychological Medicine 28.

Charman T. et al. Outcome at 7 years of children diagnosed with autism at age 2: predictive validity of assessments conducted at 2 and 3 years of age and pattern of symptom change over time. J Child Psychol Psychiatry, 46(5), pp. 500-513. Read Abstract

Chung, S.Y., Luk. S.L., Lee, P. W. H. (1990). A follow-up study of infantile autism in Hong Kong. Journal Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 20(2), pp. 221-232. Read Abstract

Clarke, D. (1999).The diagnosis of affective and psychotic disorders in adults with autism: Seven case reports. Autism, 3(2), pp. 149-164. Read Abstract

Coplan J, Jawad AF. (2005). Modeling clinical outcome of children with autistic spectrum disorders. Pediatrics, 116(1), pp. 117-122. Read Abstract

Creak M. (1963). Childhood psychosis: a review of 100 cases. Br J Psychiatry, 109, pp.84–89.

DeMyer, M. K. et al. (1973). Prognosis in autism: A follow-up study. Journal of Autism and Children Schizophrenia. 3, pp. 199-246. Read Abstract

Eaves, L.C. and Helena, H. (2007). Young Adult Outcome of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, [In press]. Read Abstract

Eisenberg, L., and Kanner, L. (1956). Early Infantile Autism: 1943-55. Am. J. Orthopsychiatry, 26, pp. 556-566.

Fecteau S. et al. (2003). Developmental changes of autistic symptoms. Autism, 7(3), pp. 255-268. Read Abstract

Fisher W.; Burd L.; Kerbeshian J. (1988). Markers for improvement in children with pervasive developmental disorders. Journal of Mental Deficiency Research, 32(5), pp. 357-369.

Freeman, B.J. et al. (1991). The stability of cognitive and behavioral parameters in autism: A twelve-year prospective study. Journal of the American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, 30, pp. 479-482.

Gillberg, C., & Steffenburg, S. (1987). Outcome and prognostic factors in infantile autism and similar conditions: A population-based study of 46 cases followed through puberty. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 17, pp. 273-287.

Gillberg, C. (1992). The Emanuel Miller Memorial Lecture 1991. Autism and Autistic-like Conditions: Subclasses among Disorders of Empathy. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 33(5), pp. 813–842. Read Abstract

Gillberg, C. (1991). Outcome in autism and autistic- like conditions. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 30, 375-382.

Goode, S., Howlin, P., & Rutter, M. (1987). A follow-up study of cognitive and social outcome in autism. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 10, 455-457.

Harris. (1987). The developmental profile as a predictor of status for autistic children: Four to seven year follow-up. School Psychology Review, 16, pp. 89-93.

Helt M. et al. (Epub ahead of print). Can children with autism recover? If so, how? Neuropsychol Rev. Read Abstract

Howlin, P. (1997) Prognosis in autism: do specialist treatments affect long-term outcome? European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 6(2).

Howlin P, Mawhood L, Rutter M. (2000). Autism and developmental receptive language disorder—a follow-up comparison in early adult life. II: Social, behavioural, and psychiatric outcomes. J Child Psychol Psychiatry, 41(5), pp. 561-578. Read Abstract

Howlin, P. (2000). Outcome in adult life for more able individuals with autism or Asperger syndrome. Autism, 4(1), pp. 63 – 83. Read Abstract

Howlin P. (2003). Outcome in high-functioning adults with autism with and without early language delays: implications for the differentiation between autism and Asperger syndrome. J Autism Dev Disord, 33(1), pp. 3-13. Read Abstract

Howlin P. et al. (2004). Adult outcome for children with autism. J Child Psychol Psychiatry, 45(2), pp. 212-229. Read Abstract

Isager, T. et al. (1999). Mortality and Causes of Death in Pervasive Developmental Disorders. Autism, 3(1), pp. 7-16

Jónsdóttir, S. et al. (2007). Follow-up of children diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorders: Stability and change during the preschool years. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37(7), pp. 1361-1374. Read Abstract

Kanner, L. (1971). Follow-up Study of Eleven Autistic Children Originally Reported in 1943. Journal of Austism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 1(2), pp. 119-145. Read Abstract

Kamp-Becker I. et al. (2009). Dimensional structure of the autism phenotype: Relations between early development and current presentation. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 39(4), pp. 557-571. Read Abstract

Kobayashi, IL, Murata, T., & Yoshinaga, K. (1992). A follow-up study of 201 children with autism in Kyushu and Yamaguchi areas, Japan. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 22, 395-411.

Kobayashi R, and Murata T. (1998). Setback phenomenon in autism and long-term prognosis. Acta Psychiatr Scand, 98, pp. 296-303. Read Abstract

Korkmaz B. (2000). Infantile autism: adult outcome. Semin Clin Neuropsychiatry, 5(3), pp. 164-170. Read Abstract

Landa R, Garrett-Mayer E. (2006). Development in infants with autism spectrum disorders: a prospective study. J Child Psychol Psychiatry, 47(6), pp. 629-638. Read Abstract

Larsen,F.W. and Mouridsen, S.E. (1997) The outcome in children with childhood autism and Asperger syndrome originally diagnosed as psychotic. A 30-year follow-up study of subjects hospitalized as children. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 6(4), pp. 181. Read Abstract

Lewis P. et al. (2006). Cognitive, language and social-cognitive skills of individuals with fragile X syndrome with and without autism. J Intellect Disabil Res., 50(7), pp. 532-545. Read Abstract

Lockyer, L., & Rutter, M. (1970). A five to fifteen year follow-up study of infantile psychosis: IV. Patterns of cognitive ability. British Journal of Social Clinical Psychology, 9, 152-163.

Lotter, V. (1974). Factors related to outcome in autistic children. Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 4, pp. 263-277. Read Abstract

McGovern CW, Sigman M. (2005). Continuity and change from early childhood to adolescence in autism. J Child Psychol Psychiatry, 46(4), pp. 401-408. Read Abstract

Mawhood L, Howlin P, Rutter M. (2000). Autism and developmental receptive language disorder—a comparative follow-up in early adult life. I: Cognitive and language outcomes. J Child Psychol Psychiatry, 41(5), pp. 547-559. Read Abstract

Michelotti J. et al. (2002). Follow-up of children with language delay and features of autism from preschool years to middle childhood. Dev Med Child Neurol, 44(12), pp. 812-819. Read Abstract

Piven J, Harper J, Palmer P, Arndt S. (1996). Course of behavioral change in autism: a retrospective study of high-IQ adolescents and adults. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry, 35(4), pp. 523-529. Read Abstract

Ruble, L.A.and Dalrymple, N.J. (1996). An alternative view of outcome in autism. Focus on Autism & Other Developmental Disabilities, 11(1), pp. 3-15.

Rutter, M. (1970). Autistic children: Infancy to adulthood. Seminars in Psychiatry, 2, pp. 435-450.

Seltzer MM et al. (2004. Trajectory of development in adolescents and adults with autism. Ment Retard Dev Disabil Res Rev, 10(4), pp. 234-247. Read Abstract

Seltzer MM et al. (2003). The symptoms of autism spectrum disorders in adolescence and adulthood. J Autism Dev Disord, 33(6), pp. 565-581. Read Abstract

Sigman M. et al. (1999). Continuity and change in the social competence of children with autism, Down syndrome, and developmental delays. Monogr Soc Res Child Dev, 64(1), pp. 1-114. Read Abstract

Sigman, M. (2005) Improvement in Cognitive and Language Skills from Preschool to Adolescence in Autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 35(1).

Szatmari P. et al. (2000). Two-year outcome of preschool children with autism or Asperger’s syndrome. Am J Psychiatry, 157(12), pp. 1980-1987. Read Abstract

Szatmari, P. (2003) Predictors of outcome among high functioning children with autism and Asperger syndrome. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 44(4).

Turner LM, Stone WL. (2007). Variability in outcome for children with an ASD diagnosis at age 2. J Child Psychol Psychiatry, 48(8), pp. 793-802. Read Abstract

Venter, A. (1992). A follow-up study of high-functioning autistic children. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 33(3).

Wolf, L., & Goldberg, B. (1986). Autistic children grow up: An eight to twenty-four year follow-up study. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 31, pp. 550-556.

Marriage S., Wolverton A., Marriage K.J.(2009). Autism spectrum disorder grown up: a chart review of adult functioning. Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 18(4), pp. 322–328. Read Abstract (New Window) Read Full Item (New Window)
Zachor D.A., Ben Itzchak E.(2010). Treatment approach, autism severity and intervention outcomes in young children. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. pp. 425-432. Read Abstract (New Window)

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Outcomes for People with Autism Spectrum Disorders

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