Young People, Adults and Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a lifelong disorder. Autism represents a difference in the style of thinking and information processing from that typically experienced. As thinking and information processing is intimately linked with behaviour the symptoms, or behavioural expression, of autism change as people move from childhood into adulthood. This book explores the challenges for the minority group of people with autism as they live amongst the numerically dominant population of typical thinkers in a society largely structured around typical thinking. Anxiety is commonly experienced but not labeled by people with autism. Consequently self-monitoring does not occur and anxiety pushes the person into over regulated patterns of behaviour at the very time flexibility is required. The experiences of tertiary study, work, negotiating intimate relationships, staying healthy, leisure and aging are discussed outlaying common challenges and strategies of support.