Abstract
In recent years, perceptions about the essence of autism in the clinical, research and social fields are changing. This is especially true for adults diagnosed for the first time in adulthood. In this chapter we review the reasons for the absence of a diagnosis in childhood, and what/who ultimately brings these adults to seek out a diagnosis. The chapter describes the complex nature of determining the diagnosis of autism in adults and reviews various types of comorbid mental illness. Determining a diagnosis for an adult on the spectrum should be approached not only in terms of labeling the individual but as part of a therapeutic act that enables self-understanding and how he/she functions in the world.
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Epstein, T. (2019). Late Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. In: Lowinger, S., Pearlman-Avnion, S. (eds) Autism in Adulthood. Autism and Child Psychopathology Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28833-4_3
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