Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in adults involves differences in social communication and restricted or repetitive patterns of behavior, defined per DSM-5-TR.
Symptoms
Persistent differences in social communication and interaction across contexts, along with restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities (including sensory sensitivities) -- present since early development, though sometimes not recognized or diagnosed until adulthood.
Causes and risk
A strong genetic contribution combined with prenatal and other environmental factors; ASD is not caused by parenting and is not a single underlying cause but a spectrum with wide individual variation.
How it is evaluated
There is no biomarker for ASD; screening tools like the AQ-10 are triage instruments, not diagnostic, per screening research -- formal diagnosis in adults typically involves a specialist evaluation combining developmental history and current presentation.
Treatment
No medication treats the core features of ASD; treatment focuses on supports (social skills coaching, occupational or speech therapy where needed, workplace or life accommodations) and managing co-occurring conditions like anxiety or ADHD. Social-skills training aimed purely at masking autistic traits has been linked to worse mental health outcomes and is generally avoided.
When to seek care
A sudden, unexplained change in behavior in an autistic adult can signal an underlying medical cause (pain, infection, a medication side effect) rather than a behavioral issue, and deserves prompt medical evaluation -- this is a frequently overlooked point in this population. Any thoughts of self-harm require immediate crisis support.