A mixed-methods examination of the gap between intelligence and adaptive functioning in autistic young adults without intellectual disability.
High-IQ autistic young adults still struggle with daily skills—interviews show why services vanish and what to fix.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Hamama et al. (2021) talked with autistic young adults who score in the normal-or-better IQ range.
They asked how these bright students and workers handle daily tasks like cooking, paying bills, and keeping a job.
The team also interviewed parents to learn what help families still need after high school.
What they found
Even with high IQ scores, most young adults showed big daily-living skill gaps.
Parents described missed services, late diagnoses, and programs that stop at age 18.
Both groups said the IQ-adaptive split brings stress, lost jobs, and social isolation.
How this fits with other research
Billstedt et al. (2005) and Antaki et al. (2008) already showed that many autistic adults have poor life-outcomes; L et al. give the lived-experience reasons why.
Gotham et al. (2015) surveyed thousands who ranked life-skills help as the top need; L et al. deepen that finding with detailed stories.
Gauthier-Boudreault et al. (2017) heard the same service-gap cries from families of young adults with profound ID. Together the two studies show transition holes at every ability level.
Vassos et al. (2023) scoping review says adult autism research still lacks equity and autistic voices; L et al. answer by centering young adults without ID, a group often skipped.
Why it matters
If you write transition plans, do not trust IQ alone. Add goals for laundry, budgeting, and workplace small talk. Push for services past 18 and teach parents how to keep supports alive.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Add one adaptive-living goal to the next transition plan even if the client has an above-average IQ.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
Adaptive functioning describes the age-appropriate skills necessary for independent living. Research suggests that autistic children, adolescents, and adults who do not have an intellectual disability demonstrate adaptive functioning challenges relative to their intellectual ability. Thus, even though many of these individuals have the intellectual capacity to excel in mainstream educational and vocational settings, their adaptive functioning challenges may serve as an obstacle to independence. The research on adaptive functioning in autistic adults is focused on statistical analysis of standardized assessments (e.g. parent-report on multiple choice questionnaires). Qualitative research that examines the narratives of young adults and their parents is needed to better understand adaptive functioning in young adults and their resulting service needs. This study combined statistical analysis of standardized assessments with qualitative analysis of interview responses from autistic young adults without intellectual disability and their parents. Findings replicated previous reports of adaptive functioning challenges and identified influences on adaptive functioning development, consequences of independence, and service needs. Taken together, findings indicate the need for interventions and services that facilitate adaptive functioning development in autistic adolescents and young adults and provide insight into potential intervention targets and strategies.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2021 · doi:10.1177/13623613211018334