Boys with Asperger Syndrome Grow Up: Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Disorders 20 Years After Initial Diagnosis.

Gillberg et al. (2016) tracked 50 men who got an Asperger diagnosis as kids. They checked each man’s full mental-health picture 20 years later. Doctors used charts, interviews, and records to list every new diagnosis that had shown up.

Ninety-four out of every 100 men now had at least one extra psychiatric or brain-based disorder. ADHD and depression were the most common partners to their autism. More than half still carried several conditions at the same time.

Andersen et al. (2023) followed autistic youth for 10 years and found that teen anxiety and depression shaped how good life felt at age 22. Their result gives a clue why Carina’s adults felt so burdened: mood trouble starts early and lingers.

Jänsch et al. (2014) tested the same adult-AS group and saw many jump to fast conclusions on a beads game. They also noted high depression scores, matching Carina’s count even though they never looked at full medical records.

Walsh et al. (2017) show a dark flip side: fewer than 1 in 10 autistic teens get a proper health-care transition plan. Carina’s 94 % comorbidity rate may partly stem from that gap—kids leave pediatric care and no one watches their mental health.

If you serve autistic clients, schedule wide mental-health check-ups at every age, not just at intake. Ask about attention, mood, and anxiety every year. Flag any change early and link to adult psychiatry before crises hit.