The experiences and needs of female adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder.
Adult women with high-functioning autism face high rates of anxiety, depression, and unmet support needs that often go unnoticed.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Baldwin et al. (2016) asked 82 women with high-functioning autism about their lives.
The women filled out a survey about mental health, school, work, and friendships.
What they found
Most women said they felt lonely and had other mental-health issues like anxiety or depression.
They also said schools and jobs rarely gave them the help they needed.
How this fits with other research
Van Hanegem et al. (2014) looked at kids and found girls with autism have fewer extra diagnoses than boys. Susanna’s adult women, however, report lots of mental-health problems. The gap shows girls may be missed early and only get noticed when life gets harder.
Hutchins et al. (2020) adds why: women often hide, or "camouflage," their autism to fit in. That hiding is linked to serious distress, backing up Susanna’s finding of high anxiety and depression.
Pollock et al. (2026) interviewed late-diagnosed women and heard the same themes: burnout, relief, and little support. Together these studies form a timeline—missed kids become struggling adults.
Why it matters
If you work with adult women, screen for anxiety and depression even when autism looks "mild." Ask about camouflaging and check if they have real help at school or work. A quick DASS-21 at intake and a simple supports checklist can guide your treatment plan and referrals.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
There is limited large-scale research into the lived experiences of female adults who have an autism spectrum disorder with no co-occurring intellectual disability. Drawing on the findings of an Australia-wide survey, this report presents self-report data from n = 82 women with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder in the areas of health, education, employment, social and community activities. Where relevant, comparisons are provided with the male subset of the same study population; however, in the majority of analyses, no discernible gender differences emerged. The findings highlight the diverse and complex challenges faced by women with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder, including high levels of mental health disorder, unmet support needs in education settings and the workplace, and social exclusion and isolation.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2016 · doi:10.1177/1362361315590805