A significant proportion of autistic adults today were not diagnosed until later in life, a group referred to as the ‘lost generation,’ which may affect mental health. In Study 1 we explored quality of life and autistic trait levels in 420 autistic and TD adults, and in Study 2 we explored the experiences of 8 autistic adults diagnosed as adults. We found that autistic adults had lower quality of life outcomes and higher autistic trait levels which related to age of diagnosis, and qualitative findings indicated that while adults were empowered by their new diagnosis, they still require specialized supports. Our findings are discussed, emphasizing future directions and implications for the current care system in place for autistic adults.

今天，很大一部分自闭症成年人直到晚年才被诊断出来，这一群体被称为“迷失的一代”，这可能会影响心理健康。在研究 1 中，我们探索了 420 名自闭症和 TD 成人的生活质量和自闭症特征水平，在研究 2 中，我们探索了 8 名被诊断为成人的自闭症成人的经历。我们发现自闭症成年人的生活质量较低，自闭症特征水平较高，这与诊断年龄有关，定性研究结果表明，虽然成年人被新诊断赋予了能力，但他们仍然需要专门的支持。讨论了我们的研究结果，强调了当前针对自闭症成年人的护理系统的未来方向和影响。