Ervaringen van ouderen met het krijgen van de diagnose autisme

The experiences of ten older adults, who received their autism diagnosis later in life (after the age of 55), were acquired through semi structured interviews. The interviews were coded with the use of thematic analysis. The results show that older autistic adults often had a long history in mental healthcare, where autism was overlooked. The participants were relieved to have an explanation for their symptoms; however, they regretted not getting the diagnosis earlier in life. They were content about the treatment they received, after their diagnosis and about sharing experiences with like-minded people of their age. The participants had felt different from other people their entire life and had suffered from several psychological problems. For future research, it is recommended to study the experiences of a broader group of older adults who received their autism diagnosis in late life.