Depression in autistic adults

Introduction. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by qualitative alterations in social interaction and communication, restricted interests, and stereotyped behaviors. When children with autism transition into adulthood, they encounter more obstacles regarding their identity and sense of self. Their difficulties frequently lead to depression, often presented atypically compared with the non-autistic population. Materials and methods. This paper is a literature review summarizing several scientific articles that examine the clinical features and treatments of depression in autistic adults. The included studies were selected following systematic searches conducted on the PubMed online database. A total of 32 scientific articles were included. Results. The selected articles presented the prevalence and described the clinical features of depression in the autistic population. Various risk factors were identified, and different approaches to managing the disorder, including pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy, were summarized. Conclusions. Depression in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be recognized based on studies that accurately describe the condition in relation to factors like gender, age, or IQ. However, established treatment guidelines are lacking, and pharmacotherapy is often based on clinical practice rather than formal protocols.