In the study titled "Social Support and Links to Quality of Life Among Middle-Aged and Older Autistic Adults," researchers examined how different types of social support impact the quality of life (QoL) for autistic adults aged 40 to 83 years. The study involved 388 participants who completed online questionnaires about their demographic information, depression and anxiety symptoms, QoL, and social support.
The findings revealed that social support significantly contributes to various aspects of QoL, even after accounting for demographic factors and depression. Subjective social support, which includes the satisfaction with personal relationships, was found to be important for all aspects of QoL. Social interactions contributed to physical and psychological QoL, while instrumental support, which involves practical help, was significant for social, environmental, and autism-specific QoL.
The study highlights the importance of social support in improving the QoL of middle-aged and older autistic adults. It suggests that interventions aimed at enhancing different forms of social support could have a positive impact on their well-being. Future research should explore whether age-related changes in social support and QoL observed in non-autistic populations also occur among older autistic adults.
Charlton, R. A., McQuaid, G. A., & Wallace, G. L. (2023). Social support and links to quality of life among middle-aged and older autistic adults. Autism, 27(1), 92-104.