Psychosocial Interventions and Quality of Life in Autistic Young Adults: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Autistic young adults often experience challenges in the transition to adulthood, including loss of childhood services and difficulties managing the complexities of adult life. Additionally, quality of life (QoL) is generally lower in autistic adults. However, it is currently unclear what interventions improve QoL in autistic young adults. This systematic review evaluates the effect of psychosocial interventions on QoL in autistic young adults. Only four studies found interventions (two vocational interventions, one transition intervention, and one psychotherapy) that improved QoL. However, study quality was generally limited, and currently, no conclusions can be made about specific interventions that improve QoL in autistic young adults. There is clearly a pressing need for future research in this area.