...Saara Perälä; Henri Pesonen; Tanja Äärelä Purpose This study aims to examine news article stories portraying autistic women’s and girls’ life experiences of being neurodivergent to gain a deeper understanding of their recognition in societal discussions. Design/methodology/approach The authors...

...Grace Trundle; Zoe Alexander; Verity Chester Purpose It is suggested that autism assessments are not sensitive to the female autism presentation. Autistic women are often misdiagnosed or delayed in receiving their diagnosis. More guidance for assessing clinicians is required to improve...

... presentation and look for any indication of RBRIs, even repetitive interests which appear clinically innocuous. Originality/value There is relatively little research investigating RBRIs in autistic women and girls. There is a real need to highlight the importance of understanding and recognising how RBRIs...

...Dori Zener Purpose The purpose of this paper is to outline a clinical framework developed for autistic women. INVEST (Identify Needs, Validate, Educate, Strengthen and Thrive) is a strengths-based neurodiversity therapeutic approach. Autistic individuals are treated with respect and are believed...

...Elizabeth Kock; Andre Strydom; Deirdre O’Brady; Digby Tantam Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the experience of intimate relationships of women who have been diagnosed with Autism in adulthood. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were used to interview eight...

...Dori Zener Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review the barriers that girls and women face in receiving an accurate and timely autism diagnosis. The journey to late-in-life diagnosis will be explored with a focus on mental health and well-being. The aim is to improve the awareness...

.... Most respondents reported believing that autism manifests differently in females; with women demonstrating a greater ability to mask their symptoms. A considerable proportion of participants reported feeling less confident in recognising, screening and diagnosing autism in female patients, with many...

...Eddie Chaplin; Jane McCarthy Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a commentary on “diagnosis and treatment of asd in women in secure and forensic hospital”. Design/methodology/approach The approach is a commentary on a personal experience of services. Findings Women with ASD...