Introduction to Adult ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders)

This one-day course aims to give clinicians a broad understanding of the characteristics and causes of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), an approach to diagnostic assessment in adult patients and an overview of medical and psychological interventions.

It also looks at understanding the needs of adults with ASD, including health, aging, service development, transition, treatment options across the lifespan and sex differences.

ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by pervasive difficulties since early childhood across reciprocal social communication and restricted, repetitive interests and behaviours.

ASD is not a single disorder, and it is broadly considered to be a multi-factorial disorder resulting from genetic and non-genetic risk factors and their interaction. Although early research in ASD focused primarily on children, there is increasing recognition that ASD is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder that has a potentially detrimental impact on adult functioning.