Brief Report: Self-Reported Medication Use in Individuals Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Adulthood: A...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is increasingly identified in adults.
• Co-occurring psychiatric conditions in autistic adults are a growing research area.
• Limited data exists on psychiatric medication use in adults with new ASD diagnoses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of psychiatric medication prescriptions in adults receiving a first-time autism spectrum disorder diagnosis.
• To examine medication use patterns in a US-based adult ASD clinic sample from 2012-2022.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective record review of 281 adult participants diagnosed with ASD.
• Participants self-reported current and past psychiatric medication use via a checklist.
• Data collected from an outpatient clinic specializing in adult ASD diagnosis.

Main Results:

• Nearly 50% of participants reported using at least one psychiatric medication at their initial evaluation.
• Antidepressants were the most frequently prescribed (23.8%).
• Stimulants were the second most common (16.7%).

Conclusions:

• Adults diagnosed with ASD later in life have high rates of psychiatric medication use.
• Prescription rates are significantly higher than in same-aged non-autistic peers.
• Findings can guide future research and clinical practices for undiagnosed autistic adults.