Females often receive autism spectrum condition diagnoses later than males, leaving needs misunderstood. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of female adults diagnosed with an autism spectrum condition in middle to late adulthood. Eleven autistic females diagnosed over the age of 40 years completed semi-structured interviews, analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Four superordinate themes emerged: A hidden condition (pretending to be normal and fitting in; mental health and mislabelling), The process of acceptance (initial reactions and search for understanding; re-living life through a new lens), The impact of others post-diagnosis (initial reactions; stereotyped assumptions), and A new identity on the autism spectrum (negotiating relationships, connections and community; changing well-being and views of the self; the meaning of diagnosis). Findings highlight several factors not previously identified that affect late diagnosis in females, including widespread limited understandings of others. Diagnosis was experienced by several participants as facilitating transition from being self-critical to self-compassionate, coupled with an increased sense of agency. Participants experienced a change in identity that enabled greater acceptance and understanding of the self. However, this was painful to adjust to at such a late stage.

Cognitive neuroscientists often study social cognition by using simple but socially relevant stimuli, such as schematic faces or images of other people. Whilst this research is valuable, important aspects of genuine social encounters are absent from these studies, a fact that has recently drawn criticism. In the present review we argue for an empirical approach to the determination of the equivalence of different social stimuli. This approach involves the systematic comparison of different types of social stimuli ranging in their approximation to a real social interaction. In garnering support for this cognitive ethological approach, we focus on recent research in social attention that has involved stimuli ranging from simple schematic faces to real social interactions. We highlight both meaningful similarities and differences in various social attentional phenomena across these different types of social stimuli thus validating the utility of the research initiative. Furthermore, we argue that exploring these similarities and differences will provide new insights into social cognition and social neuroscience.

Social understanding is facilitated by effectively attending to other people and the subtle social cues they generate. In order to more fully appreciate the nature of social attention and what drives people to attend to social aspects of the world, one must investigate the factors that influence social attention. This is especially important when attempting to create models of disordered social attention, e.g. a model of social attention in autism. Here we analysed participants' viewing behaviour during one-to-one social interactions with an experimenter. Interactions were conducted either live or via video (social presence manipulation). The participant was asked and then required to answer questions. Experimenter eye-contact was either direct or averted. Additionally, the influence of participant self-reported autistic traits was also investigated. We found that regardless of whether the interaction was conducted live or via a video, participants frequently looked at the experimenter's face, and they did this more often when being asked a question than when answering. Critical differences in social attention between the live and video interactions were also observed. Modifications of experimenter eye contact influenced participants' eye movements in the live interaction only; and increased autistic traits were associated with less looking at the experimenter for video interactions only. We conclude that analysing patterns of eye-movements in response to strictly controlled video stimuli and natural real-world stimuli furthers the field's understanding of the factors that influence social attention.

Knowledge of how parenthood is experienced by autistic women is currently poor. Nine autistic mothers to children aged 5–15 years completed semi-structured interviews, analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. All mothers considered at least one of their children to also be autistic. Four superordinate themes emerged: 1. Autism fundamentally impacts parenting; 2. Battle for the right support; 3. Development and acceptance; and 4. The ups and downs of parenting. The themes demonstrate that while motherhood is largely a joyful experience for autistic mothers (Themes 1 and 4), it is associated with specific issues unlikely to be found in neurotypical motherhood (Theme 1), including negotiating misunderstandings from others (Theme 2). The need for self-care and self-acceptance was expressed (Theme 3) with parenting resulting in personal growth and adaptation (Theme 3). Feelings of intense connection and closeness were experienced (Theme 4), though managing children’s needs had a profound personal impact (Themes 2 and 4). The findings demonstrate that service-providers would benefit from training, ideally led by autistic individuals, on how autism presents in adulthood, masking, the potential for mismatching between emotional experience and facial expression, sensory needs (especially in pregnancy), and the double empathy problem (Theme 2). This study represents the first systematic in-depth analysis of the experiences of autistic mothers presented from their own perspectives. Lay For many women, adulthood involves becoming a mother. Knowledge of how motherhood is experienced by autistic women is currently poor. Poor knowledge has a range of negative consequences and can lead to inappropriate support. In this study, nine autistic women were interviewed about their experiences of motherhood. Seven of the nine mothers had an officially diagnosed autistic child, the final two mothers also suspected at least one of their children to be autistic. Systematic in-depth analysis of interview transcripts identified a range of common themes. Participants largely experienced motherhood as joyful, rewarding, and enjoyable, though managing children’s needs had a profound personal impact. Participants reflected on the need for self-care and self-acceptance, resulting in personal growth and adaptation. Participants also spoke of strong bonds, feelings of intense connection, and a range of shared experiences with their children. It was also clear that autistic motherhood is associated with a series of challenges unlikely to be experienced by non-autistic mothers, including the necessity of negotiating misunderstandings from others. The findings demonstrate that, generally, professionals need to be better educated on how autism presents in adulthood, including the fact that autistic women often engage in behaviour to mask their true self. Professionals need to know that there is potential for mismatching between emotional experience and facial expression, that autistic women have sensory needs (especially in pregnancy). Professionals frequently struggle to effectively take the needs and perspectives of autistic mothers into account, resulting in profoundly negative consequences for the mother.