Executive Functions in Older Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Objective Performance and Subjective Complaints

• Published in: Journal of autism and developmental disorders Vol. 46; no. 9; pp. 2859 - 2873
• Main Authors: Davids, Roeliena C. D., Groen, Yvonne, Berg, Ina J., Tucha, Oliver M., van Balkom, Ingrid D. C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-09-2016; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Activities of daily living; Age; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging; Autism; Autism Spectrum Disorder - psychology; Autism Spectrum Disorders; Autistic children; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Brain damage; Case-Control Studies; Child and School Psychology; Cognition & reasoning; Cognitive Tests; Complaints; Daily Living Skills; Demographic aspects; Execution; Executive Function; Executive function (Psychology); Female; Fluency; Geriatric research; High functioning; Humans; Individualized Instruction; Information processing; Male; Mental depression; Metacognition; Middle Aged; Neuropsychological Tests; Neuropsychology; Neurosciences; Older Adults; Older people; Original Paper; Pediatrics; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Psychology; Public Health; Quality of life; Skills; Studies; Task performance; Time; Young adults; Netherlands; Aging; Executive function; Cognition; Processing speed; Neuropsychological assessment; Autism spectrum disorder
• ISSN: 0162-3257; 1573-3432
• DOI: 10.1007/s10803-016-2831-4

Although deficits in Executive Functioning (EF) are reported frequently in young individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), they remain relatively unexplored later in life (>50 years). We studied objective performance on EF measures (Tower of London, Zoo map, phonetic/semantic fluency) as well as subjective complaints (self- and proxy reported BRIEF) in 36 ASD and 36 typically developed individuals (n = 72). High functioning older adults with ASD reported EF-impairments in metacognition, but did not deviate in EF task performance, except for a longer execution time of the Tower of London. The need for additional time to complete daily tasks may contribute to impairments in daily life and may be correlated to a higher level of experienced EF-difficulties in ASD.