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Prosper Health's Autism Resource Center
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Special Interests and Autism
Most autistic individuals have one or more special interests. A special interest is an intense fixation that far exceeds a typical hobby or passion. An autistic person will typically have the desire to devote large portions of their time, and sometimes large portions of their money, to their special interests. Neurotypical people can and do experience fixations or passions, but having a special interest is a trait strongly associated with autism.
Here’s what you need to know about special interests, how they manifest, the benefits of encouraging them, and more.
What Are Signs of Autism in Adults? A Guide to Autistic Traits and Self-Discovery
When you picture someone with autism, there’s a good chance that a child comes to mind. Maybe your nephew or a member of your child’s class is diagnosed, so you’re familiar with some of the behaviors associated with the condition...or at least how they show up in children. But millions of autistic adults exist too, since autism is a distinct neurotype, not something you grow out of.
However, if the condition wasn’t assessed already in childhood, it can be harder to spot as an adult. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that one in 45 adults is autistic, and even more are likely undiagnosed.
Though there are many shared traits between the age groups, autism can present differently in adults than in children, which is something we'll discuss in depth within this article. But fundamentally, the signs of autism in adults include a range of characteristics like:
- Social interaction and communication differences
- Self-soothing and self-regulatory behaviors
- Sensory and processing differences
- Special interests and activities
- Emotional regulation and cognitive traits
If you suspect you may be autistic, you likely know the journey toward diagnosis isn’t so straightforward. It can be confusing and frustrating! Especially since no two people with autism are the same, and everyone has their own unique combination of strengths and challenges.
On top of that, many adults tend to mask their autistic behaviors to fit in with their neurotypical peers, oftentimes without even realizing it. Plus, thanks to gender and cultural bias and other stereotypes, countless autistic adults are overlooked due to their more subtle presentation of the condition.
That’s why Prosper Health is here to provide you with a clear, inclusive, neurodivergent-affirming breakdown of adult autism signs: what they are, why they’re often missed, and what to do if they resonate.
Understanding Autism and Relationships: Navigating Love, Family and Friendship
Many autistic people experience relationship challenges—whether they’re romantic or platonic—in environments shaped around non-autistic social norms. Some unwritten rules and behaviors don’t necessarily come naturally to neurodivergent people.
Christal Castagnozzi, a clinical and school psychologist who received a late autism diagnosis, says that while she had friends growing up, there was an “underlying sense of being misunderstood.” She feels she “struggled to access deeper, more meaningful connections,” and ultimately believed she didn’t belong, even when her friends included her in their social activities.
Even in romantic relationships, Castagnozzi says she had difficulty “interpreting cues, flirting, [her partner’s] intentions, and emotional subtext.”
If any of these experiences sound familiar, you are not alone. But more importantly, the challenges of autism and relationships are not a personal failing. They are often due to differences in communication style, sensory processing, social expectations, and mutual misunderstanding between autistic and non-autistic people. Castagnozzi says what made a difference for her was forming relationships with neurodivergent individuals who provided “less pressure to mask and more space for directness and authenticity.”
In this article, we’ll examine how autism shapes all kinds of relationships, the roots of certain challenges, and practical strategies for effectively navigating relationships.
Autism Support Needs, Not Labels: A Guide to “Levels”
As an adult diagnosed first with autism as a child and again as an adult, I have witnessed firsthand the change in the way the DSM, or The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, has changed to affirm autistic people. In 2013, the DSM updated its resources with an eye to supportive care.
Rather than labeling autistic people with misleading descriptors like high-functioning, low-functioning, or others, experts now categorize autistic individuals based on levels (one, two, or three). These levels indicate varying degrees of support needs, which are often fluid and can change over time.
Mental health professionals and patients can now navigate autism support without labels, a notable step forward in recognizing the individuality of care.
This DSM change also did away with the term pervasive developmental disorder, which encompassed disorders such as Aspergers and child disintegrative disorder. Instead, they were replaced by autism spectrum levels.
Kaila Hattis, MA, LMFT, founder and therapist of Pacific Coast Therapy, explains, “The change focuses less on what someone has to more on what someone needs, and changes the way families access services and disperse information on what their loved one needs."
While these three levels of autism don’t capture the full picture of autism spectrum disorder, they’re a move in the right direction to fuller, more nuanced autism treatment.
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Echolalia in Adults: Repetition, Meaning, and Misunderstanding
Jonathan, a 37-year-old autistic adult, has experienced echolalia for as long as he can remember. “Sometimes, it’s a sudden flash and I’ll blurt out a random quote or say something in a funny voice,” he says of his own experience.
Echolalia in adults is the act of repeating another person’s words, phrases, or vocalizations, either immediately or later on. It “is most commonly associated with autism, where it often serves as a meaningful way to process language or regulate,” explains Dr. Hannah Jones, a licensed clinical psychologist with Prosper Health.
With that said, echolalia in adults is expressed in many ways. In this article, we’ll explore what echolalia looks like, why it happens, and when it may be cause for concern. We’ll also discuss how it relates to autism and other forms of neurodiversity.
PDD-NOS Explained: What the Diagnosis Was and How It Relates to Autism Today
Information about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has evolved significantly over the past couple of decades. With those changes comes the realization for some people that they may have received diagnoses that are not only confusing but are now considered outdated.
PDD-NOS, or Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, is one of those diagnoses. If you’re someone who may have encountered this term in your records or research, it’s perfectly reasonable to scratch your head over this diagnosis—and to want a better understanding of what it means.
The PDD-NOS diagnosis was eliminated in 2013, when it was reclassified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) under the ASD umbrella. While officially an outdated term, PDD-NOS is still meaningful, especially to those who may have received this diagnosis before 2013.
This article will explain what exactly PDD-NOS is, why the diagnosis no longer exists (and is now part of an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis), and how autistic adults can think about the term in a more affirming way.
Understanding the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test: What It Can (and Can’t) Tell You
Have you ever considered how well you can visually read other people's emotions? Researchers have developed tools that attempt to study how people interpret emotional cues, though these tools are limited and don’t fully capture real-world social understanding. One of these tools is called the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test, also known as the RMET or the Eyes Test.
If you’re someone who’s either autistic or questioning whether you might be autistic, then it’s likely you’ve come across (or have already taken!) autism quizzes like the RMET online. (Some of the more common ones include the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) test and the RAADS-R test.) While none of these quizzes can provide a formal autism diagnosis, they can help individuals gather information about the signs of autism in adults and reflect on which traits feel relatable.
The RMET is intended to measure one’s social perception, specifically, the ability to recognize and understand another person’s mental state. Some autistic people approach social and emotional cues differently from non-autistic people, particularly in tasks that rely heavily on interpreting facial expressions. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test doesn’t measure empathy, nor does it define one’s capacity for empathy.
Even though the RMET, like the AQ and the RAADS-R, cannot offer an official autism diagnosis, it still may be worth considering if you’re trying to understand yourself better.
In this article, we will cover what exactly the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test is, how it works, why it’s sometimes associated with autism, and its key limitations and criticisms. Our goal is to help you make informed choices throughout your autism exploration journey.
Vocal Stimming: What It Is and Why It Helps
Self-stimulatory behavior, or “stimming,” is a common trait among autistic people. Stimming is both a way to support sensory and emotional regulation and to express joy. This might look like using fidget toys, hand flapping, hair twirling, or staring at patterns.
Vocal stimming, is also included in this category. Some autistic people, like my daughter, who has autism and ADHD, for example, engage in this sensory-seeking behavior by producing certain sounds. These repetitive sounds, like humming (my daughter’s go-to vocal stim when she’s stressed), clicking, whistling, or even singing (another one of my daughter’s preferred stims), can be self-soothing and satisfying.
While vocal stimming is often associated with autism, these traits can present in neurotypical people as well. What’s important to remember when it comes to any type of self-stimulatory behavior is that it’s harmless and should never be a source of shame.
Whether you’re someone who identifies as neurodivergent or want to support the autistic people in your life, this article will help you better understand vocal stimming. In addition, we’ll explain what vocal stims can sound like, why people find vocal stims calming, and how these behaviors relate to autism, ADHD, and nervous system regulation.
Selective Mutism in Adults: What It Is, Why It Happens, and What Actually Helps
Imagine a young woman sitting in the cafeteria at work. In between bites of her sandwich and sips of her coffee, she has a spirited, eager conversation with her closest friend. All of this light, peaceful energy ends when a colleague sits next to her and asks how her weekend went.
Suddenly, she’s paralyzed, and as much as she tries, she can’t get any words out. The words are just blocked. As an adult with selective mutism, this is a familiar yet distressing experience.
Many people associate selective mutism with childhood, but it can both persist and start in adulthood, confirms Rachel Loftin, chief clinical officer at Prosper Health. Being unable to speak can feel frustrating, confusing, and alienating. This is especially true in a world where many people don’t understand selective mutism.
In this article, we’ll explain selective mutism in adults, what may contribute to it, and how it differs from (and overlaps with) social anxiety and autism. We will also explore coping strategies, treatment, and support options.
Is ADHD on the Autism Spectrum? Clearing Up the Confusion
When my therapist suggested that I might have ADHD, I couldn’t get home to start Googling fast enough. I was in my early 30s, and at the time, I was unaware of how ADHD manifests in adult women. But because I wasn’t hyperactive, I was skeptical of my therapist’s conclusion and wanted to do my own homework.
As I was researching, I noticed that many of the signs of ADHD and autism appear very similar, like hyperfocus and niche interests, sensory sensitivities, and difficulty with executive function. I experienced each of these, and wondered if it was possible that I actually had autism, or perhaps autism and ADHD—known colloquially as AuDHD.
When I had a formal evaluation, my psychiatrist determined that I did, in fact, have ADHD, but not autism. Autism and ADHD are both neurodevelopmental differences under the umbrella of "neurodivergence" and not on the same spectrum. But, given the ADHD and autism overlap in certain ways, and my resulting confusion, I wondered about the nuances of my ADHD assessment results and how it compared to an autism diagnosis.
In this article, we'll explain the overlaps between autism and ADHD, while emphasizing that they are both unique.
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