Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41171542›Full record

ArticleJournal of autism and developmental disorders2025

Patient Expectations of an Autism Diagnosis: A Thematic Analysis.

Marios Adamou, Tim Fullen, Chinyere Clarke, Callum Godley, Sarah L Jones

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Article in Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Marios AdamouUniversity of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK.
Tim FullenSouth West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Wakefield, UK.
Chinyere ClarkeSouth West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Wakefield, UK.
Callum GodleySouth West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Wakefield, UK.
Sarah L JonesSouth West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Wakefield, UK. sarah.jones1@swyt.nhs.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8438-4034

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnoses have increased significantly in recent years, particularly among adults. Many adults seek a diagnosis to gain personal clarity and access to appropriate support, yet their specific expectations and motivations remain underexplored. This study aims to investigate the hopes and expectations of adults referred for an ASD assessment, focusing on their motives and the broader psychosocial implications of a diagnosis.

methodSixty adults referred for ASD assessments provided verbal responses to open-ended questions about their expectations, which were recorded by clinicians on paper. Responses were analysed using thematic analysis.

resultsFive major themes were generated: Personal Growth, Explanation for Others, Access to Support, Inclusivity and Acceptance, and Progress in Life Domains. Participants frequently sought self-understanding, social validation, and access to workplace or mental health support.

conclusionsThe study highlights the need for diagnostic processes to address both the emotional and practical expectations of individuals seeking an autism diagnosis, including pre-assessment counselling and post-diagnosis support. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of adult ASD diagnoses, offering valuable insights for healthcare providers and policymakers.

Indexed as

AutismAutism diagnosisPatient expectationsQualitativeThematic analysis

Identifiers

PMID41171542

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.