IMPASSES IN DIAGNOSING AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER IN WOMEN: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

There is growing recognition that women and girls with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) do not meet the clinical criteria and processes necessary to receive an early diagnosis. This integrative review aimed to identify the main obstacles in obtaining a diagnosis of ASD in girls and young women. This is a qualitative, retrospective and cross-sectional study of articles published in the last 10 years (2013-2023), using the databases: National Library of Medicine (PubMed) and the Virtual Health Library (VHL) with the descriptors “autism”, “woman” and “diagnosis”, whose studies were of the type controlled clinical trial, randomized controlled clinical research and observational studies. Five themes were identified focusing on behavioral problems, social and communication skills, language, relationships, and parental concerns. In conclusion, this review emphasizes the importance of enhancing the widespread understanding and recognition of ASD presentation in women across development.