This is an urgent plea for ASD adults of 40-years-of-age and over to be involved in very important research. Please read the following information below written by Professor Ian Stuart-Hamilton of the University of Glamorgan:
“The Welsh Assembly has funded the Universities of Bangor and Glamorgan to conduct research on what happens to people with ASD in later life. There is literally not a single substantial properly controlled study on this issue and it is essential not only for future planning but also the well-being of people with ASD that we gain this information.
Wales has an opportunity to lead the world in this research, but only if we gather the information quickly and efficiently. Other national groups are already waking up to this topic (e.g. a group in England is preparing a survey at the moment).
A key part of this research is an on-line survey that asks people with ASD aged 40 or over to describe their current health and lifestyle. The on-line survey can be found at:
Health and Well-Being of Adults in Wales Survey
The survey can be completed in 10 minutes, but a more realistic figure is 15 – 20 minutes. None of the questions is particularly intrusive, and the entire survey is anonymous.
Please could you encourage ALL the people with ASD aged over 40 with whom you have contact to take part in this survey? For those people who are unable to operate a computer for themselves, it is perfectly okay for someone to fill in the answers for them. We are also collecting a control sample, so if family members or similar without ASD want to fill in the survey as well, they are more than welcome to do so.
Please may I urge you to ask people to fill in the survey as soon as possible? Just to reiterate – Wales can lead the world in this area of research, but only if you can supply the participants.
I am happy to address any questions you may have.”
Ian Stuart-Hamilton MA (Oxon) PhD
istuarth@glam.ac.uk
Professor of Developmental Psychology
University of Glamorgan.
Autism, Asperger's Syndrome and Adults 