Autism as a Dynamic Construct: Potential Implications for the Future of Life with Autism

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-555-3_10How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Autism; ASD; dynamic construct; diagnostic criteria; female Autism phenotype; prevalence; life with Autism; neurodiversity; policy; education; disability rights

Abstract

A consequence of the increase in the prevalence of Autism during the last decades is that it became a focus for political and legal debates. Of relevance in terms of fueling a debate around the condition is the fact that the increase in diagnoses has been described as an ‘epidemic’, an idea with scientific, medical, legal, and political implications. This presentation will focus on findings suggesting that rather than being a consequence of environmental factors, as implicitly suggested by the notion of an epidemic, the increase in prevalence reflects a transformation in how Autism is conceptualized. More specifically, the increased prevalence is mainly rooted in a shift in diagnostic criteria that presided to the identification of individuals with milder manifestations of the condition, the recognition of less typical presentations, such as the ‘female autistic phenotype’, and increased awareness among the general population. These factors have contributed to the diagnosis of individuals who would previously not have been diagnosed. Although this evidence offers an explanation for the increased prevalence rates, it still suggests that the present meaning of ‘being autistic’ is distinct from that associated with previous iterations of the diagnostic criteria. Additionally, it offers theoretical and empirical grounds from which to reimagine the debate around the medical, societal, and political ramifications of this phenomenon can be contextualized. Finally, this evidence must be considered in terms of future societal and policy directions that will shape the lives and lived experiences of Autistic individuals, in a more inclusive and life-affirming future.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Pedro Vital
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/03/13
TI  - Autism as a Dynamic Construct: Potential Implications for the Future of Life with Autism
BT  - Proceeding of The Future of Life - Legal, Scientific, and Geopolitical Challenges (TFOL2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 138
EP  - 149
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-555-3_10
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-555-3_10
ID  - Vital2026
ER  -