The utility of multi-informant approaches when working with autistic adults
This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. one author of this publication is identified as autistic in the project.
About the autistic author markerWard, O. F., Tomeny, T. S., Pliskin, A., & Crehan, E. T. (2026). The utility of multi-informant approaches when working with autistic adults. Advances in Autism, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1108/aia-07-2025-0068
This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:
Authors
Abstract
Purpose With a growing focus on autism in adulthood, reexamining how and from whom information is collected is critical to ensure autistic adults receive adequate and appropriate care across the lifespan. Accessibility to autism assessments, services for co-occurring mental health conditions, and identifying service needs in adulthood is challenging. Mental health outcomes for autistic adults remain relatively poor compared to nonautistic peers. Increased incorporation of autistic self-report will ensure researchers and clinicians capture the profiles, concerns and needs of autistic individuals from their perspective. However, reliance on a single reporter, regardless of diagnosis or condition, comes with limitations. Using multi-informant approaches provides additional information through examining convergence and discrepancy between informants. Design/methodology/approach This viewpoint paper aims to consider the use of multi-informant approaches, as they pertain to autistic adults through a neurodiversity-affirming framework from the perspective of researchers, clinicians, family members of autistic adults, and autistic self-advocates. Drawing on discrepancy research, adult diagnostic guidelines and clinical expertise, the authors outline considerations for informant selection, contextual interpretation, and ethical management of discrepant reports. Findings The authors highlight adult-specific challenges in applying multi-informant models, including autonomy, masking, relational dynamics, recall limitations, and post-diagnostic disagreement and provide recommendations for selecting informants, interpreting divergence, and communicating assessment decisions transparently. Originality/value Whereas existing guidelines recommend collateral information in adult autism assessment, limited guidance exists on how to systematically interpret discrepancies or manage informant-related complexities in adulthood. This paper extends current guidance by offering perspectives and recommendations for ethically and contextually integrating multi-informant data when working with autistic adults.
Bibliography cited by this reference
Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.
Cited bibliography overview
These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 2 Oct 2026 11:55.
- With a DOI
- 60
- Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
- 8
- References with detected author names
- 65 / 68 (95.6%)
- Without detected author names
- 3
- Without a structured title
- 3
- Without a stable identifier
- 8
- References with raw author names still to review
- 3
- References with external metadata lookup issues
- 0
- From DOI or external metadata
- 242
- From validated raw bibliography text
- 0
- Raw names already validated
- 0
- Raw names still to review
- 3
-
Lamb (2014). Sibling Relationships: Their Nature and Significance across the Lifespan . Psychology Press.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Thomas M. Achenbach (2020). Bottom-up and top-down paradigms for psychopathology: a half-century odyssey . Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 16(1), 1. Annual Reviews.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Joseph Piven , Pamela Palmer *Autistic author. Learn more… , D Jacobi , D Childress , S Arndt (1997). Broader autism phenotype: evidence from a family history study of multiple-incidence autism families . The American Journal of Psychiatry, 154(2), 185. American Psychiatric Association Publishing.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Achenbach (2003). Manual for the ASEBA Adult Forms & Profiles . Manual for the ASEBA Adult Forms & Profiles.Type: OtherCrossref
-
Elizabeth A. Stratis , Luc Lecavalier (2015). Informant agreement for youth with autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disability: a meta-analysis . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(4), 1026. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Thomas M. Achenbach , Rebecca A. Krukowski , Levent Dumenci , Masha Y. Ivanova (2005). Assessment of adult psychopathology: meta-analyses and implications of cross-informant correlations . Psychological Bulletin, 131(3), 361. American Psychological Association (APA).Crossref OpenAlex
-
Thomas M. Achenbach , Stephanie H. McConaughy , Catherine T. Howell (1987). Child/adolescent behavioral and emotional problems: implications of cross-informant correlations for situational specificity . Psychological Bulletin, 101(2), 213. American Psychological Association (APA).Crossref OpenAlex
-
Rosemary Tozer , Karl Atkin (2015). Recognized, valued and supported”? the experiences of adult siblings of people with autism plus learning disability . Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 28(4), 341. Wiley.Crossref OpenAlex
-
American Psychiatric Association (2022). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.Type: Other DOI: 10.1176/aapi.books.9781585624836.jb01Crossref
-
Gael I. Orsmond , Hsin-Yu Kuo , Marsha Mailick Seltzer (2009). Siblings of individuals with an autism spectrum disorder: Sibling relationships and wellbeing in adolescence and adulthood . Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 13(1), 59. SAGE Publications.Crossref OpenAlex
-
APA (2022). Guidelines for assessment and intervention with persons with disabilities: (502822022-001) . PsycEXTRA Dataset. American Psychological Association (APA).Crossref OpenAlex
-
Andres De Los Reyes , Tara M. Augenstein , Mo Wang , Sarah A. Thomas , Deborah A. G. Drabick , Darcy E. Burgers et al. (2015). The validity of the multi-informant approach to assessing child and adolescent mental health . Psychological Bulletin, 141(4), 858. American Psychological Association (APA).Crossref OpenAlex
-
Autistic Self Advocacy Network (2020), “Position statements”, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, available at:Link to the Autistic Self Advocacy Network.Type: OtherCrossref
-
Susan W White , Amie R. Schry , Brenna Maddox (2012). Brief report: the assessment of anxiety in high-functioning adolescents with autism spectrum disorder . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(6), 1138. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Vanessa Bal , So Hyun Kim , Megan Fok , Catherine Lord (2019). Autism spectrum disorder symptoms from ages 2 to 19 years: implications for diagnosing adolescents and young adults . Autism Research, 12(1), 89. Wiley.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Mats Cederlund , Bibbi Hagberg , Christopher Gillberg (2010). Asperger syndrome in adolescent and young adult males. Interview, self–and parent assessment of social, emotional, and cognitive problems . Research in Developmental Disabilities, 31(2), 287. Elsevier BV.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Beitchman (1988). Self-report measures for use with children: a review and comment . Journal of Clinical Psychology, 44(4), 477.Type: Other DOI: 10.1002/1097-4679(198807)44:4<477::aid-jclp2270440402>3.0.co;2-kCrossref
-
Judith S. Miller , Jeffrey H. Newcorn , Jeffrey M. Halperin (2010). Fading memories: retrospective recall inaccuracies in ADHD . Journal of Attention Disorders, 14(1), 7. SAGE Publications.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Christine Bigby (1998). Parental substitutes? The role of siblings in the lives of older people with intellectual disability . Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 29(1), 3. Informa UK Limited.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Shannon A. Johnson , Jillian H. Filliter , Robin R. Murphy (2009). Discrepancies between self- and Parent-Perceptions of autistic traits and empathy in high functioning children and adolescents on the autism spectrum . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 39(12), 1706. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Urie Bronfenbrenner (1977). Toward an experimental ecology of human development. American Psychologist, 32(7), 513-531. American Psychological Association (APA).Crossref OpenAlex
-
Eric A. Storch , Jill Ehrenreich May , Jeffrey Wood , Anna M. Jones , Alessandro S. De Nadai , Adam B. Lewin et al. (2012). Multiple informant agreement on the anxiety disorders interview schedule in youth with autism spectrum disorders . Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, 22(4), 292. SAGE Publications.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Brent W. Roberts , Avshalom Caspi (2001). Personality development and the person–situation debate: it’s déjà vu all over again . Psychological Inquiry, 12(2), 104. Informa UK Limited.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Cicirelli (2013). Sibling Relationships Across the Life Span . Sibling Relationships Across the Life Span.Type: OtherCrossref
-
Amy Swango-Wilson (2008). Caregiver perceptions and implications for sex education for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities . Sexuality and Disability, 26(3), 167. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Julia Cook , Laura Hull , Laura Crane , Will Mandy (2021). Camouflaging in autism: A systematic review . Clinical Psychology Review, 89(102), 102080. Elsevier BV.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Mark E. Feinberg , Anna R. Solmeyer , Susan M. McHale (2012). The third rail of family systems: sibling relationships, mental and behavioral health, and preventive intervention in childhood and adolescence . Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 15(1), 43. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Constantino (2012). Social Responsiveness Scale - Second Edition (Srs-2) . Social Responsiveness Scale - Second Edition (Srs-2).Type: OtherCrossref
-
Tamar Heller , Catherine Keiling Arnold (2010). Siblings of adults with developmental disabilities: psychosocial outcomes, relationships, and future planning . Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 7(1), 16. Wiley.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Andres De Los Reyes , Bridget A. Makol (2021). The Oxford Handbook of Personality and Psychopathology Assessment . In The Oxford Handbook of Personality and Psychopathology Assessment (pp. 852-873). Oxford University Press.Type: Book chapter DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190092689.013.33 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4289539556Crossref OpenAlex
-
Gregory Makoul , Marla L. Clayman (2006). An integrative model of shared decision making in medical encounters . Patient Education and Counseling, 60(3), 301. Elsevier BV.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Matthew D Lerner , Casey D. Calhoun , Amori Yee Mikami , Andres De Los Reyes (2012). Understanding parent-child social informant discrepancy in youth with high functioning autism spectrum disorders . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(12), 2680. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Andres De Los Reyes , Clayton R. Cook , Frank M. Gresham , Bridget A. Makol , Mo Wang (2019). Informant discrepancies in assessments of psychosocial functioning in school-based services and research: review and directions for future research . Journal of School Psychology, 74, 74. Elsevier BV.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Andres De Los Reyes , Christine M Ohannessian , Sarah J Racz (2019). Discrepancies between adolescent and parent reports about family relationships . Child Development Perspectives, 13(1), 53. Oxford University Press (OUP).Crossref OpenAlex
-
Helena C. Kraemer , Jeffrey R. Measelle , Jennifer C. Ablow , Marilyn J. Essex , W. Thomas Boyce , David J. Kupfer (2003). A new approach to integrating data from multiple informants in psychiatric assessment and research: mixing and matching contexts and perspectives . American Journal of Psychiatry, 160(9), 1566. American Psychiatric Association Publishing.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Andres De Los Reyes , Elizabeth Talbott , Thomas J. Power , Jeremy J. Michel , Clayton R. Cook , Sarah J. Racz et al. (2022). The needs-to-goals gap: how informant discrepancies in youth mental health assessments impact service delivery . Clinical Psychology Review, 92, 102114. Elsevier BV.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Andres De Los Reyes , Sarah A. Thomas , Kimberly L. Goodman , Shannon M.A. Kundey (2013). Principles underlying the use of multiple informants’ reports . Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 9(1), 123. Annual Reviews.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Barbara L. Fischer , Gail Gunter-Hunt , Courtney Holm Steinhafel , Timothy Howell (2012). The identification and assessment of late-life ADHD in memory clinics . Journal of Attention Disorders, 16(4), 333. SAGE Publications.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Andres De Los Reyes , Fanita A. Tyrell , Ashley L. Watts , Gordon J. G. Asmundson (2022). Conceptual, methodological, and measurement factors that disqualify use of measurement invariance techniques to detect informant discrepancies in youth mental health assessments . Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 931296. Frontiers Media SA.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Gael I. Orsmond , Marsha Mailick Seltzer (2007). Siblings of individuals with autism spectrum disorders across the life course . Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews, 13(4), 313. Wiley.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Danielle E. Deros , Sarah J. Racz , Melanie F. Lipton , Tara M. Augenstein , Jeremy N. Karp , Lauren M. Keeley et al. (2018). Multi-informant assessments of adolescent social anxiety: adding clarity by leveraging reports from unfamiliar peer confederates . Behavior Therapy, 49(1), 84. Elsevier BV.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Jennifer Sturgess , Sylvia Rodger , Anne Ozanne (2002). A review of the use of self-report assessment with young children . British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 65(3), 108-116. SAGE Publications.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Lorcan Kenny , Caroline Hattersley , Bonnie Molins , Carole Buckley , Carol Povey , Elizabeth Pellicano (2016). Which terms should be used to describe autism? Perspectives from the UK autism community . Autism, 20(4), 442-462. SAGE Publications.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Luke P. Grosvenor , Cheryl L. Errichetti , Calliope Holingue , Joan B. Beasley , Luther G. Kalb (2023). Self-Report Measurement of Well-Being in Autistic Adults: Psychometric Properties of the PERMA Profiler . Autism in Adulthood, 5(4), 401-410. SAGE Publications.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Matthew D Lerner , Andres De Los Reyes , Deborah A.G. Drabick , Alan H. Gerber , Kenneth D. Gadow (2017). Informant discrepancy defines discrete, clinically useful autism spectrum disorder subgroups . Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 58(7), 829. Wiley.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Laura Hull , K.V. Petrides , Carrie T. Allison , P. Smith , Simon Baron-Cohen , Meng-Chuan Lai et al. (2017). “Putting on My Best Normal”: Social Camouflaging in Adults with Autism Spectrum Conditions . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 47(8), 2519-2534. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (2020). Strategic plan for autism spectrum disorder 2018-2019 .Type: OtherCrossref
-
Bridget A. Makol , Antonio J. Polo (2018). Parent-child endorsement discrepancies among youth at chronic-risk for depression . Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 46(5), 1077. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Jason D. Jones , Rhonda C. Boyd , Monica E. Calkins , Annisa Ahmed , Tyler M. Moore , Ran Barzilay et al. (2019). Parent-adolescent agreement about adolescents’ suicidal thoughts . Pediatrics, 143(2), 1. American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).Crossref OpenAlex
-
Benjamin J. Lovett , Karen M. Davis (2017). Adult ADHD assessment: an integrated clinical-forensic perspective . Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 48(6), 438. American Psychological Association (APA).Crossref OpenAlex
-
Sandra C. Jones *Autistic author. Learn more… (2022). Measuring the Wrong Thing the Right Way? Time to Rethink Autism Research Tools . Autism in Adulthood, 4(2), 104-109. SAGE Publications.
-
Catherine Lord , Mayada Elsabbagh , Gillian Baird , Jeremy Veenstra‐VanderWeele (2018). Autism spectrum disorder . The Lancet, 392(10146), 508-520. Elsevier BV.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Carla B. Kalvin , Carolyn L. Marsh , Karim Ibrahim , Theresa R. Gladstone , Diana Woodward , Heidi Grantz et al. (2020). Discrepancies between parent and child ratings of anxiety in children with autism spectrum disorder . Autism Research, 13(1), 93. Wiley.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Jessica M. Keith , Jeremy P. Jamieson , Loisa Bennetto (2019). The importance of adolescent Self-Report in autism spectrum disorder: integration of questionnaire and autonomic measures . Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 47(4), 741. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Lauren Kenworthy , Alyssa Verbalis , Julia Bascom *Autistic author. Learn more… , Sharon daVanport *Autistic author. Learn more… , John F. Strang , Cara E. Pugliese et al. (2022). Adding the missing voice: how self-report of autistic youth self-report on an executive functioning rating scale compares to parent report and that of youth with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or neurotypical development . Autism, 26(2), 422. SAGE Publications.
-
John R. Weisz , Sofie Kuppens , Mei Yi Ng , Rachel A. Vaughn-Coaxum , Ana M. Ugueto , Dikla Eckshtain et al. (2019). Are psychotherapies for young people growing stronger? Tracking trends over time for youth anxiety, depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and conduct problems . Perspectives on Psychological Science, 14(2), 216. SAGE Publications.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Philippa Moss , Vasiliki Eirinaki , Sarah Savage , Patricia Howlin (2019). Growing older with autism–the experiences of adult siblings of individuals with autism . Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 63, 42. Elsevier BV.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Sarah Wigham , Barry Ingham , Ann Le Couteur , Tom Berney , Ian Ensum , Jeremy R. Parr (2020). Development and initial utility of the autism clinical interview for adults: a new adult autism diagnostic measure . Autism in Adulthood, 2(1), 42. SAGE Publications.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Rachel K Sandercock , Elena Lamarche , Mark R Klinger , Laura Klinger (2020). Assessing the convergence of self-report and informant measures for adults with autism spectrum disorder . Autism, 24(8), 2256. SAGE Publications.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Zachary J. Williams *Autistic author. Learn more… , Jonas Everaert , Katherine Gotham (2021). Measuring depression in autistic adults: psychometric validation of the beck depression inventory–II . Assessment, 28(3), 858. SAGE Publications.
-
Danielle Miller , Jon Rees , Amy Pearson *Autistic author. Learn more… (2021). “Masking Is Life”: Experiences of Masking in Autistic and Nonautistic Adults . Autism in Adulthood, 3(4), 330-338. SAGE Publications.
-
Manu J. Sharma , Sasha Lavoie , Brandy L. Callahan (2021). A call for research on the validity of the age-of-onset criterion application in older adults being evaluated for ADHD: a review of the literature in clinical and cognitive psychology . The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 29(7), 669. Elsevier BV.Crossref OpenAlex
-
NICE (2012), “Recommendations autism spectrum disorder in adults: diagnosis and management guidance”, NICE, available at:Link to the cited article.Type: OtherCrossref
-
Antonio F. Pagán , Amy K. Izuno-Garcia , Killian R. Hughes , Katherine S. Chapman , Katherine A. Loveland (2024). Self-and informant report in a First-Time diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in adulthood: the role of females . Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 8(4), 1. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Felicity Sedgewick , Laura Hull , Helen Ellis *Autistic author. Learn more… (2022). Autism Masking: How and Why People Do It and the Impact It Can Have . Jessica Kingsley Publishers.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Sara Taylor , Brielle N. Gehringer , Holly C. Dow , Allison Langer , Eric Rawot , Zoe Smernoff et al. (2024). Contrasting views of autism spectrum traits in adults, especially in self-reports vs. Informant-Reports for women high in autism spectrum traits . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 54(3), 1088-1100. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Sparrow (2016). Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales . Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales.Type: OtherCrossref
-
World Health Organization (2022), “ICD-11: international classification of diseases (11th revision)”, available at:Link to the cited article.Type: OtherCrossref