PUBLIC LECTURE: 'Defining good outcomes for autistic people: What are "we" striving for?'

At present, there is little consensus between policymakers, scientists, and advocacy groups as to what defines a "good" intervention or a "good" outcome for individuals with autism.

Scientists often concentrate on narrowly-defined outcomes such as changes in IQ scores, autistic behavious or language skills. Others, such as those in public policy, focus instead on life adjustment and social inclusion: whether a person is in paid employment, has friends and social contact, and achieves independence. And parents and people with autism themselves may focus on states of subjective wellbeing such as happiness and quality of family life.

In this talk, Dr Pellicano will discuss some of the social and ethical implications of issues surrounding what is a good intervention or a desirable outcome for autistic people and further consider who should get to make these decisions.