Long-term outcome in people with severe intellectual disabilities and/or autism

The present paper reports the results from a 25-year follow-up study of the Camberwell Cohort. Using the Schedule of Handicaps Behaviours and Skills, the current level of skills and behaviour was established for 90 people with severe intellectual disabilities and/or autism aged between 27 and 41 years. This information was used, together with a quality of life measure, and residential and day placement information, to develop a measure of outcome. The preliminary results show that outcome in terms of independent functioning, residential placement and employment, for example, was within the poor to fair range for the majority of people. Only 2% had a good outcome. This is consistent with results from other studies. The best predictor of outcome was social impairment, i.e. those who were socially impaired generally had a poorer outcome. Unlike previous studies, no general relationship was found between intellectual functioning and overall outcome.