In later life, intervention or compensation, as well as current supports, may mask these dif-
ficulties in at least some co ntexts. However, symptoms remain sufficient to cause current
impairment in social, occupational, or  other important areas of functioning.
Risk and Prognostic Factors
The best established prognostic factors for individual outcome wi thin autism spectrum
disorder are presence or absence of associa ted intellectual disability and language impair-