Óscar Cervera, a teacher and educational psychologist at the Support Clinic, explained that “prejudices in the workplace toward people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)—which includes Asperger’s Syndrome since 2013—remain a significant obstacle and can affect both hiring and retention of employment.” Among the most common myths, he refuted the idea that “they cannot adapt to a conventional work environment, that they are unable to work as a team, that they cannot handle pressure or be creative, and even that they cannot work”. In addition, he pointed out that those people who get a job “tend to occupy positions that do not require much experience or that are not in line with their skills or abilities.”

Within a school setting, children also face difficulties, depending on the severity of the disorder and the individual characteristics of each child. Accordingly, expert psychologist in ASD and teaching and care coordinator of the Support Clinic, Olga Lozano, also explained that with the appropriate support, “children with high-functioning ASD can succeed in ordinary school and reach their full potential.”

Lozano pointed out that, “in recent years, schools have made advances in the inclusion of people with autism, although it is necessary that the entire educational community receive the necessary training, and that families and students continue to be sensitive of this disorder.”

Anna García, a teacher and child-youth health psychologist at the Support Clinic, emphasised that there is an increasing number of children with autism in Spain “due mainly to the improvement of early diagnosis and the improvement in research advances at a multidisciplinary level”.  García also stressed that ASD is diagnosed more frequently in men, because women “tend to present less evident symptomatic manifestations.” Regarding age, “recent research suggests that a remarkable number of people, especially women and people with high-functioning ASD or Asperger, are diagnosed as adults,” she added.

This late diagnosis can have a great impact on the lives of these people and generate a mixture of emotions” as it provides an explanation for the social and communicative challenges they faced during their childhood and adolescence.” She also explained that “the lack of early intervention can hinder the development of social, emotional and cognitive skills.”