# Tools for Detecting Ageing in People with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Scoping Review

## TL;DR

This review identifies tools for detecting aging in people with autism, highlighting the need for a comprehensive, multi-domain approach to support their health.

## Contribution

The study provides a synthesis of existing tools for aging detection in autism, emphasizing the need for a multi-domain assessment framework.

## Key findings

- 57 tools were identified, covering domains like functional, mental, and biomedical aspects of aging in autism.
- Most tools focused on functional and mental domains, with fewer addressing social, frailty, or fall risk.
- The review underscores the lack of a unified, multi-domain tool for comprehensive geriatric assessment in autistic individuals.

## Abstract

Background: People with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) require a customised, multidisciplinary plan throughout their lifetime to support optimal health. The purpose of this scoping review was to synthesise research on the main scales used to detect signs of ageing in people with ASD. Methods: Eligible papers published between January 2003 and August 2025 were identified through searches of PubMed, PsycInfo, Scopus, Web of Science, NICE and Cochrane databases. The assessment was performed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal and extraction checklist. Of the 820 papers reviewed, 24 were found to meet the established criteria. Results: Based on the evidence collected, 57 tools focusing on specific domains within the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment were identified: 19 addressed the functional domain, 18 the mental, 6 the biomedical, 1 the social, 2 related to frailty, 1 to fall risk, and 10 to quality of life. Conclusions: This review highlights the need to obtain a ‘multi-domain’ tool for the detection of ageing in autistic people, which would facilitate the development of a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment that makes planning customised care possible.