Some people live a long life with autism before being diagnosed for it. This study deals with explaining why this phenomenon applies, as well as what consequences it can have for a person to be diagnosed with autism in late adulthood.

The study is based on qualitative interviews with 9 people, who all were diagnosed with autism in their adulthood. The approach, to the qualitative study, is partly based on a phenomenological approach and a hermeneutic approach. This choice has been made in the desire to make findings that have not been given in advance.

The qualitative data has subsequently been coded in the form of a condensation of opinions and subsequently a meaning interpretation, which has resulted in a number of themes which prove to be pervasive for the persons in the study have contributed with.

The themes have subsequently been analyzed on the basis of how social discourses influence the individual to undertake self-discipline in order to live up to the dominant values ​​of Western modern societies. This is done to find out which generative processes affects the phenomenon why some people with autism don't get diagnosed until they reached adulthood.

It is concluded through the study, that the informants involved, alle have undertaken some form of self-discipline have all through their lives, as a result of the desire to live up to the demands of society based which is on individualization. This has led to, the participants in the study, have been burdened to such an extent, that they have had to develop alternative coping strategies to cope with everyday life. They have been able to live up to the demands of society for a long time, but as they grow older, these demands have become larger and more complex. This means that previous coping strategies no longer apply, which is why the stress they experience is expressed in the form of various stress reactions such as anxiety, depression.

The consequences for the individual are that, over time, they have had their socio-economic status as well as general living conditions deteriorated because they have not been able to live a life, where there has been a balance between their resources and the demands, placed on them by society or by themselves.

However, the individuals, who participated in the study, after diagnosis, were able to put events in their lives into perspective and have been able to explain many of the barriers they have experienced as a result of their autism.