Romance and Autism: Dating is more than possible for people with ASD

There is a common misconception that people with an ASD are not interested in relationships or romance. This simply isn’t true. While this population struggles with social skills and communication, this doesn’t equate with disinterest, even though the stress and sense of self-defeat may dissuade an autistic person from  attempting romance. In a study done by Toronto’s Redpath Centre  , just 32.1 percent of people with autism had had a partner and only 9 percent were married. This contrasts with the statistics of the general population where about 50 percent of adults are married.”

Romantic relationships are not addressed in transitional support plans from childhood to adulthood. Just because a person has autism doesn’t mean there is no desire for affection and intimacy. To learn more about romantic relationships and autism, check out the upcoming film Autism In Love due to be released in 2014. To read this article in its entirety, click here.