Autistic adults are less likely to overestimate their intelligence than non-autistic adults. At the same time, they are more likely to underestimate their cognitive abilities. These findings come from a study involving participants from the Netherlands Autism Register (NAR), one of the cohorts affiliated with the Amsterdam Cohort Hub (ACH).

The researchers investigated how autistic and non-autistic adults assess their own intelligence. The study included 284 autistic adults and 63 non-autistic adults. Participants estimated their own intelligence and completed a short online cognitive test. The researchers then compared these self-assessments with their test scores.

Differences in self-assessment

Among non-autistic participants, approximately 94% rated their intelligence higher than their test scores indicated. Among autistic participants, this figure was around 75%. Nearly one in four autistic participants underestimated their cognitive abilities.

The findings suggest that autistic adults are less likely to show a positive bias when assessing their intelligence. However, this does not necessarily mean their self-assessments are more accurate. Their estimates varied more widely and were more often negative.

According to the researchers, societal stereotypes, social experiences and differences in self-perception may contribute to these findings. Further research is needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms.

Read the publication: Reduced Positive Bias in Autistic Adults’ Intelligence Self-Assessments - Erik Van der Burg, Robert M. Jertberg, Hilde M. Geurts, Bhismadev Chakrabarti, Sander Begeer, 2026