This study using UK data shows that the rate of autism diagnosis increased mainly in females, adults and those with higher levels of functioning, suggesting that the increased incidence over 20 years may be primarily due to augmented recognition, rather than a genuinely increased rate of occurrence of neurodiversity.

Russell, G., Stapley, S., Newlove‐Delgado, T., Salmon, A., White, R., Warren, F., … & Ford, T. (2022). Time trends in autism diagnosis over 20 years: a UK population‐based cohort study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 63(6), 674-682.

https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jcpp.13505