High-Functioning Autism: 23 Strengths-Based Daily Worksheets

Autism diagnoses are rising exponentially. A study by Russell et al. (2022) reported a 787% increase in UK diagnoses between 1998 and 2018. Similarly, 1 in 36 8-year-old children were diagnosed autistic in the USA in 2023 (Maenner et al., 2023).
High-functioning autism is characterized by neurodevelopmental differences in sensory processing, executive function, communication, and learning but is not a recognized medical term. Rather, it refers to what some clinicians in the field call ‘level 1 autism’ (Waizbard-Bartov et al., 2023).
However, those adhering to a neurodiversity paradigm rarely refer to ‘high-functioning autism’ or ‘levels’ of autism. This is because the autistic spectrum is not linear but ‘spiky’ (Murray et al., 2023). Every autistic person is different, with a varied range of strengths and weaknesses in a range of neurocognitive domains, just like everybody else.
High-functioning autism is used in this article to refer to autistic adults who live independently but may have support needs requiring accommodations at work or college. We also offer 23 free strengths-based worksheets, with five specifically designed to support high-functioning autistic adults with daily living.
Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Strengths Exercises for free. These detailed, science-based exercises will help your clients realize their unique potential and create a life that feels energizing and authentic.