Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/322214 
Year of Publication: 
2025
Series/Report no.: 
Texto para Discussão No. 3113
Publisher: 
Instituto de Pesquisa Econômica Aplicada (IPEA), Brasília
Abstract (Translated): 
In Brazil, Law no 12.764/2012 recognized Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as a disability for all legal purposes. This recognition, coupled with the significant increase in diagnoses, directly impacts the formulation and implementation of public policies. The growth of the population considered to have disabilities puts pressure on the review of access criteria for benefits, especially non-contributory ones, such as the Continuous Cash Benefit (BPC), requiring a delicate balance between expanding coverage and maintaining fiscal sustainability. In this context, Theme 376 of the National Uniformization Panel (TNU) addresses a crucial issue: is the diagnosis of ASD alone sufficient to characterize the disability, thereby dispensing with the biopsychosocial evaluation? The TNU's decision has implications that go beyond access to the BPC, as it could redefine the legal interpretation of disability in the country and influence future regulations. An international comparative analysis reveals that in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Chile, Argentina, and Spain, the diagnosis of ASD alone does not automatically guarantee access to benefits. In these countries, a detailed evaluation is required to demonstrate the functional impact on the individual's daily life. Dispensing with the biopsychosocial evaluation based solely on the diagnosis - whether of ASD or other conditions - could undermine the interactional model of disability adopted by Brazil and international treaties. This approach may create inequalities between different groups of people with disabilities, negatively impacting inclusion and equitable access to rights and benefits.
Subjects: 
disability
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
biopsychossocial assessment
continuing benefit benefit (BPC)
public policies
JEL: 
H51
H55
I18
I38
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by Logo
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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