Melissa H Black1,2, Soheil Mahdi3, Benjamin Milbourn1,2, Craig Thompson1,2, Axel D'Angelo3, Eva Ström4, Marita Falkmer1,2,5, Torbjörn Falkmer1,2,6, Matthew Lerner7, Alycia Halladay8, Alan Gerber7, Christopher Esposito7, Sonya Girdler1,2, Sven Bölte1,2,3,9. 1. School of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. 2. Curtin Autism Research Group, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. 3. Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden. 4. Swedish Public Employment Service, Unit for Rehabilitation and Work, Stockholm, Sweden. 5. CHILD, Swedish Institute for Disability Research, School of Education and Communication, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden. 6. Pain and Rehabilitation Centre, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linkoping University, Linkoping, Sweden. 7. Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York. 8. Autism Science Foundation, New York, New York. 9. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden.
Abstract
Despite efforts to improve employment outcomes for autistic individuals, internationally their employment rates remain low. There is a need to better understand the factors influencing successful employment for autistic adults in the labor market from the perspectives of multiple key stakeholders. This study represents the second in a series of papers conducted as part of an International Society for Autism Research policy brief aimed at improving employment outcomes for autistic individuals. A community consultation methodology using focus groups, forums, and interviews was applied with autistic individuals (n = 19), family members (n = 18), service providers (n = 21), employers (n = 11), researchers (n = 5), and advocacy group representatives (n = 5) in Australia, Sweden, and the United States, aiming to identify the factors perceived to determine gaining and maintaining employment for autistic individuals. Directed content analysis, guided by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), was conducted to investigate the key factors influencing employment outcomes for autistic individuals. Meaningful verbal concepts, or units of text with common themes, were also derived from the qualitative data and then linked and compared to the ICF Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Core-sets. Across countries, activity and participation and environmental factor categories of the ICF were the most associated with employment outcomes. Results suggest that removal of environmental barriers and enhancing environmental facilitators may assist to remediate ASD-related difficulties in the workplace. Autism Res 2019,
Despite efforts to improve employment outcomes for autistic individuals, internationally their employment rates remain low. There is a need to better understand the factors influencing successful employment for autistic adults in the labor market from the perspectives of multiple key stakeholders. This study represents the second in a series of papers conducted as part of an International Society for Autism Research policy brief aimed at improving employment outcomes for autistic individuals. A community consultation methodology using focus groups, forums, and interviews was applied with autistic individuals (n = 19), family members (n = 18), service providers (n = 21), employers (n = 11), researchers (n = 5), and advocacy group representatives (n = 5) in Australia, Sweden, and the United States, aiming to identify the factors perceived to determine gaining and maintaining employment for autistic individuals. Directed content analysis, guided by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), was conducted to investigate the key factors influencing employment outcomes for autistic individuals. Meaningful verbal concepts, or units of text with common themes, were also derived from the qualitative data and then linked and compared to the ICF Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Core-sets. Across countries, activity and participation and environmental factor categories of the ICF were the most associated with employment outcomes. Results suggest that removal of environmental barriers and enhancing environmental facilitators may assist to remediate ASD-related difficulties in the workplace. Autism Res 2019,
Authors: Susan M Hayward; Rebecca L Flower; Kathleen E Denney; Simon Bury; Amanda L Richdale; Cheryl Dissanayake; Darren Hedley Journal: J Autism Dev Disord Date: 2022-09-28