Job loss predicts worsening depressive symptoms for young adults with autism: A COVID‐19 natural experiment

Abstract

Adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience high rates of both unemployment and depression. Though job loss predicts increased risk of depression in the general population, studies have yet to directly examine this relationship among individuals with ASD. With the backdrop of rising unemployment due to COVID‐19, we used a longitudinal design to examine whether employment changes predicted increasing depressive symptoms among young adults with ASD. Online surveys were collected from young adults with ASD at two times: just before widespread social distancing measures were adopted in the United States, and again 10 weeks later. Both time points included measurement of depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory‐2). At Time 2, COVID‐related employment changes and the perceived impact of those changes on well‐being were collected. Of the young adults who were employed at Time 1 ( n = 144), over one‐third (37.5%) reported employment changes during the first 2 months of COVID‐19. Most of this change was job loss or reductions in hours or pay (“job loss/reduction”). Controlling for Time 1 depressive symptoms, young adults who experienced job loss/reduction had significantly higher depressive symptoms at Time 2 than those without an employment change. Individuals' perceived impact of employment change also predicted depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that losing a job or experiencing reductions in hours or pay leads to worsening depressive symptoms among adults with ASD. Better supporting autistic adults in the workplace may not only decrease the likelihood of job loss, but also combat the exceedingly high rates of depression in this group. Lay Summary Though unemployment has been linked to mental health problems in the general population, this relationship is seldom considered among adults with autism. In this study, we found that adults on the autism spectrum who lost their jobs or experienced reductions in pay or hours during the first 2 months of COVID‐19 had worsening depression compared to adults who did not have job changes. Our findings suggest that increasing access to employment may help alleviate poor mental health among autistic adults.

Self-reported Everyday Sources of Happiness and Unhappiness in Autistic Adults

“…Furthermore, unexpected disruptions in employment are another source of distress associated with mental health problems for adults on the autism spectrum, highlighting the importance of job security (Müller et al, 2003). Two recent studies on employment changes during the COVID-19 pandemic provided direct evidence of the negative impact of a job change or loss on psychological well-being and mental health, as related to workplace satisfaction (Goldfarb et al, 2022;Taylor et al, 2022). Previous studies in this area, together with our findings, suggest that supports are needed and helpful at different stages of employment (Baldwin et al, 2014;Hedley et al, 2017;Hendricks, 2010).…”

Effects of the Early Phase of COVID-19 on the Autistic Community in Sweden: A Qualitative Multi-Informant Study Linking to ICF

“…The adult autistic community report similar adverse outcomes including increased anxiety, depression, loss of social support systems, worries about losing social skills with less social interaction, loss of regular care services, and added communication challenges with remote service provision [27,28]. Additionally, Taylor et al [29] found that a large portion of autistic adults has changed employment status (e.g., loss of job, reduced hours) during the pandemic which in turn was associated with depressive symptoms.…”

Perspectives on Employer-Initiated Terminations Among Young Adults on the Autism Spectrum

“…In the general population, negative events such as a job loss predict higher rates of depression, anxiety, stress and loneliness (Andreeva et al, 2015 ; Eckhard, 2020 ; Eersel et al, 2020 ; Hortulanus et al, 2006 ; Libby et al, 2010 ; Stolove et al, 2017 ). Longitudinal studies in autism samples also show negative mental health impacts of job loss (Goldfarb et al, 2022 ; Taylor et al, 2022 ), but no studies to our knowledge have examined the impacts of employer-initiated terminations in this group. Given the high rates of internal attributions in this sample, and the strong associations of internal attributions (vs. external) with self-esteem and self-worth (Wiener, 1985 ), it may be that employer-initiated terminations play a particularly powerful role in influencing psychological health among autistic adults.…”