Predictors of Employment and Postsecondary Education of Youth With Autism

Abstract

More than three decades have passed since the passage of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which promised students in the United States a "free and appropriate public education." A critical component of this endeavor was transition planning for the student's life beyond high school, including postsecondary education and employment. In spite of these promises, research shows that the majority of adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities are being served in either facility-based work or community-based nonwork programs (Butterworth et al., 2011;Taylor & Seltzer, 2011). For the minority who work in community businesses, employment entails part-time positions in entry-level jobs. This results in low income, limited access to benefits such as health care, and dependence on public welfare (Boeltzig, Timmons, & Butterworth, 2008).Another area of concern is postsecondary education attainment. Students with disabilities and their families increasingly plan for participation in postsecondary education because of its potential as an intermediate step toward employment (Camarena, 2009;Newman, Wagner, Cameto, & Knokey, 2009). In response to this need, more colleges and universities are offering services specifically designed to assist students with disabilities. According to a recent national survey, more than 150 such programs operate in the nation (Grigal & Hart, 2010). The importance of postsecondary education for youth with disabilities is also demonstrated by the several regulations introduced in the past decades to meet the support needs of this group of students (Stodden & Mruzek, 2010). Despite this effort, the availability of programs and participation of youth with intellectual disabilities in postsecondary education remains an issue (Grigal & Hart, 2010;Newman et al., 2009). Employment and postsecondary education outcomes of youth with autism are also a concern because they are weaker than those of youth with other disabilities (Barnhill, 2007;Howlin, Goode, Hutton, & Rutter, 2004). Although transition outcomes of this group remain bleak, the demand for services, especially vocational rehabilitation (VR) services, is increasing (Cimera & Cowan, 2009). Within the group of people with developmental disabilities, the percentage of people with autism seeking VR services tripled from 1% to 3% between 1995(Migliore & Butterworth, 2008.This increase in the number of youth with autism seeking rehabilitation services has prompted an increased interest in research about predictors of transition outcomes for this 43R CB55310.

Predictors of employment status among adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…Consistent with the ASD employment literature [21,23,24], almost half of our participants (46.64%) worked part-time. However, we do not know if they desired full-time employment and therefore, truly meet the criteria for underemployment.…”

“…In their systematic review, Holwerda et al [19], found two factors facilitated employment: (1) education, and (2) family support. In a more recent study using the RSA911 database for 2008, Migliore et al [21] examined the predictors of employment for young adults (aged 16 to 26 years) with ASD who had received vocational rehabilitation (VR) services, finding the odds of employment were the highest for participants who had received job placement services. Roux et al [16] also examined the employment experiences of young adults (aged 21 to 25 years) with ASD; however, their sample had not received VR services.…”

“…People may be considered underemployed if they involuntarily work less than full-time, work full-time but don't receive a livable wage, when their job does not afford the opportunity to use their skills, and when their job provides less status than expected on the basis of their background [22]. Several studies have found adults with ASD are typically employed part-time, working less than thirty hours per week on average [21,23,24]. However, whether or not these participants chose to work less than full-time is unknown.…”

Employment and Vocational Skills Among Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Predictors, Impact, and Interventions

“…Research by Migliore et al (2012) investigated predictors of participation in integrated employment and postsecondary education of youth with autism. The study consisted of 2,913 participants with ASD aged between 16 and 26 years old.…”

“…Individual characteristics and employment service characteristics were found to predict employment in the studies reviewed. Two studies reported that being male was a predictor factor for employment (Lawer et al 2009;Migliore et al 2012) while Chiang et al (2013) found that females were more likely to find employment. Increased age in adulthood was also found to be a predictor of employment (Lawer et al 2009;Schaller and Yang 2005) as well as the absence of any comorbid condition (Chiang et al 2013;Schaller and Yang 2005).…”