Social participation and its relation to internalizing symptoms among youth with autism spectrum disorder as they transition from high school

Abstract

In the present study, we examined how unstructured (e.g., spending time with friends or coworkers) and structured (e.g., attending social events at a place of workshop, sports teams) social participation changed from before to after high school for youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), as well as the longitudinal and concurrent relations between social participation and internalizing symptoms. Participants included 36 families of youth with ASD who were all in their last year of high school at the first time point of data collection, and who were out of high school for an average of 9 months at the second time point. Social participation and internalizing symptoms were determined using parental report. There was no average change in the amount of unstructured social participation after high school exit, although substantial individual variability was observed. Participation in structured social activities significantly declined after high school exit. Youth who had more structured social participation while in high school were significantly more likely to have gains in their unstructured social participation after high school exit. Turning to relationships between internalizing and social activities, more internalizing symptoms while youth with ASD were in high school significantly predicted increasing social isolation after high school exit (both in terms of structured and unstructured activities). Results point to the likely need for additional supports during the transition to adulthood for youth with ASD who have internalizing problems.

Supporting and hindering environments for participation of adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder: A scoping review

“…35) [ 68 ], as they mean that demands are more familiar and thus clearer. A higher participation rate has been reported for regularly scheduled and structured activities [ 22 , 75 ]. New situations, for example when starting a new job or attending a new sports facility, are described as a source of unease and instability [ 66 , 68 , 71 , 73 , 76 ].…”

“…Additionally, adolescents with ASD know little about ways to access leisure activities [ 62 ]. After they leave high school, structured social activities of adolescents with ASD decline significantly [ 75 ]. Informing them beforehand, for example using video games or toy tractors as a basis for learning to drive, or visiting a new school before the transition is made, have also been described as supportive [ 64 – 67 ].…”

Brief Report: Postsecondary Work and Educational Disruptions for Youth on the Autism Spectrum

“…The present analysis included 36 families of youth with ASD who represented a wide range of functioning and were part of a larger, longitudinal study (Taylor and Henninger 2015; Taylor, Adams, & Bishop, 2017). The primary inclusion criteria at baseline were that the son or daughter with ASD was scheduled to exit high school within the next 12 months and had received an ASD diagnosis from an educational or health professional.…”

‘Something needs to change’: Mental health experiences of young autistic adults in England

“…Given that the rates of mental health problems are disproportionately high in young people generally , and that young adults display poor help-seeking behaviours (Gulliver et al, 2010), there is particular need to focus on young autistic adults, who may be especially vulnerable when it comes to mental health. Indeed, the transition from childhood to adulthood is a notoriously challenging time for young people on the autism spectrum in general (Friedman, Erickson Warfield, & Parish, 2013;Lounds Taylor, 2009), with high rates of bullying and victimisation (Cappadocia, Weiss, & Pepler, 2012;Fisher & Taylor, 2016), as well as low rates of post-secondary education (Shattuck et al, 2012), employment (Shattuck et al, 2012) and social participation (Lounds Taylor, Adams, & Bishop, 2017;Orsmond, Shattuck, Cooper, Sterzing, & Anderson, 2013). Furthermore, the quality of life of young autistic people has been shown to be lower than that of non-autistic people across a range of areas (physical well-being, psychological well-being, social support, and peers) (Biggs & Carter, 2016).…”