Abstract
The purpose of the study was to facilitate the adjustment of adults who are severely disabled by autism to the job setting. Three cases are presented that illustrate the use of on-the-job training procedures to manage behavior problems of adults with autism. In two cases aggressive and oppositional behavior were eliminated or reduced in frequency, and in a third case production rate was increased. The feasibility of on-the-job training of adults with autism is discussed, and expanded research into vocational training programs is recommended.
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Preparation of this article was supported in part by the United States Department of Education Grant G008430115, by the National Institute of Handicapped Research, Department of Education Grant G008435019, and by a Mary Switzer Fellowship from the National Institute of Handicapped Research. However, the opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the U.S. Department of Education. The work presented in this article was conducted at Community Services for Autistic Adults and Children, 751 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, Maryland. We gratefully acknowledge Patricia Juhrs for her administrative support, Frank Warren for his valuable assistance on the final draft, Judy Lewis for her clerical assistance, Derek Berrian for preparing the figures, and Jack Smith for reviewing and editing the draft of this article.
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Smith, M.D., Coleman, D. Managing the behavior of adults with autism in the job setting. J Autism Dev Disord 16, 145–154 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01531726
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01531726