Abstract
Purpose
Research documents poor outcomes for autistic adults in the domains of employment, independent living, and social relationships. Measurement and sample limitations in prior studies may have amplified past estimates of poor outcomes. The goal of the current study was to improve upon past approaches and to create and describe a measurement approach to capture adult outcomes that reflected the context of young adulthood and the perspectives of autistic individuals, pairing objective outcome indicators with subjective satisfaction indicators.
Methods
Thirty-six autistic young adults (mean age 19.8 years) and a parent completed self-report surveys. Using these data, we defined an objective and subjective (i.e., satisfaction) outcome indicator in each of three domains: productivity (employment or post-secondary education), social well-being (frequency of contact with friends), and living situation (autonomy).
Results
Three-quarters of young adults experienced at least 5 out of 6 positive outcomes. Over 90% were engaged in school, work, or a structured transition program, and an equal percentage were satisfied with their productivity activity. Over three-quarters of adults had a good amount of contact with friends and were satisfied with their social life. Most young adults had a moderate level of autonomy in their daily lives, and all were satisfied with their living situation.
Conclusion
Tailoring outcome measurement approaches specifically for autistic young adults provided a more optimistic portrayal of outcomes than previously noted in the literature. The approach used better reflects a neurodiversity approach and may be useful for evaluating the effectiveness of transition services or interventions.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the members of our community advisory board for their contributions in developing the survey instruments used in this study, as well as their thoughtful insights over the years.
Funding
The research reported here was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through Grant R324A160113 to Boston University. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of the Institute or the U.S. Department of Education.
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All authors contributed to the development of study methods. GIO led manuscript writing and participated in data analysis interpretation. SGK performed data analysis and contributed to drafting the manuscript. All authors participated in manuscript review and editing. All authors approved the manuscript to be submitted and published.
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Orsmond, G.I., Krishnan, S.G., Munsell, E.G. et al. Describing Outcomes in Autistic Young Adults One Year After High School Graduation. J Autism Dev Disord (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-023-06152-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-023-06152-x