Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Brief Report: A Job-Based Social Skills Program (JOBSS) for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

  • Brief Report
  • Published:
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have low employment rates; even those who are employed have low wages and limited hours. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Job-Based Social Skills (JOBSS) curriculum, a manualized, 15-week, group-delivered intervention for adults with ASD. The intervention aimed to increase social-pragmatic skills necessary to obtain and maintain employment. Twenty-two adults were randomly assigned to either JOBSS intervention or wait-list control groups. Results showed significant improvement in social cognition, as reported by caregivers, among JOBSS group participants compared to wait-list control participants. Forty-five percent of intervention participants gained employment in the six months following participation. This curriculum has potential to improve social skills of adults with ASD, thereby increasing successful employment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

References

  • Baio, J., Wiggins, L., Christensen, D. L., Maenner, M. J., Daniels, J., Warren, Z., ... & Durkin, M. S. (2018). Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder among children aged 8 years—Autism and developmental disabilities monitoring network, 11 sites, United States, 2014. MMWR Surveillance Summaries, 67(6), 1.

  • Baron-Cohen, S., Jolliffe, T., Mortimore, C., & Robertson, M. (1997). Another advanced test of theory of mind: Evidence from very high-functioning adults with autism or Asperger Syndrome. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 38, 813–822.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baron-Cohen, S., Wheelwright, S., Hill, J., Raste, Y., & Plumb, I. (2001). The “Reading the Mind in the Eyes” Test revised version: A study with normal adults, and adults with Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism. The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 42(2), 241–251.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bishop-Fitzpatrick, L., Minshew, N. J., & Eack, S. M. (2014). A systematic review of psychosocial interventions for adults with autism spectrum disorders. In F. Volkmar, B. Reichow, & J. McPartland (Eds.), Adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorders (pp. 315–327). New York, NY: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Cidav, Z., Lawer, L., Marcus, S. C., & Mandell, D. S. (2013). Age-related variation in health service use and associated expenditures among children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 43(4), 924–931.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Constantino, J. N., & Gruber, C. P. (2012). Social responsiveness scale: SRS-2. Torrance, CA: Western Psychological Services.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elksin, N., & Elksin, L. (2001). Adolescents with disabilities: The need for occupational social skills training. Exceptionality, 9(1–2), 91–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fleming, A. R., Fairweather, J. S., & Leahy, M. J. (2013). Quality of life as a potential rehabilitation service outcome: The relationship between employment, quality of life, and other life areas. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulleting, 57(1), 9–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gantman, A., Kapp, S., Orenski, K., & Laugeson, E. A. (2012). Social skills training for young adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders: A randomized controlled pilot study. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(6), 1094–1103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gerhardt, P. F., & Lainer, I. (2011). Addressing the needs of adolescents and adults with autism: A crisis on the horizon. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 41(1), 37–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hedley, D., Uljarević, M., Cameron, L., Halder, S., Richdale, A., & Dissanayake, C. (2017). Employment programmes and interventions targeting adults with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review of the literature. Autism, 21(8), 929–941.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hendricks, D. (2010). Employment and adults with autism spectrum disorders: Challenges and strategies for success. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 32(2), 125–134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hesselmark, E., Plenty, S., & Bejerot, S. (2014). Group cognitive behavioural therapy and group recreational activity for adults with autism spectrum disorders: A preliminary randomized controlled trial. Autism, 18(6), 672–683.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hinton Keel, J., Mesibov, G. B., & Woods, A. V. (1997). TEACCH-Supported employment program. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 27, 3–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howlin, P. (2013). Social disadvantage and exclusion: Adults with autism lag far behind in employment prospects. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 52(9), 897–899.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howlin, P., Alcock, J., & Burkin, C. (2005). An 8 year follow-up of a specialist supported employment service for high-ability adults with autism or Asperger syndrome. Autism, 9(5), 533–549.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hurlbutt, K., & Chalmers, L. (2004). Employment and adults with Asperger syndrome. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 19(4), 215–222.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kandalaft, M. R., Didehbani, N., Krawczyk, D. C., Allen, T. T., & Chapman, S. B. (2013). Virtual reality social cognition training for young adults with high-functioning autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 43(1), 34–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laugeson, E. A., & Frankel, F. (2011). Social skills for teenagers with developmental and autism spectrum disorders: The PEERS treatment manual. New York: Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Leatzow, A. & Morgan, L. (2012). The interview skills curriculum manual. Unpublished manuscript, The Florida State University.

  • Lerner, M. D., Calhoun, C. D., Mikami, A. Y., & De Los Reyes, A. (2012). Understanding parent-child social informant discrepancy in youth with high functioning autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(12), 2680–2692.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levy, A., & Perry, A. (2011). Outcomes in adolescents and adults with autism: A review of the literature. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 5(4), 1271–1282.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lord, C., Rutter, M., DiLavore, P. C., Risi, S., Gotham, K., & Bishop, S. (2012). Autism diagnostic observation schedule: ADOS-2. Los Angeles, CA: Western Psychological Services.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, L., Leatzow, A., Clark, S., & Siller, M. (2014). Interview skills for adults with autism spectrum disorder: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(9), 2290–2300.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Müller, E., Schuler, A., Burton, B. A., & Yates, G. B. (2003). Meeting the vocational support needs of individuals with Asperger syndrome and other autism spectrum disabilities. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 18, 163–175.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newman, L., Wagner, M., Knokey, A., Marder, C., Nagle, K., Shaver, D., & Wei, X. (2011). The post-high school outcomes of young adults with disabilities up to 8 years after high school: A report from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2). NCSER 2011–3005. National Center for Special Education Research.

  • Roux, A. M., Shattuck, P. T., Cooper, B. P., Anderson, K. A., Wagner, M., & Narendorf, S. C. (2013). Postsecondary employment experiences among young adults with an autism spectrum disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 52(9), 931–939.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shattuck, P., Wagner, M., Narendorf, S., Sterzing, P., & Hensley, M. (2011). Post-high school service use among young adults with an autism spectrum disorder. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Journal, 165(2), 141–146.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shattuck, P. T., Narendorf, S. C., Cooper, B., Sterzing, P. R., Wagner, M., & Taylor, J. L. (2012). Postsecondary education and employment among youth with an autism spectrum disorder. Pediatrics, 129(6), 1042–1049.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, M. J., Ginger, E. J., Wright, K., Wright, M. A., Taylor, J. L., Humm, L. B., ... & Fleming, M. F. (2014). Virtual reality job interview training in adults with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(10), 2450–2463.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sparrow, S., Balla, D., & Cicchetti, D. (2004). Vineland-II Adaptive Behavior Scales. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strickland, D. C., Coles, C. D., & Southern, L. B. (2013). JobTIPS: A transition to employment program for individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 43, 2472–2483.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, J. L., McPheeters, M. L., Sathe, N. A., Dove, D., Veenstra-VanderWeele, J., & Warren, Z. (2012). A systematic review of vocational interventions for young adults with autism spectrum disorders. Pediatrics, 130(3), 531–538.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, J. L., & Seltzer, M. M. (2011). Employment and post-secondary education activities for young adults with autism spectrum disorders during the transition to adulthood. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 41(5), 566–574.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walsh, L., Lyndon, S., & Healy, O. (2014). Employment and vocational skills among individuals with autism spectrum disorder: Predictors, impact, and intervention. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorder, 1(4), 266–275.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wechsler, D. (2008). Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Fourth Edition. San Antonio, TX: Pearson Assessment.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wehman, P., Schall, C., McDonough, J., Molinelli, A., Riehle, E., Ham, W., et al. (2013). Project SEARCH for youth with autism spectrum disorders: Increasing competitive employment on transition from high school. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 15(3), 144–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

Funding for this project was provided by the Beatrice and Samuel A. Seaver Foundation and the United Jewish Appeal Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York. The authors are extremely grateful to the staff at the Jack and Shirley Silver Center for Special Needs at the Marlene Myerson JCC in Manhattan. We would also like to thank the clinical staff at Seaver Autism Center, including Alex Kolevzon, M.D., Paige M. Siper, Ph.D., and Danielle Halpern, Psy.D. Finally, we are grateful to the participants of the study and their families.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Elyana Feldman

    Present address: Mount Sinai St. Lukes, New York, NY, USA

  2. Emily L. Isenstein

    Present address: University of Rochester Medical School, Rochester, NY, USA

  3. Lauren Donnelly

    Present address: Department of Psychiatry, New York University, New York, NY, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, USA

    Michelle Gorenstein, Ivy Giserman-Kiss, Elyana Feldman, Emily L. Isenstein, Lauren Donnelly, A. Ting Wang & Jennifer H. Foss-Feig

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA

    Michelle Gorenstein, Ivy Giserman-Kiss, Elyana Feldman, Emily L. Isenstein, Lauren Donnelly, A. Ting Wang & Jennifer H. Foss-Feig

Authors
  1. Michelle Gorenstein
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ivy Giserman-Kiss
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Elyana Feldman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Emily L. Isenstein
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Lauren Donnelly
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. A. Ting Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Jennifer H. Foss-Feig
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Michelle Gorenstein or Jennifer H. Foss-Feig.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Ethical Approval

This study was approved by the Mount Sinai Program for the Protection of Human Subjects.

Informed Consent

Informed consent from participants was documented in writing.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Gorenstein, M., Giserman-Kiss, I., Feldman, E. et al. Brief Report: A Job-Based Social Skills Program (JOBSS) for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. J Autism Dev Disord 50, 4527–4534 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04482-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04482-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation