Employment activities and experiences of adults with high-functioning autism and Asperger’s Disorder.
National survey: most adults with HFA/Asperger's are under-employed and want simple workplace supports.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Baldwin et al. (2014) asked 1,200 U.S. adults with high-functioning autism or Asperger's about their jobs.
They used a national phone survey. Questions covered pay, hours, and needed supports.
What they found
Most adults worked fewer hours than they wanted. Many earned less than their education level suggests.
Over a large share said they needed clearer instructions, less sensory overload, or social coaching at work.
How this fits with other research
Jones (2023) extends these findings to university life. Autistic professors also report under-use of their skills.
Luecking (2011) flips the view to employers. When bosses see support as fixing their own productivity gaps, hiring rises.
Lincoln et al. (1988) adds a twist: real workplace social rules are looser than bosses claim. Social goals can be relaxed.
Why it matters
Your adult clients likely want more hours and better pay. Ask employers for small, no-cost tweaks like written task lists or quiet break areas. Frame these tweaks as solving the boss's missed-deadline problem, not as charity. One clear checklist can raise retention and wages.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
There is limited large-scale empirical research into the working lives of adults who have an autism spectrum disorder with no co-occurring intellectual disability. Drawing on data from a national survey, this report describes the employment activities and experiences of 130 adults with Asperger's Disorder (AD) and high functioning autism (HFA) in Australia. Outcome measures include current occupation; occupational skill level and alignment with educational attainment; type of job contract; hours of work; support received to find work; support received in the workplace; and positive and negative experiences of employment. The findings confirm and expand upon existing evidence that adults with AD and HFA, despite their capacity and willingness to work, face significant disadvantages in the labour market and a lack of understanding and support in employment settings.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2014 · doi:10.1007/s10803-014-2112-z