The impact of autism spectrum disorder on parent employment: Results from the r-Kids study.
A child’s autism diagnosis can knock parents out of the workforce—plan care with their job needs in mind.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Howard et al. (2023) tracked parents who have a child with autism. They compared work life to parents of kids with asthma and parents of healthy kids.
The team used insurance and school records. They looked at who held jobs, who quit, and who missed work days.
What they found
Parents of autistic children were far less likely to be employed. When they did work, they missed more days and earned less.
The gap stayed wide even when the child got older or had mild traits.
How this fits with other research
Gregory et al. (2020) pooled data and found one in three of these parents face depression or anxiety. L et al. show the same families also take a heavy work hit.
Faught et al. (2021) saw stress double during COVID. The new data say job trouble was already brewing before the pandemic.
Solomon (2020) argues that autistic adults can be star employees. L et al. flip the lens: when the child has autism, the parent’s own job is at risk.
Why it matters
If parents can’t keep steady jobs, therapy hours, co-pays, and even housing may slip. You can help by building flexible session times, offering telehealth, and writing letters that explain to employers why parent training is medical, not optional. A stable caregiver is part of the treatment plan.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other chronic health conditions often face exceptional caregiving demands that can lead to challenges related to maintaining and succeeding in employment. Detailed information on the specific ways in which these health conditions impact parent employment could aid in designing equitable, effective policies to support families. The r-Kids study used electronic health records to identify three groups of children: those with ASD, asthma, or neither condition (control), from several health care systems. We oversampled racial and ethnic minorities and matched the asthma and control groups to the age and sex distribution of the ASD group. Parents completed three online surveys over the course of a year to measure annual employment outcomes. Surveys included the Family Economic Impact Inventory (measuring employment impacts) and measures of quality of life and symptom severity. All materials were provided in English and Spanish. The study enrolled 1461 families (564 ASD, 468 asthma, 429 control). Youth were 3-16.5 years old and predominantly male (79%). The sample was diverse (43% non-Hispanic White; 35% non-Hispanic Asian, Black, Native Hawaiian, or Other; and 21% Hispanic ethnicity). Parents of children with ASD were significantly less likely to be employed than parents of youth with asthma and control combined (OR: 14.2, p < 0.001), and were more likely to have other difficulties with employment and productivity while at work. Public and employer policies to help mitigate these impacts could aid families in managing care for youth with ASD.
Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research, 2023 · doi:10.1002/aur.2882