Evaluating the Effectiveness of an Autism-Specific Workplace Tool for Employers: A Randomised Controlled Trial.
A short boss workshop lifted employer confidence yet failed to improve real job outcomes for autistic workers.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Scott et al. (2018) tested a one-day workshop called IEST™. The tool teaches managers how to support autistic workers.
They split employers into two groups. One group got the workshop. The other kept their usual help.
What they found
Bosses who took the workshop felt more confident. Their self-ratings went up.
Yet when the researchers compared the two groups, the boost vanished. IEST™ did not beat usual support.
How this fits with other research
Schall et al. (2020) went further. Their Project SEARCH plus ASD gave internships and coaching to young adults. Seven out of ten landed real jobs, far above the control rate. They moved the finish line from "employer comfort" to "paycheck."
Rutherford et al. (2007) showed work itself can sharpen thinking. Autistic adults in supported jobs gained executive-function skills over two years. Melissa’s study adds a caution: training bosses is only step one.
Strydom et al. (2020) ran a twin RCT. They trained staff in Positive Behaviour Support and also saw no group benefit. Both trials warn that brief staff workshops rarely beat everyday practice.
Why it matters
If you coach employers, add follow-up. Pair the workshop with onsite support, job carving, or intern programs like Project SEARCH. Confidence is nice, but paychecks and task mastery are the true outcomes we track.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
A randomised controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of the Integrated Employment Success Tool (IEST™) in improving employers' self-efficacy in modifying the workplace for individuals on the autism spectrum. Employers (N = 84) were randomised to the IEST™ or support as usual groups. Measurements of self-efficacy, knowledge and attitudes towards disability in the workplace were obtained at baseline and post-test. Results revealed a significant improvement in self-efficacy within the IEST™ group between baseline and post-test (p = 0.016). At post-test, there were no significant differences between groups in relation to self-efficacy in implementing autism-specific workplace modifications and employer attitudes towards disability in the workplace. Given the lack of significant outcomes, further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of the IEST™ for employers. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry #ACTRN12614000771651, registered 21/7/2014. Trial URL https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=366699 .
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2018 · doi:10.1007/s10803-018-3611-0