Evaluation of employment-support services for adults with autism spectrum disorder.
Autistic adults and their families rate employment services lower than staff do, and the field still lacks proven models.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team asked three groups about job-help services for autistic adults in Canada. They talked to autistic adults, family members, and the staff who run the programs.
They used surveys and small group chats. Then they compared how each group rated the same services.
What they found
Staff gave their own programs high marks. Autistic adults and families gave the same programs lower marks.
Both sides agreed on one thing: there are not enough services and most lack solid proof they work.
How this fits with other research
Hedley et al. (2017) looked at 50 earlier studies and also found the evidence base is thin. The new data match that warning.
Schertz et al. (2018) ran a nearly identical study the same year and got the same staff-family gap, showing the pattern is real.
Vazquez et al. (2019) widened the lens to 134 studies worldwide. They add that most programs try to 'fix' the person instead of fixing the workplace, which helps explain why families feel let down.
Solomon et al. (2023) echo the call five years later, saying U.S. services still need rigorous models and better job-person fit.
Why it matters
If you write or supervise autism employment services, do not trust staff self-ratings alone. Add brief consumer surveys or exit interviews to catch blind spots. Push funders to pay for evidence-based models that train employers, not just clients.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The employment rate among persons with autism spectrum disorder has been noted as unacceptably low. Employment-support services are increasingly linked to the potential for favorable job outcomes, yet little is known about employment-support practices and the outcome of these interventions. This mixed-methods study examined employment-support resources for persons with autism spectrum disorder. An online survey was completed by 137 senior clinicians or administrators in employment-support programs in Canada. Additionally, 122 follow-up interviews were conducted with individuals with autism spectrum disorder (n = 71) and their parents/caregivers (n = 51). Findings indicate that the quality and beneficial impact of employment-support services for adults with autism spectrum disorder may be more favorably perceived by employment-support personnel than by individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their families. Furthermore, employment-support personnel were more disparaging about autism spectrum disorder vocational support capacity within their community, compared to their own programs. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their families seek services that support both accessing and retaining employment. Capacity-building in employment support for youth and adults with autism spectrum disorder is recommended, based on a reported insufficiency of, and a lack of evidence guiding, existing services. Program recommendations and an emerging model for integrated vocational support in autism spectrum disorder are offered.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2018 · doi:10.1177/1362361317702507