The Use of Direct Vocational Assessments to Repair Performance Issues at Community-Based Job Placements of Autistic Adults
Re-aligning job duties to autistic workers' likes quickly cuts problem behavior and lifts on-task time.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Three autistic adults in community jobs were having trouble at work.
The team watched each worker, then changed their tasks to match what they liked doing.
They used a reversal design: baseline, change, back to baseline, change again.
What they found
When tasks matched preferences, problem behavior dropped and on-task time rose.
The same swing happened in both directions, showing the match was the key.
How this fits with other research
Vazquez et al. (2019) warned that most programs try to fix the person, not the job.
This study answers that call by fixing the job duties instead.
Hill et al. (2020) found employers say job match is vital; here we see the match in action.
Giesbers et al. (2020) said play to strengths across countries; this paper shows one clear way to do it.
Why it matters
You can copy this in one afternoon. Ask the worker which parts of the job they like, swap disliked tasks with a coworker who enjoys them, and watch behavior improve. No extra training, no new tech—just better fit.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Abstract Most adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience challenges acquiring competitive employment (Bush & Tassé, 2017; Holwerda et al., 2012). Of those employed, some settle for positions that do not match their skill level, offer fewer hours, or provide lower pay compared to their neurotypical counterparts (Scott et al., 2019). As such, service providers may feel compelled to accept positions for their autistic clients that do not match their employment preferences or aptitudes. Autistic adults employed in positions unmatched to their strengths or interests may demonstrate performance issues that could adversely affect employment outcomes. In the current investigation, the direct vocational assessment procedures developed by LaRue et al. (2020) were adapted to repair existing jobs held by autistic adults. A direct vocational assessment (DVA) was conducted with three severely impacted autistic adults demonstrating performance issues at their community-based jobs to determine the extent to which their existing job matched their preferences. Using a reversal design, results from individual DVAs informed modifications to primary job responsibilities of participants to evaluate the effects on their performance. Results suggested that modifying unmatched job responsibilities to more closely align with participants’ preferences reduced rates of challenging behavior and increased on-task behavior at work.
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2026 · doi:10.1007/s40617-026-01167-z