What is specific about employment status, workplace experiences and requirements in individuals with autism in Germany?
Late-diagnosed autistic adults in Germany still lose jobs because current supported employment ignores social and flexibility training.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Espelöer et al. (2023) asked autistic adults in Germany about their jobs.
They looked at people without intellectual disability who were diagnosed late.
The team wanted to know why these adults still had trouble keeping work.
What they found
Even with supported employment services, most adults struggled.
Biggest problems were talking with co-workers and sudden schedule changes.
Many had college degrees yet worked below their skill level.
How this fits with other research
Schott et al. (2021) found the same gap in the U.S. Two-thirds of autistic adults on Medicaid waitlists never get vocational help.
Tint et al. (2018) show the story is worse for women. They report providers ignore their autism and offer no job support.
Bolourian et al. (2018) and Dudley et al. (2019) heard the same complaints in college. Students said social demands and unclear rules made school hard. The new study proves the pain continues after graduation.
Why it matters
Your clients will leave school with the same social problems. Do not wait for them to fail at work. Add social scripts, peer mentors, and schedule previews to your transition plans. Push employers to give written routines and quiet spaces. These small tweaks can turn a placement into a career.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The challenge of sustainably integrating highly educated individuals with ASD without intellectual disabilities in the first labor market is repeatedly described in literature. In a retrospective study, a group of 197 clinically late-diagnosed adults with ASD without intellectual disabilities was compared to a closely matched group of 501 individuals who did not meet the criteria for the diagnosis of ASD within a utilization population of the Cologne Autism Outpatient Clinic. Results indicated that the pronounced demand for reduction of social and interpersonal requirements at the workplace (including planned or limited contact with colleagues and customers) as well as the experience of difficulties following unexpected changes in the daily routine were specific for ASD. In addition, individuals with ASD reported greater difficulties in finding a suitable job and being able to live on their wages, taking age and educational qualification into account. Supported employment measures were provided significantly more frequently to individuals in the ASD group. In conclusion, impairments in social skills emerged as one of the main obstacles of workplace performance for individuals with ASD emphasizing the necessity to develop and apply ASD-specific support services.
Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research, 2023 · doi:10.1002/aur.2958