Title: Trajectories of competitive employment of autistic adults through late midlife
Legend: Figure 1. Shows the hours of competitive work for the full sample, broken down by age category and ID status. Figure 2. Shows the hours of competitive work, broken down by age category and ID status, among a subsample of those who worked competitively at least one wave of data collection.
Citation: Hickey, Emily J., Leann Smith DaWalt, Jinkuk Hong, Julie Lounds Taylor, and Marsha R. Mailick. (2024). Trajectories of Competitive Employment of Autistic Adults through Late Midlife. Healthcare 12, no. 2: 265. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12020265
Abstract: Autistic adults experience challenges in maintaining employment; however, little is known about patterns of competitive employment through late midlife. This longitudinal study examined the change in hours of competitive employment for a cohort of autistic adults over a 22-year period. The study’s aims were to provide a fine-grained analysis of competitive employment patterns, to determine whether there was age-related change, and to test whether trajectories differed between those with and without intellectual disability (ID). Using an accelerated longitudinal design, trajectories of hours of competitive employment were estimated from young adulthood through late midlife in a community-based cohort (n = 341; 1327 observations). Results indicated a significant curvilinear trajectory of age-related change in hours of competitive employment, with differences between those with and without ID. For those without ID, the number of competitive employment hours increased from young adulthood until early midlife, then leveled off and decreased into late midlife. For those with ID, engagement in competitive employment was low throughout. Although competitive employment is just one option for vocational engagement, it is a goal often articulated by autistic adults who seek entry into the general workforce. The present research reveals their degree of engagement in the competitive workforce across the decades of adulthood.
Investigator: Leann Smith DaWalt, PhD
About the Lab: The Lifespan Family Research program is dedicated to understanding the impact of having a child with a developmental disability on the family as well as the role of the family in supporting healthy development for individuals with disabilities such as ASDs and fragile X syndrome. Smith DaWalt’s work examines trajectories of development for adolescents and adults with disabilities and the contextual factors associated with positive outcomes. Her research also centers on developing and evaluating intervention programming for youth and young adults with ASD. For example, with funding from NIMH, Smith DaWalt is currently conducting a randomized waitlist control trial of a psychoeducation intervention for young adults with ASD and their families. Also, in partnership with colleagues at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and San Diego State University, the lab is employing an implementation science framework to test a comprehensive treatment model for high school students with ASD. This study includes a sample of over 500 students from 60 high schools across the country (including 20 high schools in Wisconsin). Through these efforts, they seek to understand how to best support individuals with disabilities and their families during life course transitions.