Educational & Employment Challenges in Young Adults with Autism
Main Article Content
Abstract
The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is increasing at a rapid rate. Over the years, the perception, diagnosis, assessment, care, and educational practices with children on the spectrum have evolved. However, many parents, educators, and medical professionals are still searching for quality care and resources for those diagnosed with ASD. The number of high-functioning ASD students entering into higher education is also on the rise, and the resources available to this age group are limited. The benefits of early childhood intervention are widely acknowledged yet the services provided for transitioning young adults, and adults with ASD are severely lacking. We aim to identify unmet needs of individuals with ASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders. We also emphasize the importance of physicians to educate, discuss, and utilize community resources available while also being a knowledgeable, compassionate, and creative primary resource. Finally, we advocate for an interdisciplinary diagnostic and therapeutic approach and present the benefits of this model. By understanding the limitations posed to the patient from his or her disability, physicians can be an additional resource while leading a diverse multidisciplinary team to assist autistic patients in living a better quality of life.
Article Details
How to Cite
THAKUR, Amrit et al.
Educational & Employment Challenges in Young Adults with Autism.
Medical Research Archives, [S.l.], n. 3, apr. 2015.
ISSN 2375-1924.
Available at: <https://esmed.org/MRA/mra/article/view/92>. Date accessed: 16 apr. 2024.
Keywords
Autism Spectrum Disorders; ASD; neurodevelopmental disabilities
Issue
Section
Review Articles
The Medical Research Archives grants authors the right to publish and reproduce the unrevised contribution in whole or in part at any time and in any form for any scholarly non-commercial purpose with the condition that all publications of the contribution include a full citation to the journal as published by the Medical Research Archives.
References
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Barrett, B. 2014. "Substantial lifelong cost of autism spectrum disorder." J Pediatr 165 (5):1068-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.08.016.
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De Alwis, D., A. Agrawal, A. M. Reiersen, J. N. Constantino, A. Henders, N. G. Martin, and M. T. Lynskey. 2014. "ADHD symptoms, autistic traits, and substance use and misuse in adult Australian twins." J Stud Alcohol Drugs 75 (2):211-21.
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Lawer, L., E. Brusilovskiy, M. S. Salzer, and D. S. Mandell. 2009. "Use of vocational rehabilitative services among adults with autism." J Autism Dev Disord 39 (3):487-94. doi: 10.1007/s10803-008-0649-4.
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Lincoln, A. J., E. Courchesne, B. A. Kilman, R. Elmasian, and M. Allen. 1988. "A study of intellectual abilities in high-functioning people with autism." J Autism Dev Disord 18 (4):505-24.
Lord, C., and S. L. Bishop. 2015. "Recent Advances in Autism Research as Reflected in DSM-5 Criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder." Annu Rev Clin Psychol. doi: 10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032814-112745.
Lugas, J., Timmons, J. & Smith, F.A. 2010. "Vocational Rehabilitation Services Received by Youth with Autism: Are they Associated with an Employment Outcome? Research to Practice Brief." Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts Boston (48).
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Rao, P. A., D. C. Beidel, and M. J. Murray. 2008. "Social skills interventions for children with Asperger's syndrome or high-functioning autism: a review and recommendations." J Autism Dev Disord 38 (2):353-61. doi: 10.1007/s10803-007-0402-4.
Roux, A. M., P. T. Shattuck, B. P. Cooper, K. A. Anderson, M. Wagner, and S. C. Narendorf. 2013. "Postsecondary employment experiences among young adults with an autism spectrum disorder." J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 52 (9):931-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2013.05.019.
Shattuck, P. T., S. C. Narendorf, B. Cooper, P. R. Sterzing, M. Wagner, and J. L. Taylor. 2012. "Postsecondary education and employment among youth with an autism spectrum disorder." Pediatrics 129 (6):1042-9. doi: 10.1542/peds.2011-2864.
Shattuck, P. T., A. M. Roux, L. E. Hudson, J. L. Taylor, M. J. Maenner, and J. F. Trani. 2012. "Services for adults with an autism spectrum disorder." Can J Psychiatry 57 (5):284-91.
Stokes, M. A., and A. Kaur. 2005. "High-functioning autism and sexuality: a parental perspective." Autism 9 (3):266-89. doi: 10.1177/1362361305053258.
Taylor, J. L., and M. M. Seltzer. 2011. "Employment and post-secondary educational activities for young adults with autism spectrum disorders during the transition to adulthood." J Autism Dev Disord 41 (5):566-74. doi: 10.1007/s10803-010-1070-3.
Thorpe, P. "Moving from primary to secondary school: supporting pupils with an autism spectrum disorder." National Autistic Society.
Vanbergeijk, E., A. Klin, and F. Volkmar. 2008. "Supporting more able students on the autism spectrum: college and beyond." J Autism Dev Disord 38 (7):1359-70. doi: 10.1007/s10803-007-0524-8.
Wei, X., J. W. Yu, P. Shattuck, M. McCracken, and J. Blackorby. 2013. "Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) participation among college students with an autism spectrum disorder." J Autism Dev Disord 43 (7):1539-46. doi: 10.1007/s10803-012-1700-z.
White, S. W., T. H. Ollendick, and B. C. Bray. 2011. "College students on the autism spectrum: prevalence and associated problems." Autism 15 (6):683-701. doi: 10.1177/1362361310393363.
American Psychiatric Association., and DSM-5 Task Force. American Psychiatric Association. 2013. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders : DSM-5. 5th ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association.
Baron-Cohen, S., S. Wheelwright, R. Skinner, J. Martin, and E. Clubley. 2001. "The autism-spectrum quotient (AQ): evidence from Asperger syndrome/high-functioning autism, males and females, scientists and mathematicians." J Autism Dev Disord 31 (1):5-17.
Barrett, B. 2014. "Substantial lifelong cost of autism spectrum disorder." J Pediatr 165 (5):1068-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.08.016.
Berenguer-Forner, C., A. Miranda-Casas, G. Pastor-Cerezuela, and R. Rosello-Miranda. 2015. "[Comorbidity of autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit with hyperactivity. A review study]." Rev Neurol 60 Suppl 1:S37-43.
Cimera, R. E., and R. J. Cowan. 2009. "The costs of services and employment outcomes achieved by adults with autism in the US." Autism 13 (3):285-302. doi: 10.1177/1362361309103791.
De Alwis, D., A. Agrawal, A. M. Reiersen, J. N. Constantino, A. Henders, N. G. Martin, and M. T. Lynskey. 2014. "ADHD symptoms, autistic traits, and substance use and misuse in adult Australian twins." J Stud Alcohol Drugs 75 (2):211-21.
Dente, CL , and CK Parkinson. 2012. "Ecological Approaches to Transition Planning for Students with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome." Child Sch 34:27-36.
Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network Surveillance Year Principal, Investigators, Control Centers for Disease, and Prevention. 2014. "Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder among children aged 8 years - autism and developmental disabilities monitoring network, 11 sites, United States, 2010." MMWR Surveill Summ 63 (2):1-21.
Eisenberg, D., J. Hunt, and N. Speer. 2012. "Help seeking for mental health on college campuses: review of evidence and next steps for research and practice." Harv Rev Psychiatry 20 (4):222-32. doi: 10.3109/10673229.2012.712839.
Gadow, K. D., G. Perlman, L. Ramdhany, and J. de Ruiter. 2015. "Clinical Correlates of Co-occurring Psychiatric and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Symptom-Induced Impairment in Children with ASD." J Abnorm Child Psychol. doi: 10.1007/s10802-015-9979-9.
Hellemans, H., K. Colson, C. Verbraeken, R. Vermeiren, and D. Deboutte. 2007. "Sexual behavior in high-functioning male adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder." J Autism Dev Disord 37 (2):260-9. doi: 10.1007/s10803-006-0159-1.
Ji, B., M. Sun, R. Yi, and S. Tang. 2014. "Multidisciplinary parent education for caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorders." Arch Psychiatr Nurs 28 (5):319-26. doi: 10.1016/j.apnu.2014.06.003.
Kim, S. K. 2015. "Recent update of autism spectrum disorders." Korean J Pediatr 58 (1):8-14. doi: 10.3345/kjp.2015.58.1.8.
Lawer, L., E. Brusilovskiy, M. S. Salzer, and D. S. Mandell. 2009. "Use of vocational rehabilitative services among adults with autism." J Autism Dev Disord 39 (3):487-94. doi: 10.1007/s10803-008-0649-4.
Lee, S. S., K. L. Humphreys, K. Flory, R. Liu, and K. Glass. 2011. "Prospective association of childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and substance use and abuse/dependence: a meta-analytic review." Clin Psychol Rev 31 (3):328-41. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2011.01.006.
Lincoln, A. J., E. Courchesne, B. A. Kilman, R. Elmasian, and M. Allen. 1988. "A study of intellectual abilities in high-functioning people with autism." J Autism Dev Disord 18 (4):505-24.
Lord, C., and S. L. Bishop. 2015. "Recent Advances in Autism Research as Reflected in DSM-5 Criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder." Annu Rev Clin Psychol. doi: 10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032814-112745.
Lugas, J., Timmons, J. & Smith, F.A. 2010. "Vocational Rehabilitation Services Received by Youth with Autism: Are they Associated with an Employment Outcome? Research to Practice Brief." Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts Boston (48).
Newman, L., Wagner, M., Knokey, A.-M., Marder, C., Nagle, K., Shaver, D., Wei, X., with Cameto, R.,, and E. Contreras, Ferguson, K., Greene, S., and Schwarting, M. 2011. "The Post-High School Outcomes of Young Adults With Disabilities up to 8 Years After High School. A Report From the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2)." (NCSER 2011-3005).
Rao, P. A., D. C. Beidel, and M. J. Murray. 2008. "Social skills interventions for children with Asperger's syndrome or high-functioning autism: a review and recommendations." J Autism Dev Disord 38 (2):353-61. doi: 10.1007/s10803-007-0402-4.
Roux, A. M., P. T. Shattuck, B. P. Cooper, K. A. Anderson, M. Wagner, and S. C. Narendorf. 2013. "Postsecondary employment experiences among young adults with an autism spectrum disorder." J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 52 (9):931-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2013.05.019.
Shattuck, P. T., S. C. Narendorf, B. Cooper, P. R. Sterzing, M. Wagner, and J. L. Taylor. 2012. "Postsecondary education and employment among youth with an autism spectrum disorder." Pediatrics 129 (6):1042-9. doi: 10.1542/peds.2011-2864.
Shattuck, P. T., A. M. Roux, L. E. Hudson, J. L. Taylor, M. J. Maenner, and J. F. Trani. 2012. "Services for adults with an autism spectrum disorder." Can J Psychiatry 57 (5):284-91.
Stokes, M. A., and A. Kaur. 2005. "High-functioning autism and sexuality: a parental perspective." Autism 9 (3):266-89. doi: 10.1177/1362361305053258.
Taylor, J. L., and M. M. Seltzer. 2011. "Employment and post-secondary educational activities for young adults with autism spectrum disorders during the transition to adulthood." J Autism Dev Disord 41 (5):566-74. doi: 10.1007/s10803-010-1070-3.
Thorpe, P. "Moving from primary to secondary school: supporting pupils with an autism spectrum disorder." National Autistic Society.
Vanbergeijk, E., A. Klin, and F. Volkmar. 2008. "Supporting more able students on the autism spectrum: college and beyond." J Autism Dev Disord 38 (7):1359-70. doi: 10.1007/s10803-007-0524-8.
Wei, X., J. W. Yu, P. Shattuck, M. McCracken, and J. Blackorby. 2013. "Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) participation among college students with an autism spectrum disorder." J Autism Dev Disord 43 (7):1539-46. doi: 10.1007/s10803-012-1700-z.
White, S. W., T. H. Ollendick, and B. C. Bray. 2011. "College students on the autism spectrum: prevalence and associated problems." Autism 15 (6):683-701. doi: 10.1177/1362361310393363.