The Post School Outcomes of Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

This study presents a broad picture of the post school outcomes of 28 young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder living in South Australia. Findings from the study suggest that the majority of the participants still have a long way to go to reach the goal of meaningful participation in the economic and social life of their local communities. Most of the young adults had limited social networks and were highly dependent on their families for tangible and emotional support. While many of the participants were regularly Involved in structured recreational and leisure activities, the majority were unemployed and still living with their families. Individuals with higher levels of cognitive functioning generally had better outcomes than those identified as functioning at a lower cognitive level. Findings are discussed in terms of implications for practice and further research.

Post-school needs of young people with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…The sample size is reasonable, considering Australia's low overall population, the relatively uncommon nature of the target population, and the smaller sample sizes reported in much of the literature (e.g., Burrows et al, 2001;Camarena & Sarigiani, 2009;Taylor & Seltzer, 2011). The willingness of so many parents to participate and their enthusiasm for doing so likely reflects the importance they place on post-school issues and service needs.…”

“…In contrast, in Japan over 92% of adults with high-functioning ASD reportedly live with their families (Kamio, Inada, & Koyama, 2012). Research in Australia, the USA and the United Kingdom has found that a minority of adults with high-functioning ASD or Asperger's syndrome live independently (Burrows, Ford, & Bottroff, 2001;Howlin, 2003;Lawrence, Alleckson, & Bjorklund, 2010).…”