Vocational Rehabilitation Service Patterns and Outcomes for Individuals with Autism of Different Ages

Abstract

Young adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often experience employment difficulties. Using Rehabilitation Service Administration data (RSA-911), this study investigated the service patterns and factors related to the employment outcomes of individuals with ASD in different age groups. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the effects of demographic and vocational rehabilitation (VR) service variables on employment outcomes in each age group. The results show that transition youth made up the largest portion of VR service users among the ASD population, yet they have the worst employment outcomes across all age groups. Factors that are significantly associated with increased odds for employment in each age group were identified. Implications from systemic, practical, and research perspectives are also provided.

Differential vocational rehabilitation service patterns and outcomes for transition‐age youth with autism

“…The results indicate that education level was significantly associated with competitive employment for TAY with Autism. This finding is in line with other research findings underscoring the importance of education level on employment outcomes for TAY with Autism (Chen et al., ; Kaya et al., ; Sung et al., ). Having a higher level of education may signal good performance in schooling (Yokotani, ), higher level of unobserved abilities (e.g., discipline, responsibility, higher level of functioning) and more opportunities to develop high level, marketable and generalizable social and employment skills (Kaya et al., ; Yokotani, ) resulting in a higher level of competitive employment (Chen et al., ).…”

“…Competitive employment outcomes for people with autism who received VR services ranged from 47% to 60%, which was comparable to the employment rates for youth with other disabilities (Chen, Sung, & Pi, ; Kaya et al., ; Migliore, Timmons, Butterworth, & Lugas, ; Sung, Sánchez, Kuo, Wang, & Leahy, ). Education level, not receiving social security benefits, as well as receiving on‐the‐job support, job placement, rehabilitation technology, occupational/vocational training, other services, job search assistance services, VR counselling and guidance, and job readiness training VR services were significantly positively associated with competitive employment (Chen et al., ; Kaya et al., ; Sung et al., ). Particularly, on‐the‐job support, job placement and job search services were the strongest predictors of the employment outcome for clients with Autism.…”

“…Transition‐age youth males with Autism who had associate degree or higher had the highest competitive employment rate of all TAY with Autism. These findings point out being male might have positive correlation with competitive employment for TAY with Autism (Chen et al., ; Kaya et al., ; Sung et al., ). This finding is in line with previous findings indicating TAY males with Autism have better employment outcomes (Migliore et al., ).…”

“…Chen et al. () indicated that this finding might indicate inadequacy of VR services to meet unique needs of TAY when providing information and referral services. It is also possible that clients receiving those services might possess some characteristics such as co‐occurring psychiatric conditions or poor adaptive skills that might lead poor employment outcomes.…”

“…Particularly, on‐the‐job support, job placement and job search services were the strongest predictors of the employment outcome for clients with Autism. However, information and referral services had negative relationship with employment for clients with Autism (Chen et al., ). Researchers suggested that stakeholders in the transition process of youth with Autism should consider factors that predict successful rehabilitation to increase the employment outcomes of this growing population (Kaya et al., ).…”