Why and why not? Factors Influencing Employment for Individuals with Asperger Syndrome

Abstract

The supported employment literature relating to organizational concerns has focused mostly on mild intellectual disability. The purpose of this study is to investigate the area of supported employment for individuals with Asperger syndrome using Prospects - The National Autistic Society’s Supported Employment Service. The study will focus on a comparison of employment factors that influence organizations currently employing an individual with Asperger syndrome with organizations who are not. Findings suggest that many of the items rated as important to both types of organization were related to areas that might typically be difficult for an individual with Asperger syndrome. Organizations using Prospects found items relating to support and information regarding Asperger syndrome to be significantly more important. Organizations not employing an individual with Asperger syndrome focused more on items related to the ability of the individual to behave in certain expected ways. Reasons for differences and implications for service developments and future research are discussed.

Trends in Employment for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Review of the Research Literature

“…López and Keenan (2014) conducted a survey that demonstrated that "lack of appropriate understanding from employers and coworkers" is one of the biggest barriers to successful employment. Nesbitt (2000) investigated 69 employers and found that those who were not hiring people on the spectrum (58 % of the total participants) shared some common features, such as being focused on an employee's ability to work in an established way, emphasis on an employee's ability to adapt, concern for potential negative effects, and less open to new information. Richards (2012) indicated that employers' reticence and resistance toward workplace adjustments related to employees' disability, and the reluctance of involving third parties' support, would eventually lead to the termination of employment for people with Asperger's.…”

“…All the studies emphasized that future research should be conducted to examine the employers' as well as the co-workers' attitudes and perceived concerns about hiring and supporting people with ASD. It was suggested that appropriate autism awareness training would help mediate the cost-benefit-oriented decision (López and Keenan 2014;Nesbitt 2000;Richards 2012). …”

Insertion professionnelle des adultes québécois ayant un trouble autistique ou un syndrome d’Asperger

“…L'accumulation d'échecs lors de l'entraînement au travail, ou sur le plan des habiletés personnelles, ou dans la recherche d'un emploi convenable, entraîne des frustrations, une perte d'estime de soi et, pour certains, l'enfermement dans un ensemble de troubles psychiatriques (Jennes-Coussens et al, 2006 ;Nesbitt, 2000). Le pourcentage de personnes inactives atteint 44 % comparativement à 20 % chez les travailleurs sans limitation.…”

Transition to Adulthood for High-Functioning Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

“…Other opportunities may include extracurricular school activities related to career interests, internships, service learning, or occupational mentoring to learn and practice work behaviors and gain awareness of a potential professional niche. Additional support on the job during the first few weeks of employment may help adults with ASD, as a mentor or job coach may provide advice about office politics or assist with the facilitation of flexible schedules or job sharing (Hurlbutt & Chalmers, 2004;Nesbitt, 2000;Portway & Johnson, 2005). Such support more easily takes place through the provision of supported employment, but few highfunctioning academically included students with ASD receive such services (Higgins et al, 2008).…”

“…As a method to combat these difficulties, coworkers who act as mentors or coaches may provide great help for these individuals in handling the challenges of the workplace (Hurlbutt & Chamlers, 2004;Simone, 2010). This informal support could reduce the need to disclose the ASD diagnosis on the job for accommodations or adjusted expectations, which, while possibly not as risky as doing so during the application or interview process, involves complicated considerations because of poor understanding or information about ASD in the workplace (Meyerling, 2000;Nesbitt, 2000). Cognitive and sensory characteristics associated with ASD can also make completing work itself difficult.…”