Autistic Adults' Priorities for Future Autism Employment Research: Perspectives from the United Kingdom.
Jade Davies, Anna Melissa Romualdez, Danae Malyan and 5 others
PMID 38435326WHAT IT FOUND
Autistic adults prioritized research into career progression, workplace stigma, and systemic change over simple employment rates.
They emphasized that studies must address the full employment lifecycle and be co-produced with autistic people to drive tangible workplace adjustments.
Key findings
01Participants prioritized research into later stages of the employment journey, such as career progression and transitions out of work, rather than just entry into employment.
02Research was requested to examine the impact of intersectional identities, such as being autistic and from a minority ethnic background or working class, on employment barriers.
03Participants called for research to evaluate workplace adjustments and training to ensure they lead to meaningful change, rather than just being implemented.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample was not representative of the wider autistic population, with most participants being employed, highly educated, and identifying as female. Autistic people with intellectual disabilities were likely excluded due to the survey format. Participants were not asked to rank their priorities, so it is unclear which issues are most pressing. The study reflects the views of autistic adults in the UK, which may not generalize to other contexts.
Declared interests
The study was part of the Discover Autism Research and Employment (DARE) initiative. Two autistic co-authors contributed to the survey development and manuscript. No specific funding sources or commercial conflicts of interest were detailed in the provided text beyond the institutional affiliation.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat these priorities as evidence that specific interventions work. This paper reports what autistic people want researched, not the effectiveness of any employment program. Implementing adjustments or training based on this paper alone does not guarantee improved outcomes, as the paper notes a lack of rigorous evaluation for such initiatives.