Employment profiles of autistic people: An 8-year longitudinal study.
Simon M Bury, Darren Hedley, Mirko Uljarević and 3 others
PMID 38243409WHAT IT FOUND
Most autistic adults in this Dutch study were either stably unemployed or stably employed.
Higher education and being male predicted stable employment. Co-occurring conditions and later age of diagnosis also shaped these groups. Employment status changed little for most people over eight years.
Key findings
01The largest group (1,189 people) was characterized by stable unemployment, while 801 were stably employed.
02Higher education levels predicted membership in employed classes compared to the unemployed class, with odds 1.84 to 2.38 times higher.
03Having a co-occurring condition reduced the odds of being in the stable employed class by 57%.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study only looked at whether people were employed or not (yes/no), not the quality of the job, hours worked, or if they were underemployed. Participants self-reported their autism diagnosis and employment status, which may not be verified by medical records. The study is observational, so it shows associations, not causes. We do not know if higher education causes better employment or if other factors drive both. Non-binary participants were excluded from the main analysis to ensure statistical power, limiting generalizability to gender-diverse autistic adults. The sample is from the Netherlands, so findings may not apply to other countries with different labor markets or support systems.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The study was supported by the Netherlands Autism Register, which involves autistic adults in its team and consultation panels.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that improving education or treating co-occurring conditions will guarantee employment. These are factors associated with different groups, not proven causes. Also, 'employed' here includes working just one hour a week, so it does not mean full-time or satisfying work.