The Occupational Transition Process to Upper Secondary School, Further Education and/or Work in Sweden: As Described by Young Adults with Asperger Syndrome and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Vedrana Bolic Baric, Helena Hemmingsson, Kristina Hellberg and 1 others
PMID 28005233WHAT IT FOUND
Young adults with Asperger syndrome or ADHD described transition as long and uneven.
Early goal setting, work placements with on-the-job support, and help with home life mattered; day centres could help or feel remote.
Key findings
01Participants described three transition paths: a straightforward move to community-based day centres, interrupted attempts at adult education and work, and transition toward university studies and regular labour market employment.
02Young adults without clear goals said preparation activities and meetings with education advisors were introduced too close to graduation, while those with goals wanted advice matched to their interests and abilities.
03Community-based day centres with individual work placements and on-the-job support were described as building work skills and confidence, but some participants said they made support needs visible and felt too remote from the labour market.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study included only 15 young adults who were already receiving support through Swedish municipality services, so it may not describe people without support services, people already employed in the regular labour market, or people studying at university. The sample came from three municipality services in one region of Sweden, so the themes may not transfer to other services, schools, or employment systems. Diagnosis information came from staff members and medical records, not from researchers assessing each participant, so some caution is needed. The study reports only the young adults' experiences, not parents', teachers', or service providers' views. Interviews may have been difficult because the participants can have speech, language, and communication challenges, although the interview guide allowed flexible probing. The study is qualitative, so it describes themes and not whether any support improves outcomes.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that community-based day centres improve employment. The study reports experiences only, and some participants said day centres made them feel too remote from the labour market.