There is a critical need for information explaining why many young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are disconnected from services and educational or employment opportunities in the years post high school. This qualitative, interview-based study focuses on the experiences of young adults and their parents after high school ends. It intentionally includes families of youth across the autism spectrum, both those who were certificate-bound, exiting high school around age 21, and those who were diploma-bound, exiting around age 18. It also includes families whose young adult is anywhere from one to fifteen years past high school, highlighting the different realities faced as time passes.
The study builds upon an existing project funded by Towson University and the A. J. Drexel Autism Institute. It will increase the number of parent interviews from 20 to 35 and the number of young adult interviews from 3 to 13, making it possible to include a more diverse group of families in terms of socio-demographics, presentation of ASD, and time elapsed since high school. One aim is to identify individual, family, and community characteristics associated with young adult disengagement from or participation in services, post-secondary education, and the world of work. Another is to create a conceptual model of disengagement. If young adults with ASD are falling off a cliff, this study is meant to generate hypotheses regarding which individuals are falling off which cliffs.
Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC)
Autism Research Database (AFD)
