Autistic Young Adults', Parents', and Transition Practitioners' Perspectives of Vocational Transition Planning

• In Event: Friday Roundtable Session 4:55 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Voice and Agency in Autism Research (Table 22)

Abstract

Often referred to as falling off the cliff, the transition to adulthood is a vulnerable life stage for autistic youth. The findings of this focus group study shed light on the complex challenges faced by autistic young adults, families, and practitioners and highlight the importance of comprehensive planning to promote their successful career outcomes. Using thematic analysis (Braun et al., 2019), we identified five themes that highlight tensions in vocation transition planning: (1) Accepting Disability or Constrained by Ableism; (2) The Hills and Valleys of Finding Resilience; (3) Market Forces at Work: Finding a Meaningful Vocational Path in a Capitalist Society; (4) Finding the Sweet Spot; and (5) The Disconnect Between Needs and Resources.

Authors

• Jina Chun, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Sarah L. Curtiss, University of Delaware

• Constance Richard, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Kaiqi Zhou, University of North Texas

• Yazmin Castruita Rios, Michigan State University

• Sara Park, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Jaeyoung Kim, Michigan State University

• Muharrem Koc, University of Wisconsin - Madison