Factors predicting sustained employment in autistic adults

This study explored the predictive relationship between autistic working adults’ individual characteristics (i.e., gender, age at the start of employment, highest education level attained, and presence of other mental disorders) and the length of their employment periods, with a particular interest of their employment status at the 12-month time point, otherwise termed ‘employment sustainability’. It also further explored how their pre-employment levels of independence in various soft skills, namely, their work habits, self-management, communication and interaction skills, and independent functioning, may predict employment sustainability. The aim of the study was to determine if there were any identifiable traits or pre-employment skills autistic individuals possess that may indicate longer employment periods, which was positioned in this study as a measure of employment success in autistic adults.

Pre-enrolment assessment data collected by a local vocational agency, using a standardized assessment checklist, otherwise known as the E2C Vocational Assessment Soft Skills Checklist (EVASSC), on a total of 185 (146 male, 39 female; mean age: 25.5 years) job-matched autistic clients was analyzed. Based on the results, this study did not find any significant relationship between autistic employees’ demographic variables and the length of their employment periods. While the overall model for demographic variables as predictors was non-significant, it was found that the presence of other mental disorders significantly predicted clients having difficulty maintaining employment within their first 12 months. Additionally, this study found that autistic clients’ soft skills pre-employment was a significant predictor of employment sustainability. Specifically, the higher level of support autistic clients required pre-employment in the soft skill domain of independent functioning, the longer they remained in their vocational positions.

These results thus have implications on the screening of potential autistic employees, in that their skillsets should take priority over individual characteristics when considering them for hire. The findings also inform a need for mental health services in vocational rehabilitation of autistic employees, as well as more refined processes in promoting career progression in autistic adults with higher levels of independent functioning.