Love this! One more reason why we need quality vocational programs NOW!!! The question is, how
are we going to make sure our kids are employable? What support(s) will be made
available to insure employment is an option for all of our kids?
Donna
Employment May Lead To Improvement In
Autism Symptoms
January 14, 2014
 |
| Vocational Skills begin at home! |
More independent work
environments may lead to reductions in autism symptoms and improve daily living
in adults with the disorder, according to a new study released in the Journal
of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
Researchers at Vanderbilt
University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison examined 153 adults with
autism and found that greater vocational independence and engagement led to
improvements in core features of autism, other problem behaviors and ability to
take care of oneself. "We found that if you put the person with autism in
a more independent vocational placement, this led to measurable improvements in
their behaviors and daily living skills overall," said lead author Julie
Lounds Taylor, Ph.D., assistant professor of Pediatrics and Special Education
and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center investigator. "One core value in the
disability community and at the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center is placing people
with disabilities in the most inclusive environments possible. In addition, this
study gives us evidence that increasing the level of independence in an
employment or vocational setting can lead to improvements in autism symptoms
and other associated behaviors."
Participants averaged
30 years of age and were part of a larger longitudinal study on adolescents and
adults with autism. Data were collected at two time points separated by 5.5
years.
Taylor, in
collaboration with colleagues at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, looked at
such autism symptoms as restricted interests, repetitive behaviors,
communication impairments and difficulties with social interactions and found
the degree of independence in vocational activities was uniquely related to
subsequent changes in autism symptoms, other problem behaviors and activities
of daily living.
The results provide
preliminary evidence that employment may be therapeutic in the development of
adults with autism. Similar to typically developing adults, vocational
activities may serve as a mechanism for providing cognitive and social stimulations
and enhance well-being and quality of life.
"The majority of
research on autism has focused on early childhood, but autism is a lifelong
disorder with impairments that limit quality of life throughout
adulthood," Taylor said. "Given the prevalence of autism, now one in
88 children, we must continue to examine the factors that promote well-being
and quality of life for adults with autism and other disabilities as a
whole."
Underemployment is a
common phenomenon among adults with autism, the authors noted, with around 50
percent of adults with autism primarily spending their days with little
community contact and in segregated work or activity settings.
Taylor says this
research highlights the importance of employment programs for adults with
autism and stresses the need for more intervention programming for this
population.
Story Source:
The above story is
based on materials provided by Vanderbilt University.
The original article was written by Jennifer Wetzel. Note: Materials
may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference:
1. Julie Lounds Taylor, Leann E. Smith, Marsha R.
Mailick. Engagement in Vocational Activities Promotes Behavioral
Development for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Journal of
Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2013; DOI:10.1007/s10803-013-2010-9
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