Autism in adulthood revision

Transition to adulthood for autistic adults

• Services drop off

• Poor employment and higher education rates

• Poorer outcomes

Services drop off

Education systems go from highly supportive in primary to much less supportive in secondary and even less in higher education

Poor employment rates

• Lows rates of employment even compared to individual with other developmental disabilities

• Those with jobs work part-time or low paid jobs - may be due to prejudice in hiring

Strengths of autistic workers

Tolerant of repetitive work, dependable and adhere to rules

Poor higher eduction rates

• Majority of autistic adults do not attend higher education

• Accommodations difficult to receive due to paperwork, contact with disability offices, disclosing autism etc.

• College is a prerequisite to high-paying jobs, so could explain why they often work low paid jobs/unemployed

Poorer outcomes

• Independent living

• Rates of employment

• Friendship quality and quantity

• Poor mental health

• Higher suicide rates

• Less likely to enter and stay in HE

Universal designs for learning

Designing environments for individuals with specific learning difficulties/developmental disorders, but that benefit everyone

Wolpe (2025)

• Difficult to navigate disability offices at uni

• Difficult to acquire accommodations

• Masking in workplace to maintain jobs

• Toll of masking and not masking similarly high

• College socialisation requires certain degree of masking

• Community college, gap years and alternative routes to adulthood were helpful