Archive for the ‘Employment/Vocational Skills’ Category

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Employment Obstacles Faced by Adults with Autism

Friday, June 5th, 2009

Individuals with high-functioning autism (HFA) and Asperger’s syndrome are chronically under- and un-employed. These individuals are often fully capable of performing the duties outlined in the job description, but face other obstacles they cannot overcome alone. Vocational support services specifically geared towards individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are rare, but those that are in effect have reported success. Supported employment results in not only higher rates of employment, but in securing higher quality jobs that are more appropriate to the individual’s intelligence and level of education.

This article will first detail the job search and retention obstacles faced by individuals with ASDs, and then refer to some specific supports that can aid in promoting success.

Obstacles

Some employment obstacles individuals with ASDs faced include:

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Posted in Employment/Vocational Skills | 5 Comments »

Adult Autism Awareness Day – April 18, 2009

Friday, June 5th, 2009




The first annual Adult Autism Awareness Day was held on a beautiful spring morning, April 18th, 2009, at the University of Pittsburgh. The purpose of the event was to create awareness of our adult autism community, demonstrate the importance of transition planning, promote inclusiveness through education, and improve social and employment outcomes for adults with autism.

The morning consisted of three panels, each with a number of panelists who shared:

  • Their successful experiences as they pertained to adults with ASD
  • Information about the objectives and accomplishments of their programs
  • Ideas regarding the challenges and solutions they’ve observed

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Posted in Education/Academic Skills, Employment/Vocational Skills, Miscellaneous | 1 Comment »

Creativity and Adults with Autism

Friday, June 5th, 2009

Creativity is defined as an idea or behavior that is:

  1. Original, and
  2. Useful or adaptive

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD; diagnoses including Autistic Disorder, Asperger’s Disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified) are not typically known for being highly creative. The public perception of autism revolves mostly around poor social skills, self-stimulatory behaviors (stims; for example, rocking and hand-flapping), and perhaps savant-like memory skills (for example, Rainman). There is, however, some evidence that individuals on the autism spectrum have the ability to be highly creative.

Anecdotal Evidence

There is ample anecdotal evidence of highly creative individuals being on the autism spectrum. Recent reports have speculated that Albert Einstein and Issac Newton had Asperger’s. There is also conjecture that some of the behaviors demonstrated by Bill Gates, such as rocking and poor eye contact, are indicative of an ASD.

This antidotal evidence is not restricted to scientific creativity. In a recently published book, The Genius of Artistic Creativity: Asperger’s Syndrome and the Arts, Dr. Michael Fitzgerald retrospectively diagnosed creative geniuses in a variety of fields as having high-functioning autism or Asperger’s. Dr. Fitzgerald used detailed information documented during the lifetimes of his subjects, from autobiographical, biographical, and other sources, to gather impressive evidence for the case of the existence of ASDs in the following artists:

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Posted in Education/Academic Skills, Employment/Vocational Skills, Miscellaneous, Research, Restricted/Repetitive Interests, Sensory Issues | 2 Comments »

Symptoms of Autism in Adults

Sunday, May 31st, 2009

Clinical diagnostic criteria for autism includes: qualitative impairment in social skills, impairment in communication skills, and repetitive or stereotyped behaviors and interests. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR), to receive an autism diagnosis the delays or abnormal functioning must occur prior to age 3 years. Not surprisingly, therefore, many diagnostic checklists exist for identifying children with autism, while what autism looks like in adulthood is rarely discussed.

The adult with high-functioning autism is often misunderstood. Labeled the geek or freak, they typically have average intelligence but are utterly unable to comprehend the social world. The following article will discuss the social, communication, interest, sensory, and academic and vocational symptoms of adults with high-functioning autism.

Social

Autism is a social disorder. For individuals with high-functioning autism, the social world is unpredictable, anxiety provoking, and something they desperately want to be a part of.

Specifically, social symptoms of autism in adults are:

(more…)

Posted in Communication Skills, Education/Academic Skills, Employment/Vocational Skills, Restricted/Repetitive Interests, Sensory Issues, Social Skills | 8 Comments »

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