Sponsor
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work is supported by National Institute of Mental Health grant number 1R21MH112038; by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under award number KL2TR002370 administered by the Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute; and by National Institutes of Health award UL1GM118964.
Published In
Autism : the International Journal of Research and Practice
Document Type
Post-Print
Publication Date
4-1-2022
Subjects
Autism spectrum disorders -- Qualitative research, Public health -- Research -- Citizen participation, Health services research, Autism spectrum disorders -- Patients
Abstract
Autistic people are less likely to be employed than the general population. Autistic people with skilled training (e.g. training for jobs in acting, plumbing, science, or social work) might be even less likely to get a good job in their field. Little is known about the experiences of autistic people in skilled employment or what employment success means to them. We interviewed 45 autistic people with skilled training in a wide range of fields, 11 job supervisors, and 8 topic experts. We asked them about their experiences, what they felt helped them to be successful at work, and what employment success means to them. Participants talked about the high stakes of disclosure, taking unconventional pathways to careers, disconnects with service and support systems, mental health challenges from trauma and burnout, the autistic advantages in the workplace, and complex dimensions of discrimination. Participants said success meant opportunities for growth, good work/life balance, financial independence, sense of community, and feeling valued, accepted, and like their work had meaning. Things that helped them be successful included flexible, accepting workplaces, supportive and respectful supervisors, and direct communication. What we learned suggests that an individualized, wholistic approach to autism employment intervention that considers both employers and employees and employee mental health could be useful. We also recommend more research into disclosure and destigmatizing disability at work.
Rights
Copyright © 2022 by The National Autistic Society, SAGE Publications.
Locate the Document
DOI
10.1177/13623613221080813
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/37292
Citation Details
Raymaker, Dora M.; Sharer, Mirah; Maslak, Joelle; Powers, Laurie E.; McDonald, Katherine E.; Kapp, Steven K.; Moura, Ian; Wallington, Anna Furra; and Nicolaidis, Christina, ""[I] Don't Wanna Just Be Like a Cog in the Machine": Narratives of Autism and Skilled Employment." (2022). Regional Research Institute for Human Services. 93.
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/37292
Description
This is the author’s final version of a work that was accepted for publication in the journal Autism. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as editing, corrections, formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. A definitive version was subsequently published in Autism, 13623613221080813. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613221080813