Thesis advisor: Kristen Bottema-Beutel / Upon high school exit, many autistic adolescents experience a period of disengagement, whereby they are not employed, enrolled in post-secondary education, or participating in community activities. This gap in services suggests that autistic adolescents receive inadequate support in high school to prepare them for the transition to adulthood (Shattuck et al., 2012). Autistic adolescents and adults who do obtain employment opportunities are often underemployed, work fewer hours and receive less pay when compared to non-autistic people (Howlin, 2013; Roux et al., 2013). Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation is to understand the transition supports provided to autistic high school students and the experiences of autistic adults in employment contexts. In Study 1, an online survey was distributed to 21 school professionals. They were asked to report on the supports they provide the transition-age autistic youth with whom they work and the barriers that make it difficult for them to provide high quality transition services. Open-ended responses were analyzed using qualitative content analysis (Hsieh & Shannon, 2005). Many school professionals identified barriers that were inherent to autistic children and their families, while others described contextual features that make it difficult to provide quality transition supports. In Study 2 (a registered report), 121 autistic employees completed a battery of assessments to determine the predictors associated with job satisfaction. A linear regression revealed that social support in the workplace was significantly associated with job satisfaction, and a mediation analysis demonstrated that person-environment fit partially mediated the relationship between work volition and job satisfaction. Eight of the participants from Study 2 were recruited for participation in Study 3, where they were prompted to tell stories about their work experiences. Discourse analysis was used to understand the discursive resources that autistic adults employ in the construction of their work identities. While telling stories about their professional successes, autistic employees registered surprise at their accomplishments, imagined future interactions, and used character perspectives to construct their work identity. The findings of these studies suggest the need for more widespread training among school professionals, employers, and co-workers, to reframe current understandings of autistic people. With improved knowledge, acceptance, and support, the employment context may foster positive work experiences for autistic people. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2022. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BOSTON/oai:dlib.bc.edu:bc-ir_109603 |
| Date | January 2022 |
| Creators | LaPoint, Shannon Crowley |
| Publisher | Boston College |
| Source Sets | Boston College |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, thesis |
| Format | electronic, application/pdf |
| Rights | Copyright is held by the author, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise noted. |
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