| Citation: |
Chiang, H.M., Cheung, Y.K., Li, H., & Tsai, L.Y. (2012). Factors associated with participation in employment for high school leavers with autism.
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 43
(8),
1832-1842.
|
| Title: |
Factors associated with participation in employment for high school leavers with autism |
| Authors: |
Chiang, H.M., Cheung, Y.K., Li, H., & Tsai, L.Y. |
| Year: |
2012 |
|
Journal/Publication:
|
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders |
| Publisher: |
Springer |
| DOI: |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-012-1734-2
|
| Full text: |
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-012-1734-2
|
PDF
|
| Peer-reviewed? |
Yes
|
| NIDILRR-funded? |
Not reported
|
| Background: |
Current research specifically focusing on transition from high school into employment for students with autism is very limited. Although the factors associated with participation in employment for students with disabilities have been reported previously, there is a lack of research that specifically focuses on high school leavers with autism, concerns family, student, and school factors, and uses a nationally representative data set to determine the factors. |
|
Purpose:
|
The purpose of the present study is to identify the factors associated with participation in employment for high school leavers with autism (i.e., if a high school leaver with autism has ever had a paid job since leaving high school) using a nationally representative data set [i.e., the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) data]. |
|
Study sample: |
Study sample is from NLTS2 data. The NLTS2 is a longitudinal data set. 4,167 samples were used in this study (n = 4,167) |
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Data collection and analysis:
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SAS 9.2 was used for statistical analyses in this study. Variables were described using descriptive statistics. For continuous variables, values were reported as means ± standard deviations (SDs). For categorical variables, values were reported as percents.
Also, a three-step process was used to determine the factors significantly associated with participation in postsecondary employment for postsecondary students with autism. |
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Findings:
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The finding indicates that annual household income, parental education, gender, social skills, whether the child had intellectual disability, whether the child graduated from high school, whether the child received career counseling during high school, and whether the child’s school contacted postsecondary vocational training programs or potential employers were the significant factors associated with participation in employment. |
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Conclusions:
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This study employed a nationally representative data set to identify the factors significantly associated with participation in employment for high school leavers with autism and found that family social status, student characteristics, and high school transition planning services were the signifi- cant factors. |
