title: Competitive employment for youth with autism spectrum disorders: early results from a randomized clinical trial.
abstract: For most youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), employment upon graduation from high school or college is elusive. Employment rates are reported in many studies to be very low despite many years of intensive special education services. This paper presented the preliminary results of a randomized clinical trial of Project SEARCH plus ASD Supports on the employment outcomes for youth with ASD between the ages of 18-21 years of age. This model provides very promising results in that the employment outcomes for youth in the treatment group were much higher in non-traditional jobs with higher than minimum wage incomes than for youth in the control condition. Specifically, 21 out of 24 (87.5 %) treatment group participants acquired employment while 1 of 16 (6.25 %) of control group participants acquired employment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-3038, USA.
authors.forename: Paul H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Wehman
authors.forename: Carol M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Schall
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McDonough
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kregel
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brooke
authors.forename: Alissa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Molinelli
authors.forename: Whitney
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ham
authors.forename: Carolyn W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Erin Riehle
authors.forename: Holly T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: Weston
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Thiss
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003163:Competitive Behavior; D004519:Education, Special; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012574:Schools; D055815:Young Adult
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