Abstract
Adolescents with autism and their families experience a significant increase in the number of challenges encountered when leaving the structure of the formal education system. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the factors parents and professionals regard as important in preparing for transition of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to adulthood, vocational, and residential arrangements. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 14 participants (i.e., 7 parents and 7 professionals) who were involved with adolescents with ASD in Johannesburg, South Africa. The findings revealed that there was a need for advocacy on behalf of learners with ASD transitioning into adult working and living environments. The responses of the participants highlighted needs for curriculum transformation from basic literacy skills to development and teaching of functional self-help and daily living skills. The results also indicated lack of planning and the absence of service facilities for adolescents with autism post-school. There was a general feeling of fear and uncertainty when the participants thought about transition of adolescents with autism and their future. However, there was also a sense of hope and optimism. Transition of adolescents with autism into adulthood is a challenging and stressful time for parents and professionals involved in trying to prepare them. With appropriate attention and support structures, individuals with autism can attain a reasonable quality of life, including residential, employment, and social opportunities.
Highlights
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is becoming more prevalent, and the statistics suggest that there is an increase in the diagnosis of ASD worldwide, in every racial, ethnic, and social group [1]
There appears to be no research conducted with regard to adolescents with ASD transitioning to adulthood within a South African context
The results are presented according to the four major themes, namely, curriculum reforms perceived as necessary for successful transition into adulthood; feelings experienced when thinking about transition; support and planning during transition process; and residential and employment opportunities post-school
Summary
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is becoming more prevalent, and the statistics suggest that there is an increase in the diagnosis of ASD worldwide, in every racial, ethnic, and social group [1]. Transition from school to adulthood is a challenging time for many adolescents with various disorders and their families [2,3,4,5]. This is especially true for adolescents with ASD, when seeking post-secondary and employment opportunities, as emphasized by Taylor and Seltzer [6] “underemployment of individuals with ASD is an international phenomenon.”. There is a large body of research conducted on autism and higher education, not enough is known about transition of non-verbal or low-functioning adolescents with ASD post-school, and what it entails to prepare for transition into work and living opportunities. The feelings that accompany such changes and demands are highlighted within the experiences of the parents and professionals
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