We received the following information to share with our community.

Adults with Asperger’s syndrome (AS) and high functioning autism (HFA) often experience difficulties obtaining and keeping gainful employment despite their potential for work.   Moreover, unemployment rates for adults with Autism have been estimated to be as high as 80%.

Because work is often a gateway to independence and there are numerous negative health consequences attributed to unemployment (e.g., depression, anxiety, and chronic illnesses), employment among adults with AS and HFA is of particular concern from both an occupational therapy and public health standpoint.

To gather useful information on the employment experiences of adults with AS and HFA, we have developed an online survey.  The survey is anonymous, takes less than 15 minutes to complete, and has SUNY Downstate institutional IRB approval (Reference #363846-1).

We are asking the following individuals to participate in this survey:

Adults with AS or HFA, who are also 18 years or older, and have held at least one paid job.

If you know anyone who meets the above criteria, we are asking that you forward this information.   The link to the survey is below.  The information received from the survey will be used to provide a better understanding of the current employment experiences of adults with AS and HFA.  Thank you for your time.  If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Professor Alisha Ohl, PhD, at 718-270-7737 or Alisha.Ohl@downstate.edu.

The survey can be found at:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ASEmploymentSurvey

Sincerely,

Professor Alisha Ohl, Ph.D., MS, OTR/L & Mira Grice-Sheff, Ph.D., MS
Occupational Therapy Graduate Students: Jamie Nguyen, Kelly Paskor, Aliza Pelzner, Sarah Schwartz
SUNY Downstate Medical Center Occupational Therapy Program
450 Clarkson Avenue

Brooklyn, New York 11203