ERIC Number: EJ1462992
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Apr
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1056-263X
EISSN: EISSN-1573-3580
Available Date: 2025-01-06
Quality of Life Outcomes of Autistic Adults, Including Those with Multiple Disabilities, and the Benefits of Person-Centered Supports
Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, v37 n2 p239-258 2025
Examining the quality of life outcomes and supports of autistic people, particularly without proxies, is important to inform research and service delivery -- not only for it to be more evidenced-based, but also to ensure services and supports are successfully supporting autistic people in ways that are important to them. The aim of this exploratory study was to examine the quality of life personal outcomes of autistic people; our secondary aim was to examine the presence of person-centered organizational supports to facilitate autistic people's outcomes. We analyzed secondary Personal Outcome Measures interview data from 860 autistic adults (January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2023), many of which also had additional intellectual/developmental disabilities. Autistic people had 50.4% of outcomes present; they were most likely to be safe and have the best possible health, and least likely to choose where and with whom to live, and choose their services. Autistic people had 52.1% of individualized supports in place. While there were differences in autistic people's outcomes and supports based on their sociodemographics, the presence of supports played a larger role in quality of life. While much work remains, our findings indicate that with thoughtful, person-centered services and supports, autistic people's outcomes improve tremendously.
Descriptors: Adults, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Quality of Life, Evidence Based Practice, Multi Tiered Systems of Support, Comorbidity, Individualized Programs, Individual Needs
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1The Council on Quality and Leadership, Towson, USA