PROTOCOL: Effectiveness of Adult Employment Assistance Services for Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders

There has been research done in the area of autism and employment, but such research has not been reported in a comprehensive review format before now. Thus, a systematic review on the effectiveness of adult employment assistance for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) would not only provide ideas for further research but also show findings that can inform implementation of such research. More needs to be known about strategies that are successful in securing employment outcomes with individuals with ASD. Enhanced awareness of effective approaches is likely to increase the availability of more effective employment support services for individuals with ASD, such as job coaching, vocational rehabilitation, or supported employment. A review of studies on adult employment assistance would not only synthesize the effects and techniques of successful or unsuccessful interventions, but also call to attention the gaps in experimental research in this area. This systematic review aims to determine the effectiveness of adult employment assistance in securing and maintaining employment for adults (18 years and older) with autism spectrum disorders. A two-stage process will be used to determine inclusion or exclusion of studies: (1) title and abstract stage and (2) full text stage. The keywords to be used in the computerized bibliography searches will be divided into three categories: population, treatment, and domain. The searches will cover the period from 1943 through 2008. Efforts to find studies from outside the United States will include corresponding with researchers in countries known for their efforts in autism research (e.g. United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia).