Framework for developing self-actualization skills in young adults with autism
Purpose: Young adults with autism spectrum disorder (YAASD) often lack the skills needed for successful adult living and subsequently develop lower quality of life and health in adulthood. Therefore, we developed a framework to support resilience and improve quality of life in YAASD, which will be u...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2024-01-01
|
| Series: | Health Care Transitions |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949923223000387 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1846148752808607744 |
|---|---|
| author | Megumi J. Okumura Sarah Kate Selling Allison Uba Susanne P. Martin-Herz Heidi H. Seretan Lisa Rosene Jacy Cohen Kathleen P. Tebb Roberta S. Rehm |
| author_facet | Megumi J. Okumura Sarah Kate Selling Allison Uba Susanne P. Martin-Herz Heidi H. Seretan Lisa Rosene Jacy Cohen Kathleen P. Tebb Roberta S. Rehm |
| author_sort | Megumi J. Okumura |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose: Young adults with autism spectrum disorder (YAASD) often lack the skills needed for successful adult living and subsequently develop lower quality of life and health in adulthood. Therefore, we developed a framework to support resilience and improve quality of life in YAASD, which will be used to develop a life-skills curriculum for YAASD. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study of YAASD, parents of YAASD and service providers recruited from agencies that serve YAASD using Grounded Theory. We focused our interviews on supports and skills needed to enhance quality of life in adulthood. Results: A total of 23 individuals were interviewed. We developed the major theoretical code; “Self-actualization skills in young adults with autism to improve quality of life”. This code recognized the neurodiversity of YAASD as well as comorbid intellectual disability and mental health needs, which often were additional barriers to achieving life goals. We identified the need for developing skills to facilitate both independence and greater insight, including self-care, self-advocacy, and social integration. YAASD struggled in developing skills to adapt to the constantly changing environment that neurotypical adults deal with daily. Factors that would facilitate development of self-actualizing skills include resources that promote creating structure in an adult world that can appear unstructured to YAASD. Conclusions: Self-actualization for adults requires skills for self-care, decision making, and effective communication. Unfortunately, most programs for YAASD emphasize vocational and simple task performance. Our framework facilitates self-actualization skills to enhance health and wellness, potentially reducing barriers to living meaningfully within the community. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-96229c4fb8dc44fe929148567417d911 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2949-9232 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Care Transitions |
| spelling | doaj-art-96229c4fb8dc44fe929148567417d9112024-11-30T07:14:50ZengElsevierHealth Care Transitions2949-92322024-01-012100038Framework for developing self-actualization skills in young adults with autismMegumi J. Okumura0Sarah Kate Selling1Allison Uba2Susanne P. Martin-Herz3Heidi H. Seretan4Lisa Rosene5Jacy Cohen6Kathleen P. Tebb7Roberta S. Rehm8Divisions of General Pediatrics, General Internal Medicine and Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, 490 Illinois Street, Floor 7, Campus Box 0936, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Corresponding author at: University of California San Francisco, 490 Illinois Street, Floor 7, Campus Box 0936, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.School of Medicine, Stanford University, 291 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USADivision of General Pediatrics, 3333 California Street STE 245, San Francisco, CA 94122, USADivision of Developmental Medicine, UCSF Box 4054, 1825 Fourth Street, 6th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA3421 25th Street Apt. 5, San Francisco, CA 94110, USARegional Center Services, Golden Gate Regional Center, 1355 Market Street, Suite 220, San Francisco, CA 94103, USAStrategic Partnerships, The Arc San Francisco, 1500 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, USADepartment of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, Box 0503, LH 245, San Francisco, CA 94143-0503, USAEmeritus, UCSF, School of Nursing, Family Health Care Nursing, 2 Koret Way, N411Y, San Francisco, CA 94143-0606, USAPurpose: Young adults with autism spectrum disorder (YAASD) often lack the skills needed for successful adult living and subsequently develop lower quality of life and health in adulthood. Therefore, we developed a framework to support resilience and improve quality of life in YAASD, which will be used to develop a life-skills curriculum for YAASD. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study of YAASD, parents of YAASD and service providers recruited from agencies that serve YAASD using Grounded Theory. We focused our interviews on supports and skills needed to enhance quality of life in adulthood. Results: A total of 23 individuals were interviewed. We developed the major theoretical code; “Self-actualization skills in young adults with autism to improve quality of life”. This code recognized the neurodiversity of YAASD as well as comorbid intellectual disability and mental health needs, which often were additional barriers to achieving life goals. We identified the need for developing skills to facilitate both independence and greater insight, including self-care, self-advocacy, and social integration. YAASD struggled in developing skills to adapt to the constantly changing environment that neurotypical adults deal with daily. Factors that would facilitate development of self-actualizing skills include resources that promote creating structure in an adult world that can appear unstructured to YAASD. Conclusions: Self-actualization for adults requires skills for self-care, decision making, and effective communication. Unfortunately, most programs for YAASD emphasize vocational and simple task performance. Our framework facilitates self-actualization skills to enhance health and wellness, potentially reducing barriers to living meaningfully within the community.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949923223000387AutismTransition to adulthoodLife skillsQuality of lifeResilience |
| spellingShingle | Megumi J. Okumura Sarah Kate Selling Allison Uba Susanne P. Martin-Herz Heidi H. Seretan Lisa Rosene Jacy Cohen Kathleen P. Tebb Roberta S. Rehm Framework for developing self-actualization skills in young adults with autism Health Care Transitions Autism Transition to adulthood Life skills Quality of life Resilience |
| title | Framework for developing self-actualization skills in young adults with autism |
| title_full | Framework for developing self-actualization skills in young adults with autism |
| title_fullStr | Framework for developing self-actualization skills in young adults with autism |
| title_full_unstemmed | Framework for developing self-actualization skills in young adults with autism |
| title_short | Framework for developing self-actualization skills in young adults with autism |
| title_sort | framework for developing self actualization skills in young adults with autism |
| topic | Autism Transition to adulthood Life skills Quality of life Resilience |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949923223000387 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT megumijokumura frameworkfordevelopingselfactualizationskillsinyoungadultswithautism AT sarahkateselling frameworkfordevelopingselfactualizationskillsinyoungadultswithautism AT allisonuba frameworkfordevelopingselfactualizationskillsinyoungadultswithautism AT susannepmartinherz frameworkfordevelopingselfactualizationskillsinyoungadultswithautism AT heidihseretan frameworkfordevelopingselfactualizationskillsinyoungadultswithautism AT lisarosene frameworkfordevelopingselfactualizationskillsinyoungadultswithautism AT jacycohen frameworkfordevelopingselfactualizationskillsinyoungadultswithautism AT kathleenptebb frameworkfordevelopingselfactualizationskillsinyoungadultswithautism AT robertasrehm frameworkfordevelopingselfactualizationskillsinyoungadultswithautism |