https://aub.ie/MilitaryREACH-Whittenburg19

Whittenburg, H. N., Schall, C. M., Wehman, P., McDonough, J., & DuBois, T. (2020). Helping high school-aged military dependents with autism gain employment through Project SEARCH+ ASD Supports. Military Medicine, 185, 663–668. https://doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usz224

Military-connected young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be less likely to obtain employment due to the transitory nature of military life. The Project SEARCH and ASD Supports (PS + ASD) program matches young adults with ASD to community internships and provides on-the-job training using applied behavior analysis (i.e., an evidenced-based intervention focused on modifying behavior). In this study, the PS + ASD program was hosted at a military installation. Using a sample of military-connected young adults with ASD (N = 14) and a randomized controlled trial design, employment rates of those in the program (n = 6) were compared to participants’ in a waitlist control condition (n = 8). Nearly all of the PS + ASD program participants were employed after program completion; in contrast, only one waitlist participant was employed.

https://doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usz224

Programming

Multiple branches

Veteran

Child of a service member or veteran
Civilian

Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)

Preliminary analysis
Longitudinal Study
Quantitative Study

Whittenburg, Holly N., Schall, Carol M., Wehman, Paul, McDonough, Jennifer, DuBois, Thomas

Introduction: Youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face high rates of unemployment, with unique challenges for military-dependent and -connected youth with ASD. This paper reports preliminary findings from Year One of a randomized waitlist controlled trial investigating the efficacy of the Project SEARCH + ASD Supports (PS + ASD) intervention model for military-dependent and -connected youth with ASD. Methods: Treatment group participants (n = 6) participated in internships at a military installation in the southeastern United States; waitlist group participants (n = 8) received special education transition services at their local high schools. Employment outcome data were collected at 12 months for both groups. Results: Fourteen unique internship experiences were developed across seven business partner organizations on the military installation during Year One. Five of six PS + ASD treatment group participants obtained competitive integrated employment for an overall employment rate of 83.3%. Four of the positions were federal jobs. None of the waitlist group participants obtained competitive integrated employment during the same period. Conclusions: Initial results are promising and suggest that the PS + ASD model may help to meet the transition needs of military-dependent and -connected youth with ASD and the employment needs of local military communities.

Oxford Academic

Article
REACH Publication

Virginia Commonwealth University, Rehabilitation Research and Training Center, HNW
Virginia Commonwealth University, Rehabilitation Research and Training Center, CMS
Virginia Commonwealth University, Rehabilitation Research and Training Center, PW
Virginia Commonwealth University, Rehabilitation Research and Training Center, JM
Virginia Commonwealth University, Rehabilitation Research and Training Center, TD