Balanced minds: Employment anxiety reduction program for adults with autism

Among the many challenges for adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are underemployment and unemployment. More than 66% are unemployed (Autism Society, n.d.). Adults with ASD face a plethora of barriers in obtaining and maintaining employment, including communication challenges, uncomfortable social interactions, masking autistic behaviors, and navigating the interview process (Bross et al., 2021; Finn et al., 2023; McKnight-Lizotte, 2018). People with ASD tend to experience difficulties interacting with others, including initiating interactions, using interactions to be social, and understanding and interacting appropriately in response to nonverbal communication (National Autistic Society, n.d.). Discrimination, negative perceptions of those with differences, and lack of workplace accommodations exacerbate some of those challenges (Bross et al., 2021).