Angela Marie Mai, Ph.D., Walden University, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Policy and Administration, recently completed her dissertation study “Beliefs Influencing Hiring Agents’ Selection of Qualified Autistic Candidates” identifying and measuring demand-side factors inhibiting employment of individuals on the autism spectrum.

Angela focuses on demand-side research exploring employment-influencing factors relating to autism and other developmental disorders toward the development of more effective public and organizational policy.  WardheerNerws congratulates Dr. Angela on her noble research work on autism and employment.

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The global literature on autism and employment dates back decades; it is not a new topic. Unger’s (2002) exhaustive meta-analysis covered studies from 1957 through 2000. In my review of the current empirical literature, I found ample research from the perspective of autistics (supply-side); however, I did not find much from the employer perspective (demand-side). The most prominent factors I noted were the significant strides made in the last decade to ascertain the percentage of the population diagnosed with an ASD and autistics’ capabilities to take part in a competitive work environment. Because of numerous studies highlighting autistic functionality, I conducted additional research within the last five years focusing on either autism or disabilities in general with relation to employment potential.

Read more: Beliefs Influencing Hiring Agents’ Selection of Qualified Autistic Candidates

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