Abstract
Introduction/Background
Autism stigma is pervasive in society and contributes to the poor education and employment outcomes of autistic Australians (see Select committee on autism, 2022). The aim of this study was to explore community perceptions of autistic job suitability and compare this to the fields of study that autistic students pursue at university.
Methods
Data were collected using two online questionnaires. Questionnaire 1: Community perceptions regarding autistic job suitability were obtained from the general population 18+ years old, currently residing in Australia. Questionnaire 2: Students were eligible to participate if they had attended an Australian university within the last 5 years and formally or informally identified as autistic. A mixed method approach was used to analyse the data.
Results/Evaluation
Questionnaire 1 (n=756; general population): It was a common misconception that autism is an inherent barrier to performing health professions including doctor, nurse and psychologist. A requirement to provide human care, was more closely associated with negative attitudes towards job suitability compared to a requirement for specialised knowledge and/or technical
skills. Compared to all other demographic characteristics analysed, gender had the strongest effect on perceptions of autistic job suitability.
Questionnaire 2 (n=185; autistic students): Almost half of the students (49.7%) that completed this questionnaire reported studying courses relevant to health professions, including medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, psychology, midwifery and social work. Fear of discrimination and difficulty communicating with staff emerged as common factors contributing to negative student experiences.
Discussion
There is a tremendous mismatch between community perceptions of autistic job suitability and the fields that autistic students study. This highlights an urgent need to increase community knowledge of autism, including that autistic traits can be beneficial to many occupations including health professions (Shaw et al., 2022). Increased visibility of autistic health professionals could help to address misconceptions and promote inclusion.
Autism stigma is pervasive in society and contributes to the poor education and employment outcomes of autistic Australians (see Select committee on autism, 2022). The aim of this study was to explore community perceptions of autistic job suitability and compare this to the fields of study that autistic students pursue at university.
Methods
Data were collected using two online questionnaires. Questionnaire 1: Community perceptions regarding autistic job suitability were obtained from the general population 18+ years old, currently residing in Australia. Questionnaire 2: Students were eligible to participate if they had attended an Australian university within the last 5 years and formally or informally identified as autistic. A mixed method approach was used to analyse the data.
Results/Evaluation
Questionnaire 1 (n=756; general population): It was a common misconception that autism is an inherent barrier to performing health professions including doctor, nurse and psychologist. A requirement to provide human care, was more closely associated with negative attitudes towards job suitability compared to a requirement for specialised knowledge and/or technical
skills. Compared to all other demographic characteristics analysed, gender had the strongest effect on perceptions of autistic job suitability.
Questionnaire 2 (n=185; autistic students): Almost half of the students (49.7%) that completed this questionnaire reported studying courses relevant to health professions, including medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, psychology, midwifery and social work. Fear of discrimination and difficulty communicating with staff emerged as common factors contributing to negative student experiences.
Discussion
There is a tremendous mismatch between community perceptions of autistic job suitability and the fields that autistic students study. This highlights an urgent need to increase community knowledge of autism, including that autistic traits can be beneficial to many occupations including health professions (Shaw et al., 2022). Increased visibility of autistic health professionals could help to address misconceptions and promote inclusion.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - Jul 2024 |
| Event | Australian & New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators 2024: Cultivating innovation - Adelaide Convention Centre, Adelaide, Australia Duration: 1 Jul 2024 → 4 Jul 2024 https://www.anzahpe.org/page-1075559 |
Conference
| Conference | Australian & New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators 2024 |
|---|---|
| Abbreviated title | ANZAHPE 2024 |
| Country/Territory | Australia |
| City | Adelaide |
| Period | 1/07/24 → 4/07/24 |
| Internet address |
Keywords
- inclusive education
- disability
- autism
- discrimination
- equity
